The summer weather is the perfect time for taking your family on a road or camping trip in your caravan. However, once the summer is over, you need to store the camper trailer away until the next family trip. Unlike other equipment which can be stored in your shed, a caravan requires special storage facilities, especially if it is to remain unused for months. That's why adequate preparation is necessary to ensure that it remains safe and in excellent condition while in storage. This piece will address three things that you should have in mind as you prepare the caravan for long-term storage.

Clean your caravan

The most critical step in preparing your camper trailer for storage is making sure that both the interior and exterior are clean. Storing a dirty caravan increases risks of all types of problems, including surface rust on the caravan's body, mould growth in the refrigerator and other parts of the kitchen and moisture damage. The next time you want to use the camper trailer, you'll be forced to carry out intense cleaning and restoration. To avoid this, pay attention to the following when cleaning your caravan:

• Empty all the contents in storage, including in the drawers, cabinets and refrigerator.
• Scrub and vacuum the caravan's interior space.
• Clean the exterior—the body, roof, windows and tires.
• Close the windows and blinds, but leave the vents open for air circulation.
• Grease mechanical parts to reduce the rate of wear and tear.

Find a safe storage facility

Various companies provide caravan storage services. All you need to do is find a reputable one that will keep your equipment safe until the next family trip. In this light, try to choose a facility with 24-hour surveillance and restricted access. As you do your research, think about whether you want a facility that's near your home or your favourite camping site. If you only use your caravan for camping in a specific location, you can find a company that's near the camping site for easy access.

Think about insurance

So much can happen when your caravan is in storage, and the last thing you need is to incur losses. Therefore, before storing your camper trailer, ask your insurer whether your current policy will cover the equipment while it's in storage. If not, you may want to go for a storage company that will insure your caravan against any damage or theft while in their facility. Alternatively, you can purchase an additional cover before putting it up for storage.

As you store your caravan, you should make sure that it will remain in excellent condition until the pickup day. Have these things in mind to ensure that the camper trailer is prepared for long-term storage.