20+ Essential Items for Your New RV
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You just arrived home with your new RV and now you’re wondering about all the items you should add (but not too much!) to be officially set up for the first camping trip. It can be a little overwhelming to realize that outfitting an RV or camper is akin to outfitting a new home. Rest assured, though, you don’t need nearly the amount of “stuff” in your RV that you have in your house - better yet, a great goal is to lean toward the minimalistic side!
We do our best before a trip to pack things a week in advance. Then, we sit with it. While this seems a little strange, this gives us time as we’re getting the fridge stocked and clothes put away neatly to acknowledge that we don’t need four seasons of clothing and 25 books for a week-long trip. In fact, we keep a laundry basket on the sofa that, little by little, gets repacked with the items that we changed our minds about before leaving and those go back into the house. This helps both with overall weight and general clutter.
With the tendency to overpack being acknowledged from the beginning, we’ve found that there are several items that have become essential from the moment you take off for your first trip out. Here are the first 20 we wanted to share:
No one wants to roll away while they’re just getting ready to make dinner!
Water Hose (drinking water safe)
Always have your own and make sure to keep it clean. This is where the water you drink, cook with, and bathe in travels.
Water Pressure Regulator (adjustable)
This small gadget saves us from big headaches when the water pressure at a campground is too forceful for typical plumbing.
This filter is the buffer between the spigot and the drinking water hose. It keeps the majority of any particulate out of your RV lines and improves water taste.
Because handling the sewer hose isn’t always an art form.
Water Hose (not drinking water safe) for Rinse
This hose will hook to your black tank cleaning port. Just to be on the safe side… let’s keep it separate.
30 amp Surge Protector (some rigs will require a 50amp protector)
RVs these days have a lot of electronics/appliances involved, not to mention the ones you bring with you. Protect them from unexpected power surges.
Rechargable LED Flashlight (USB Rechargable)
At some point, you’re going to want to go outside at night to check on something. Having a good light (especially with rechargeable batteries to cut the waste) is just a good idea.
This might not seem essential until the first time you experience rain! Then, as you track in sand, mud, and leaves, you’ll think back to this list and say, “ah. I get it.”
“Nesting” is key here. The first time we traveled, we just pulled pots and pans from the home kitchen. We discovered nesting pots and pans, which saved weight and precious space that we could then use for other kitchen items.
Again, “unbreakable” is key for plates. Melamine plates are also a great option, but we really like these reusable, wheat-straw plates that act like plastic but are earth-friendlier.
We like these so much, we’re planning to replace our kitchen knives at home. They hold their sharpness incredibly well and won’t rust.
Flexible Plastic Cutting Board
Talk about space saving and something we now use at home, too! Easy to clean, can be stored anywhere.
Yeah. Because we’ve forgotten one before and attempted to open the cans with an old, military-style survival opener all weekend.
This goes along with all the “unbreakable” items, but adds another layer: things stay put on this non-slip, non-adhesive mat! This is important in cabinets and on shelves, but we’ve also tested the idea with a basket placed on a piece of liner and left of the kitchen counter. Hundreds of miles later, the basket hasn’t moved.
We love our coffee, tea, and cocoa. Nearly-instant hot water in the morning (to the temp you want with an auto-shut off) while getting pets fed/walked and breakfast cooked feels pretty luxurious. It’s insulated, too, even when the dogs take their time.
Damp, stinky towels for the bathroom or kitchen are pretty unpleasant and, in humid places, this happens quickly. Synthetic towels are still soft, but dry really quickly so they avoid that stale smell.
If you don’t use these, you’ll know why people use them after a couple of weeks. Black tanks are smelly with use. These pods can help.
We mentioned that these are essentials, right? Using a screw driver just isn’t the same.
Unbreakable Wine / Water glasses
See above!
Bonus Items
Tracking dirt in is inevitable, spills happen, and indoor life is just more compact in an RV. This little vacuum can help keep your sock bottoms clean.
Unless you happen to have your own washer/dryer on board, laundry will need to be mobile. This basket stays out of the way and is easy to carry to the laundromat.
These become more multi-use than any other item in your RV. Groceries, picnics, post office, dirty things, you name it… it’s good to have some spares.
While we always hope we never use it, it’s nice to have a basic first aid kit. More likely than not, it’ll be a neighbor needing a bandaid, but at least you can help!
We all have our favorite brand and style of toilet paper, but things will… flow… a bit better for your RV if you use a toilet paper that will begin to breakdown while it sits in your tank awaiting its exit. Think of it as a safe-guard.
Did we miss anything in this round of essentials? What are some items you would add for your travels?
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