Fold, check, stow: the five-minute departure reset

Camping gear folded and stowed beside a parked SUV

A calm departure starts with the same order every time. Work from the glass inward, then finish in the cargo area.

Minute 1: clear every view

Remove rear-window screens and privacy panels. Confirm the windshield, front side glass, mirrors, cameras, and sensors are unobstructed.

Minute 2: empty the parked surfaces

Clear lap boards and seatback tables. Check under seats and between cushions for mugs, phones, utensils, and other loose pieces.

Minute 3: release hanging gear

Remove tablet slings and parked-use seatback organizers. Confirm headrests, seat belts, airbags, seat controls, and child-restraint zones are returned to their normal safe state.

Minute 4: close the floor

Empty parked-use footwell bins and move them to cargo. Run seats through the travel you will need and check every passenger and driver footwell.

Minute 5: secure cargo

Zip totes, fold caddies, close crates, and use the vehicle's verified restraint method. Walk once around the vehicle, close every door and hatch, then perform a final mirror-and-control check from the driver's seat.

If a piece has no clear stow location, it does not join the next mile.