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hi everyone

We will be packing our van up for winter soon (boo hoo) and leaving it on site.Can i ask,what does everyone do? is it best to totally empty the van? kettle microwave tv etc..or do people just leave them inside,and if i do will the cold effect any of it.Do people take quilts etc home? The van is new so hopefully no damp...just wondered if the cold effects any of the stuff and thought id ask you lot as you have yrs of experience between you all :)

also any pointers on what to check and do inside of van before we leave it

to who ever replies..thanks so much x

wendy

I take the tv, quilts & pillows home. I put bowls of salt all over the van & leave the bathroom door & cupboard doors open. I also stand the side cushions on end. The taps are left in an open position.  I have never had any problems.

Hope this helps  x

pull out shower pipe and drain,remove shower head (expensive item) leave taps open in the centre position.if you do not want mice remove all clothes and cloths and paper items they can make a nest with.leave cupboard doors shut to prevent warping. use these in the cupboards

http://www.amazon.co.uk/7dayshop-Silica-Gel-GREAT-DELIVERY/dp/B002K95U54/ref=pd_cp_ce_0_img

thanks everyone for all your repliesso many things i would of never thought of....

we have just got the van and decided to leave plastic on just til end of season as it is so muddy on site.however someone on site has warned us to get plastic off incase there is a hole condensation gets into and causes damp in seats....should we take them off now??? or as its packed away

wendy x

We take out the carpets, clean and leave under a bed so they lay flat all winter. The upholstery is also removed, with the bed mattress, cushions and they are stored in a bedroom. Curtains removed washed and ironed and stored in the bedroom. All pots/pans/crockery removed...in fact all cupboards/drawers/lockers etc emptied.

Gas cylinders go in the greenhouse. Most storage sites insist that gas is removed. Don't store in the garage just in case they go off. Makes quite a mess I understand.

Couple of those Kampa Damp boxes with crystals are left in the van and we pop back every now and again to empty the water out. Takes the wetness out of the air and stops it getting into the woodwork etc. I know some say that is not required but it's what we do. Collects a lot of water!!

Smear olive oil on the window seals to stop surfaces stickng together over winter.

Bit of duckhams oil on the corner steady threads.

Blinds up over winter.

Battery taken out and stored in our porch with charger for the occassional charge up during the winter months.

Tyres off and stored in the garage in hessian sacks. Caravan on winter wheels.

Toilet cassette stored in the garage with disinfectant solution in it. Drain after a while. Same with wastemaster. Water Hog is also in the garage with Milton solution in it for a while and then drained part way through winter. Fresh slution put in a couple of weeks before our first trip out. Before taking away the water hog I run a Milton solution through the caravan pipes. Repeat before first trip.

Clean and polish the van and a rub down with Bobby Dazzler, wrap in cotton wool and worry all winter when it snows rains hails and out of the darkness of winter pile everything back in and all is OK and off we go again.

Car just gets stuck in the garage, sometimes its washed and the tyres remain on, battery connected. Strange isn't it? 

Phil