The more camping we do, the more we realize what is and is not necessary.  When we first brought the camper home, my neighbor (another camper) came to take a look.  As I pointed out the extensive storage I would say “and look at all this space, I don’t even have anything to put there.”  Over and over again, her reply was “Oh you will!”  Well, let me tell you, after 14 trips in the first 9 months, we have filled those spaces. 🙂

Below is a list of accessories that we keep on board. This is what works for us.  Your list may be very different.  We’ve gotten a ton of our stuff from Amazon.  I have included the links for those items below:

RV NECESSITIES:  Most of the other things are household items.  These items are specifically for RVs and things that are not luxuries, but really needed before you set out on your first trip.

• Wheel chocks – to keep your camper from rolling away after you unhitch.
• Leveling pads or boards – we bought the interlocking plastic pads.  They are nice and lightweight, but not very durable. Keeping the camper level is important for appliances like the refrigerator to function properly.  It’s also nice to not feel like you are always leaning a bit. 🙂
• Sewer hose & extension – 20′ of hose (total) is generally enough hose to make sure you can reach the sewer drain.  Ours is a 10′ hose plus a 10′ extension.
• Sewer hose flush-out – this attachment allows you to connect a hose to flush out the sewer hose.  It’s also clear, so you can tell when the waste is washed out.
• Sewer hose support – it wouldn’t seem like this is necessary – but it really helps keep the water running through the sewer hose when the drain is raised up off the ground.
• Electric surge protector & extension cable – again, having enough cable to reach the outlet is important.  The surge protector makes sure you don’t get too much amperage in your camper.
• 2 hoses – one only for hooking the camper up to a water source, the other only for flushing the sewer hose.  Be sure to mark each clearly so they don’t get used for the wrong purpose.  Yuk!!!   (We have 2 different color hoses.)

INSIDE:

• Pots & Pans (I have a small assortment of used pots & pans.)
• Wine glasses – I like my wine in a real glass.  It’s worth it to me to keep them safely tucked away in their original box.
• Keurig – see “The Keurig that started it all.”
• Misc utensils – I bought an inexpensive dorm-type starter kit with measuring cups, serving spoons, peeler, pot holders, etc.  Really all I need.
• Collapsible dish drainer – one of my most used gadgets.  I open it when we arrive at our site and put it away when we leave.  It folds up so nicely I can stash it anywhere.
• Dishes – I bought some pretty melamine plates & bowls.  I don’t have to worry about breaking them, but enjoy using them.
• Tervis cups & lids – we live in Florida and Tervis cups are a staple here.  They don’t sweat, they keep your beverage hot or cold for a reasonable amount of time, and the lids keep them active-friendly.
• Tongs – I use these extensively for turning bacon, grabbing something from the grill, etc.
• Pie irons – the grandkids LOVE these.  We make grilled cheese or pizza (canned pizza dough with jar pizza sauce & mozzarella) – easy and fun!
• Electric griddle – a friend told me about this and it has made us so happy!  I bring this outside in the morning and cook bacon, eggs, and sometimes toast.  The eggs don’t stick, it wipes clean easily, and keeps us from messing up the camper with splattered bacon grease!  I love making breakfast outside on a beautiful morning!
• Beer & Wine Bottle opener – a must have 🙂
• A descent Chef Knife
• Scissors
• One mixing/serving bowl
• A large wooden cutting board – Oh so many uses for this.  It’s home is holding the dish drainer and pad, but it is also additional counter space on top of my stove (which is why I selected wood over plastic) and also comes in handy for carrying hot food from the fire to the table.
• Camco sink cover – this is a nylon cutting board with adjustable feet that fits snugly over the kitchen sink.  This item was a little pricey, in my opinion, but it has almost doubled my counter space!  Definitely worthwhile.
• Small plastic cutting board – my “go to” for chopping (so I don’t ruin my expensive sink cover).
• Plastic Dishpans – I originally bought these (2 different sizes) to put the dish drainer into.  That plan did’t work out, but I use these all the time for carrying food in and out of the camper and for storing food in the cabinets so they won’t fall out during travel.  I have also had to use them on occasion to actually wash dishes or an item or two of laundry.
• Kitchen & bath towels, beach towels – rags are handy, too.
• Nice sheets – I have bamboo sheets because RV camping should be like staying in a great hotel!
• A good mattress or at least a good mattress topper
• Comforter and/or light weight blanket to accommodate changes in temperature
• Jackets – some mornings and evenings are cooler than you think they’ll be.
• Big plastic hamper – I started with a small folding hamper only to find it’s much easier to carry all the dirty clothes, sheets, and towels in and out of the house in a large sturdy hamper
• First aid kit – just in case
• Ottomans (Ottomen?) – Our camper has a small sofa.  So to be comfortable, we found really nice folding ottomans that also double as throw pillow and blanket storage for those chilly evenings.
• Small step stool – I am not short, but still need a stool to get up onto the RV bed.  It’s handy at other times, too.  Ours folds, so we can store it easily.
• Wall clock – This one locks in place on the wall, so it won’t shift around during travel.
• Power strip – for charging all those electronics
• Kitchen & bathroom trash cans – some people have a can for outside too, but I find I don’t like to keep trash outside (too many pests), so I bring the kitchen can outside only when needed and don’t ever leave trash out overnight.
• Small ceramic heater – our salesman told us about this.  The heat in our camper runs on propane.  He had told us that propane will go down quickly when using the heat.  Most times we are paying for electric anyway, so why not use electric for heat. (Note: we have since installed an electric fireplace which looks nice and also gives off heat when needed.  I still keep the ceramic heater on board just in case we need it in the bedroom, though.)
• Fans – We have a small fan that we mounted to the wall in the bedroom.  For some reason, it gets stuffy in there without air movement.  I have seen these fans in a number of RV photos, so I know I am not alone.  We also have a small fan that can be clamped onto many surfaces – great for guests or hot flashes!  We also have a tall narrow fan that is mostly used outside, but can be used inside, as well (like when the a/c went out in July in they Keys!)
• Damp Rid – We keep the camper hooked up to power even when not in use so we can run the a/c.  But in Florida, even with the a/c running, it’s hard to keep the humidity out.  A damp rid container tucked behind the toilet helps to control moisture.
• Citronella candles in large mason jars (keeps them from blowing out)
• Lighters
• Command strips, command strips, command strips – there is almost nothing that can’t be hung up with command strips.  They hold well and do not damage camper walls (or whatever is behind those walls!)
• Assorted bins/baskets – After using the camper a bit, we discovered specific size bins really help to organize everything.  We have narrow clear drawer organizers in the medicine cabinet (so nothing falls on my head when I open it!), shoe box size clear plastic bins, to organize tools, etc in the cabinets (and you can see what’s in each one!), plastic drawers for the wardrobe (we don’t bring hanging clothing camping, so the drawers really add space to the wardrobe closets).
• tension rods – we have these in varying sizes for keeping things from falling while in transit (in fridge or to hold spices or to keep the TV from falling) and a shower rod in the bathroom to add hanging space above the shower.

OUTSIDE:

• Folding tables – we carry 1 inside and 2 outside – very useful!
• Folding lounge chairs – These are probably the single most important things to us – a little pricey, but worth every penny!  We spend a lot of our time lounging by the fire or looking up at the stars.  These chairs are so comfortable I wouldn’t mind having them in my living room!
• Beach umbrella & beach chairs – of course, if you are going to the beach. 🙂
• Screen room – This has come in VERY handy when bugs are bad.  I can set this one up by myself in 2 minutes – really!  It is also very pricey!  However, we have found that because it sets up so easily, we use it often.  I think if it was more difficult, we might not use it so much.
• Flashlights – we actually have 4:  One large heavy one that we keep hanging right inside the door to the camper.  If the light doesn’t scare something away, a bop on the head will!  We also have a small, yet bright flashlight that’s great for putting in your pocket before going on a walk.  The third flashlight is a headlight.  A must have for setting up in the dark.  You can use your hands and still see what you’re doing.  The last one is really a lantern – something when you need stationary light away from the camper’s own lights.
• Walkie Talkies – Most of the time we can talk on the phone when I’m guiding hubby into the campsite.  But many parks don’t have good cell service, so walkie talkies can be really useful.  Plus, the grandkids have a blast playing with them.
• Fire pit – we bought a large, deep pit that we carry in the truck.  Most campgrounds allow fires, but require them to be in an off-the-ground pit, while some require the pit to have a mesh cover.  Even when a campground has a built-in pit, it may not be in the most convenient location, so we’ll often wind up using our own.
• Firewood – we love sitting by a fire and cooking over a fire – just be sure your campground allows you to do so.  Some don’t allow wood at all (just charcoal) and others may force you to buy their local wood, so you don’t bring in  wood-eating beetles that destroy the trees.  Be sure to check with your park before you load all the wood in the truck (says the voice of experience).
• Propane grill – Most of the time we cook on the fire, but once in a while we either can’t or don’t have time to make a fire, so the grill comes in handy.  I read a lot of reviews before buying this one.  Apparently, it is a campers favorite.  On our last trip, I saw 4 other campsites with the exact same grill, and it was a small park.
• Outdoor carpet – there are lightweight, foldable rugs made for RVers.  We bought some cheap indoor-outdoor carpeting at Home Depot and it works just fine.  We cut it up into sections, so it makes it easy to adapt to different campsites.  It’s nice walking on the carpeting outside instead of dirt or rocks and keeps the inside of the camper cleaner, too.
• Rubber mat at bottom of steps – to wipe feet before entering camper
• Small throw rug just inside camper door – to wipe feet before entering camper!
• Brooms – we have one for outside and one for inside use.
• Misc tools – a small toolbox is definitely useful
• Bikes & bike rack – Great for getting around a large campground – plus fun!

SUPPLIES:  Things to keep available

• Toiletries – I like to keep a complete set of toiletries on the camper.  This way, I just grab food & clothing and off we go!
• Zipper sandwich & gallon size bags – lots of uses for these
• Paper plates – there are times you just don’t want to wash dishes.  Maybe you’re just having sandwiches or you don’t have sewer hook-up, so you’re limiting your water usage.
• Dish liquid, hand soap
• Garbage bags
• Heavy duty aluminum foil and Plastic wrap
• Suncreen
• Bug spray
• Lysol wipes – my fav for cleaning up the camper after each use

You can spend quite a bit of money outfitting your new camper.  It’s nice to have the camper fully stocked so packing for each trip only requires food & clothing.  However, you can easily bring more things from home, instead of buying a second set of everything.  Then, just add a little at a time.  I like to think of our camper as a luxury hotel – just out in the woods! 🙂