Hi everyone, I'm an avid hiker and camper but a brand new owner of a camper (travel trailer). I'm looking for any help setting up my camper so I don't forget anything I might not think of on my first trip... I'm guessing many of you have your own secrets and tips that make your experience like living at home.Some information about me: I teach yoga, I'm a vegetarian, I will most likely carry our bikes and SUPs with us on the road. I have 2 boys (11,9) who will be going on adventures with me. We live in Omaha so will try to hit as many spots 4-5 hours from here on weekends before our big trip to Yellowstone this summer.Please help with lists or ideas... or links if this information already exists.Thank you, see you on the road!David

I keep lists on my phone and tablet. I have a Pre trip list with things like shoreline unplugged and tires aired, jacks up. Next I have a list for regular food items I always carry. Coffee, filters, water, spices. Next is a list for things like bbq propane fishing stuff. You'll get hang of it in no time. Nicest thing is you can pack it up and just leave it. Only things I take off are food items in the fall.

Do vegetarians eat Twinkies ? :B

Think through the tasks you'll be doing. Preparing meals, cleaning, sleeping - everything (on my first trip camping I brought Dinty Moore stew but no can opener!). Consider what you need for each one of those activities and load appropriately. Don't forget comfort items, medications and first aid stuff.

We depend on lists. Wife has the food and kitchen list, I have the camping, RV etc list. We also have acquired duplicates of most of the things we use in both the RV and the house, so only the first trip of the year do we have to bring everything out.We took a short trip near home for our first trip to find out what we needed and didn't have on our lists. The lists are continuously updated as our needs change.If you forget things, not a big deal. There is always a Walmart around.

Here in the Beginner forum there is a "sticky" thread called Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on the Open Roads Forum which has a (huge!) lists section, along with many other interesting threads. I took their lists and whittled them down to suit our needs.

Newbie! How do I stock my Camper? | Good Sam Community

mdamerell
Explorer
Mar 09, 2015
Recreational Vehicle - Jeff Daniels

:B Thanks it's funny!
wa8yxm
Explorer III
Mar 07, 2015
In the monolog "The Recreational Vehicle" by Jeff Daniels.. he speaks of his wife filling every nook and cranny with snacks. (If you have never heard it, Look it up on You Tube and .. DO NOT HAVE FOOD OR DRINK IN YOUR MOUTH when you play it. (I have been accused of working for keyboard companies too many times).
(you will understand after you play it).

In fact,, one of the things I had to teach my wife.. When it comes to clothing, and tools, pack what you need. But when it comes to food, pack light,, There is always a Wal*Mart, or a Kroger, Aldi, Albertson's, Bi-Lo _____Supermarket chain of your choice____ or ___Compeitior____ near where you are going.
wendyly
Explorer
Mar 07, 2015
I stock mine with what I think I will need for cooking, eating, sleeping, etc, and I adjust constantly as time goes. I keep a notebook in th motorhome, and during each trip I write about the campground, campsite, and sites we would prefer for future visits. I alo list anything I wish I had brought and anything I need to resupply before the next trip.
Allworth
Explorer II
Mar 07, 2015
Milk crates are great for stuff like wheel chocks, power cords, etc. Not the "decorator" kind from Target, but real ones from a salvage store.
drae0814
Explorer
Mar 06, 2015
Have fun with it i went to Wallmart 2 times on our fisrt camp trip in our new to us RV. when we did our walk through of the RV he told me in the welcome box you will find a new sewer hose so i said great when i open the box and saw all of neat thing even a small box of tools i was pretty excited when we got to the camp ground i went to hook up the free sewer hose to find it was about 6 feet to short that was the first trip to Walmart. And dont forget bring more then one lighter its hard to make a fire or light the stove with out it.
toedtoes
Explorer III
Mar 06, 2015
I started using those soft sided packing cubes for travel. Get the ones with a handle on the end. They work to keep clothes organized in cupboards (you can use a different color for each family member). I also use them for shore power cords and adapters, extension cords, fresh water hoses, electronic device cables and connectors, spare batteries, and even as a "junk drawer". Because they are soft-sided, they don't take any more room than their contents, but they make it easy to grab a cube and go. I gained more than one full cupboard of space with them.
mdamerell
Explorer
Mar 06, 2015
Totes that fit your storage locations to keep things organized. Often easier to pull out a tote and go through it than dig through a storage bay. Clear totes (so you can se in them) are also helpful.
vgoulette
Explorer
Mar 06, 2015
If we have it in the S&B, we probably have it in the RV -- including a printer. Agree with the can opener. When my cheap one broke, I had to send DH and DD out to purchase a new one (not a cheap one this time!!).
dieharder
Explorer
Mar 05, 2015
Yeti plus wrote:
Visit "Camp Driveway" for the first weekend. That way you can either make a list of what you don't have, or get it out of the house.But make sure you live in the trailer for the weekend. Make sure you have a notebook and a pen to write down all the items you forgot. On one of our trips last year the notepad and pen went on the temporary list on the small notepad from the truck!:S
We leave everything except food in the trailer and camper for the winter, so it makes it easy to just add food and clothes and we are gone for a weekend.
Brian

This is the best thing you can do right here. but don't treat the home like it's right there on site - pretend it's not even there and "going home" is not an option. When you find you need something, note it but see how long you can go without it. It's the only way to find out those items you are missing are truly "must have" items. While you may want to, you really can't bring everything from the home you might want along with you.
Veebyes
Explorer II
Mar 04, 2015
Go camping with a pencil, a notepad & a Walmart not too far away.

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