| You've booked your RV rental or purchased your | | | | - Emergency contact information in case of accident |
| first motorhome, but have no idea how to outfit it | | | | or illness, list of known allergies |
| for the perfect vacation. You're in luck, because this | | | | Vehicle Safety and Maintenance |
| list of essential RV camping items will help you get on | | | | We'd all like our vacations to be trouble- free, but |
| the road fast! | | | | vehicle breakdowns occasionally occur. Why not keep |
| Keeping Things Safe and Comfortable | | | | the disruption to a minimum by being prepared? |
| Love to travel, but have trouble adjusting to the | | | | - Roadside assistance identification and contact info |
| road? Why not take along some of the things that | | | | - Good flashlight with built- in strobe |
| make your own home a haven? | | | | - Toolbox with basic home and auto maintenance |
| - Battery- powered alarm clock - personally, we like | | | | tools |
| to sleep in, but an alarm clock can keep busy families | | | | - Tire pressure gauge |
| on schedule! | | | | - A compact set of jumper cables |
| - Comfy, durable bedding - check local RV stores for | | | | RV Essentials |
| sheets that fit odd- sized RV beds, or use your | | | | - Waste water and fresh water hoses |
| sewing skills to create your own custom bedding. | | | | - Rubber gloves for handling waste water hoses |
| Don't forget pillows! | | | | - Bacterial additive for waste water tanks (no toxic |
| - Comforters or quilts for cool mountain nights. | | | | chemicals, please!) |
| - Towels and washcloths | | | | - A LARGE roll of duct tape! (you'll be amazed what |
| - Biodegradable toilet paper | | | | it can do in a pinch!) |
| - Net bag or reusable shopping bags for laundry | | | | - Heavy- duty extension cords (at least 25' long) |
| - First Aid kit | | | | - Wheel blocks and trailer levelers |
| - Insect repellent and sunscreen | | | | Kitchen Cupboard Packing |
| - Green cleaning supplies and washable rags for | | | | Packing an RV kitchen is as an art! The trick is to |
| cleaning | | | | plan meals ahead and buy food items that can be |
| - Toiletries in refillable containers - Fill and store for | | | | used for more than one meal. Get creative and think |
| the next trip! | | | | of one- pan delicacies, you'll save dishwater and |
| - Glasses or contacts and supplies | | | | spend less time in the kitchen! |
| - Medication and prescriptions | | | | - Favorite spices and condiments in labeled, refillable |
| - Cash and credit/debit cards | | | | containers |
| - Comfortable clothes and shoes (remember | | | | - Basic kitchen tools - can opener, stirring and serving |
| swimsuits!) | | | | utensils, spatulas, coffee scoop, knives and cutting |
| - Flip flops for showers and beaches | | | | board |
| - Reusable shopping bags for groceries, recyclables | | | | - Paper goods - aluminum foil, paper towels, trash |
| - Lawn chairs for campfire comfort | | | | bags |
| Personal Items Worth Packing | | | | - Dishtowels |
| The point of having downtime is to relax and enjoy | | | | - Plastic, washable table cloth for picnic tables |
| it! Remember to pack these things if they're | | | | - Laundry and dishwashing detergent in refillable |
| important to your peace of mind. | | | | containers |
| - CDs, mp3 player or tapes | | | | - Plastic tubs with lids for dirty dishes, kitchen tools |
| - Cell phone and calling cards | | | | - Unbreakable dishes, inexpensive silverware (saves |
| - Laptop computer/wireless card | | | | on trash generated!) |
| - Connector cable for cable television | | | | - Plastic food storage containers |
| - Camera and batteries, film if shooting 35mm | | | | - Food and drink items from your menus, packed to |
| photos, download cable for digital | | | | minimize breakage from shifting |
| Keeping the Trip on Track | | | | - Snack items in tubs |
| There's nothing worse than driving on a dark two- | | | | - Small set of pots and pans- skillet, sauce pan, large |
| lane, trying to find the campground. Here are some | | | | pan for chili, pasta |
| tips for items that will keep your trip on track. We | | | | - Coffeemaker, tea bags, coffee, creamer, |
| suggest packing the following items in resealable, | | | | sweetener |
| waterproof bags in an easily- secured area of your | | | | This seems like a long list, doesn't it? Remember, |
| vehicle. | | | | though, once you've collected these items the first |
| - MAPS! Print from Internet sites or purchase a set | | | | time, they can be packed, stored and labeled for the |
| for the RV | | | | next trip. Once you've fine- tuned a bit, you're going |
| - Campground reservation receipts and directions | | | | to know just what you need for carefree RV |
| - Vehicle and health insurance information, vehicle | | | | camping. So don't just sit there- start packing! |
| registration. | | | | |