Our must have camper essentials list.

How we got started on round 2 of #trailerlife

Must have RV Accessories

In January 2020, we purchased an RV trailer on our birthday for camping in the PNW! First thing we did is figure what Camper essentials we needed!

We sold our Trailer 5 years before, and we were ready to go at it again. We started over and did loads of research before we bought what we needed for the new trailer. 

Tips on keeping it simple! 

The one thing I learned from previous trailers was not to overdo the fancy gadgets and overspending. Keeping it simple and not being wasteful was important. 

Recycle and Reuse things you already have. When you purchase things that are “made for the RV,” (for the interior not the exterior things) it immediately gets more expensive. There are a ton of DIY tricks and tips on Pinterest and Youtube that will save you so much money! 

I would also suggest a quick overnight trip before you start buying anything in the interior; just bring the things you have already. When you start using the trailer, you will get a better sense of how things fit in storage and what you actually need. 

The things you think you need, you may find out you may not need at all. 

What to think about when looking for an RV

When you’re shopping for an RV, it is important you know what your vehicle is capable of towing comfortably. Do your research of what you are thinking of getting in your RV and make sure you can move it without damaging your vehicle or creating an unsafe situation. 

• It is important not to overload your vehicle. Think about where you are taking it when it comes to hills and elevation.
• Who is going to be camping with you? Humans and pets. We took into account our two kids and our pup… It was the reason we upgraded to a slide-out. We wanted the kids to have their own space, so we chose a smaller hangout area instead of having them make a bed from a couch or table every night. 
• Where are you camping? The longer the trailer is, the more limited your options will be when you book campgrounds and State Parks. 
• Where are you going to store it? Is it going to be stored at your house or in a storage facility? How much is that going to cost if it is stored elsewhere?  

Purchasing Camper essentials for your RV

• We learned that January is a great time to buy… prices are dropping to make room for new inventory.
• Financing on a trailer is pretty low right now.
• New trailers are not much more expensive than used trailers and come with a year warranty.
• Buy local because things will come up under warranty, and you will want it to be as easy as possible to get the warranty work done.
• Find a dealer who has amazing customer service and will go to bat for you! Read reviews and pay attention to how their employees treat their customers 🙂

Inside RV Camper Essentials

When it comes to the interior, we needed everything, but luckily for us, we had many doubles in the kitchen. Most things we needed for the kitchen we got from the house. For the kitchen, I wanted things that were very versatile and were quality products. As you know, there is not a ton of storage in a trailer, so you have to really find things that nest together and store well. I watched some videos and did some research on some of the products I was interested in. We have spent over 30 days camping in the last year, and I am updating my essential list. 

The must have RV Accessories I had on my original list made it to round 2. We have also added some more items that we picked up in 2020. Other campers recommended a few of the add-on items we bought while we were camping. 

Must Have Kitchen Accessories

If you are going to get one thing for the trailer right away, I would suggest you get this Pot and Pan set made for RV’s (which goes against what I said earlier about now getting things specifically for the RV but this is an exception).

These pots and pans take up VERY little room and are so really good quality. They are stable and I love the fact they have no handle that is attached while being stored. Store easily and have a clamp on-handle the. Great quality and sturdy. They are rockstars and have even thought about buying a couple of pans for my home kitchen.

I also used command hooks, which I usually have on hand anyways for hanging keys, coats and hats.

Bedroom Items

We did get a memory form topper for our bed, because the mattresses that come with the RV was not comfortable. It is an expensive purchase, but it was well worth it!

• Wedge Pillow, for sitting up in bed to work or read
• Fitted sheets for our RV queen bed
• Dedicated pillows for the bed
• iPhone cords for charging

Bathroom Camper Essentials

• Bungee cords (drilled holes on the side of the medicine cabinet and put them across the shelves to prevent items from falling out when we opened the door
• RV toilet paper
• RV septic cleaner

Common areas

We always keep a heater in the trailer, even though we have an electric heater (faux fireplace) in the trailer. Keeping a heater in the trailer while in storage is also essential, so if the temps drop, we can keep the trailer warm while it site. Nothing big, just something compact…

We also have some Misc things as well  ( I will make a packing list later) 

• Outside lights
• Extension cords interior and exterior
• Candles
• Headlamps

Must have Camper Essentials – Exterior

First off, if you do not know where to start check out Pinterest and YouTube. There are some amazing resources on both those platforms. You can look up everything you need to know there.

Robert checked out what we needed for the exterior of the trailer. He spent loads of time researching hitches, blockers for the jack stands, and backup cameras. He learned about the best water filters and a surge protector that we use when we plug into power the campgrounds.

Click on the photos below to get links to the products

RV power cord!

• Distribution Hitch – made for heavier trailers
• Break cord (ours came with a steel wire, it sucked, so we bought this bright red coiled cord
• Bright yellow leveling blocks, so we don’t forget them.
• Water filter
• Watchdog electric surge protector
• Heavy Duty Dogbone Electrical adapter
• Hose – great quality and breaks down nicely, and is easy to store

Must have Camper Essentials