Essential Caravan Items For Your Big Lap

Packing For Your Road Trip

Whether you are planning on a small trip, or a long trip, there is so much that you need to consider when packing up your rig. From everyday life, cooking, cleaning, shower and hygiene, clothes, equipment, entertainment, this list could go on until the end of time. You need to consider what your personal needs and circumstances are, as they will vary from person to person.

Where do we start? That’s the question. It’s a daunting task but needs to be tackled. And it needs to be done right. You are going to eventually learn what you do and don’t need, but for now let’s get started on the basics.

The bigger picture. Let’s get down to basic survival. We all need water, food, toiletries, shelter, tow vehicle, medical, clothing.

*Water – You are going to need water for many reasons. Hygiene, drinking, washing, cooking and it is recommended to always have some spare on hand in case your tow vehicle needs it while there is none available. For example - if you are in the outback and blow a radiator hose or something of that nature.

The amount of water you need to have access to depends on many factors – how many people are travelling, and what type of activities you will be engaging in. Showers can use approx. 20 litres of water. Washing the dishes can use at minimum 5 litres of water. If you have a washing machine that can run on 12v then you really are going to start emptying the tanks. Or if you plan to wash clothes in a bucket, there’s 10 litres also. You can see how quickly it can all add up.

On our last off grid free camping adventure, we found our water usage to be out of this world crazy without even realising. Mr showers twice a day, and there was Miss and I who shower once a day. We were washing a load of dishes twice a day and rinsing off items here and there. Before we knew it, we found ourselves heading to the local servo to fill up water cans and refilling our tanks. We have the standard 80 litre tanks, and we have 2 fresh water and one grey water. We worked out that we were going through 80 litres of water a day for the first 2 days, until we stopped to think how we can conserve water while off grid.

We quickly turned our usage around. Mr took only one shower a day, and Miss and I took quicker showers. We washed the dishes only after dinner each night and didn’t rinse unless necessary. Soon, we managed to make it through an entire day without filling the tanks. This is something that we need to micro-manage in order to survive without having to leave camp and source out water.

Drinking water is something that needs to be taken very seriously, however. It is estimated that each person should have access to at least 2 litres of water every day, and double that on the hot days. This is a basic survival necessity.

It is always recommended that you have plenty of water. You can carry it in your water tanks under your caravan, you can carry water jerry cans, bottled water for drinking, water casks and even a water bladder for storing in the car. Some serious campers even have a water tank permanently fixed inside their vehicle.

*Food – This one has so many elements to it and will vary so much from one person to another. Let’s just work with the basics. A lot of this is going to come down to how you are going to be able to cook your meals and with what facilities you will have access to. Most caravanners cook outside as they don’t like the smell of cooking in such a confined space, and once you get the smell in your caravan, it can sometimes be hard to remove.

Some caravans are fitted with a built in BBQ or Weber type cooker. For those without this luxury, they store their cookers whilst travelling and set up each time they reach a destination. And then others rely on cooking over hot coals (which takes time and preparation but is amazing if you can do it).

The best way to work out what is going to work for you is to see what will fit in your kitchen and to use only those items for a while before you travel. That way you can get an idea before you set off if these will work for you. If not, you may be able to tweak a few things and utilise other items. But you always need to bear in mind that following weight allowances is super important.

For us, it’s Ziggy (a Weber with a different name) which Mr has built into our tunnel boot. We can roast, boil, sauté, grill, slow cook, fry, bake and pretty much most other cooking methods work with this so we really don't need any other cooking appliance.

*Toiletries and medical – These items will also vary, depending on your personal needs and circumstances. As there will only be the 2 of us travelling, we obviously have different needs to what we would have if our children were to come with us. There are so many different items in our daily lives that we don’t even think twice about using. Do you need to condition your hair each time you wash? Perhaps try a 2 in 1 shampoo/conditioner. Perhaps even shampoo bars. They are lightweight and stack nicely. If you use shower gel, could you change to bars? Could everyone use the same aerosol deodorants? Hair ties live around our gear stick in the car. Clips are attached to an item of clothing until we wear it. Small things that would normally take up space in a container could easily be kept somewhere else. Give your daily routine items a rethink and see where you can come up with saving space and weight, or even doing without if you need to. Don't forget your bath towels, tea towels and bath mat also.

When it comes to medical, here you really need to always have essentials on hand. A first aid kit is vital, for you never know what is going to meet you on your travels. It is advised to keep one in the car, and one in the caravan. These can hold a few different items, but the basics will remain the same and should always be easily accessible in case of an emergency. You can purchase a Handy First Aid Kit here. Always pack your regular medication, pain relief, sunscreen, insect repellant and seasonal medication also.

*Caravan – it’s here where you would more than likely have your new home on wheels. If not, you can read here about how we chose our caravan, and some tips that may help you find your new toy including a checklist.

*Tow vehicle – again, you would probably have this one covered also.

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*Shelter – most caravans have an outdoor awning attached to the side of the van. Some vans have an annexe that builds the awning into another room for when the weather is not on your side. You may consider using these items before bringing an extra gazebo which are super heavy and large in scale also. For the beach days, there are small beach shelters that are 2 sided and fold into a bag about the size of a small child’s chair.

*Kids’ stuff – Kids only need as much as we give them. For example: our kids only received a mobile phone when Mr and I both worked full time and we wanted to make sure everything was going ok at home and that they got home from school safely. They didn’t have a phone prior to this, and we haven’t taken the phones away now that I don’t work anymore. Although, they are old enough and have jobs now so they could just go out and buy them for themselves anyway. But it’s all relevant. If you don’t give it to your child, often, the child won’t need it or miss it.

This goes the same for travelling families. Most of them that we have spoken to have said that they pack indoor toys such as board games, cards, Lego etc. for the rainy days and then a few outdoor toys such as a ball, scooter and cricket set for the good weather. Apart from that, they really won’t need much as exploring their new surroundings will certainly keep them busy. You could involve your child when it comes to packing time. Show them their dedicated ‘toy zone’ and allow them to pack their favourite toys, but those toys must fit in their zone. You can browse some great kids travel toys here

*Clothing – It’s not essential to pack an entire wardrobe for your trip. Along the way, you are going to find laundromats, water bodies, or you may even have a washing machine on board. Plus, you are more than likely going to buy some clothes along the way also. I never plan to buy clothes while travelling, but I always end up coming home with more than I left with. So, you don’t really need to pack for a few months.

What you should consider however, are outfits suitable for different climates. Consider winter, summer, the really cold days, the really hot days and a raincoat. Perhaps take a few extra light items, then you can wear a few layers if need be, but still have the flexibility of light clothes when the weather isn’t cold. I never leave without my puffer jacket. It’s super warm and pretty much matches with all of my casual outfits. Also consider protective clothing, i.e., protection from sunburn and bugs. Don’t forget your hat and sunglasses. You could also look at a capsule wardrobe, where every item matches each other. So, style, can still be a thing while caravanning.

Shoes - When it comes to shoes, you won’t need so many. Again, here you should consider all of the climates. Ugg boots (if you wear them) for the icy cold weather, thongs for the super hot weather, comfortable walking shoes and perhaps a pair of going out shoes. I personally take crocs, as they good for around the campfire, but the ones I have act as slippers also with the fluffly lining. I take a pair of thongs, and runners also.

*Comfort – We live in a world where comfort is a must. Most of us have grown up with many comfort items. Sleeping is a big one. We all need to rest so we don’t get burnt out. And caravanning is supposed to be enjoyable, right? Absolutely. Here is a good time to consider your bedding. If you have a favourite pillow, sheets, or quilt, you may just want to take these. You’ll need to also consider the climates. Will you need a diesel or gas heater when you aren’t plugged into mains power? Will you need fans to keep you cool at night? Think about the items you currently use, and whether you could do away with them if need be.

Then there is camp furniture. From chairs, tables and some people even take hammocks while they travel. Consider one chair per person, and the smaller it folds up to the better and then a table that everyone could eat at comfortably. We also carry a big green mat. It is ideal for camping spots that are predominantly dirt, and this also helps to keep dirt out of the caravan too.

*Devices. We all use them, some of them are a ‘shouldn’t travel without’. GPS, mobile phones, dash cams, laptops, iPads, stereo, TV, camera and equipment. If you are travelling for fun, you probably won’t need things like a drone and laptop. If you are documenting your way around, then you probably will want these with you. Kids will more than likely have iPads/tablets, and they are good to have on those long drive days. Phones are a must, along with GPS and UHF also.

*Emergency items – Australia is one enormous playground. It is a vast country with so many open spaces. You could travel to some destinations that would have you not see another person for a day or 2 at a time. With this in mind, you want to make sure you have emergency gear accessible. Consider things like a UHF radio for the pockets of the country where there is no mobile phone reception, a satellite phone for these times also, 4x4 recovery items like snatch straps, a winch, recovery tracks etc. In this instance, you should also consider your own tool kit and what capabilities you have when it comes to fixing some problems on your own car. Perhaps do a mechanic beginners course which would teach you the basics of mechanics and how to keep you on the road in the event of a break down. You could also consider purchasing a roadside assistance insurance policy, as these guys will come to you if you do have mechanical issues and can't fix it yourself. But beware of lengthy delays in getting to you if you are remote.

*Entertainment - Although many caravans including ours has an inbuilt sound system, we suggest taking with you a bluetooth speaker. We have a 'technology drawer' where we keep this. The speaker has a carabiner clip and rope hook so we can hang it on a knob on the side of the van or on a tree branch, and it's lightweight so it won't harm the tree. We always like to take it with us, as if we perhaps decide to take a walk, or head off exploring for the day, or even out for a picnic it's there and accessible. It was only $10 at a department store, and is rechargable via USB cable. We also sometimes take with us some adult card games such as our poker set which is in a really neat metal case and has all the chips etc. If the kids went to bed early in our first few years of caravanning, we would play some poker with a couple of drinks. But then as the kids got older, they ended up joining us in the game (we substituted alcohol for chocolate in those times), and they even managed to wind up beating more often than not! But it was all fun. We made great memories that they still talk about today!

*Caravan ‘Must Haves’ – These are the types of things you shouldn’t travel without and are in no particular order.

Wheel chocks and levelling ramps plus a level.

Gas bottle – full, in date and in good condition

Ropes and pegs plus hammer

Water cans (if you will be free camping)

Dustpan and broom

Spare tyre – new if possible, or in good condition & plenty of tread

Jack plus a wheel brace

Fire extinguisher (usually by the door in a caravan) and fire blanket

Basic tools

Water hose

Drain hose

Power cord - make sure it's the 15 amp cord

*Miscellaneous – There will always be those ‘odd ball’ type items that you are going to take. A small list of ours is:

Folding clothesline and folding laundry basket or even a pegless clothes line

Outdoor pantry and fold out kitchen – these are mostly used when we are travelling as a group and we communal cook and eat.

Microwave items – although we can’t use these when we are free camping, we only take the items that have more than one use.

Extra gas bottle for our off-grid gas heater

BBQ

It's always a good idea to pack things that have more than one use.

When it comes to weights and keeping them as low as possible, take only what you need. This applies to your space also. The more clogged up you are with things that you may actually not need, the smaller your free space will be and may make you feel a little claustrophobic. We go by the rule ‘Less is more’.

Are you a newbie to caravanning? Or do you have many years of experience? Have we missed anything? Is there anything that you take with you that we haven't mentioned? Send us an email, we'd love to hear from you.

Want to know how you can fund your full time travel and get paid while on the road? Read our blog '12 ways to earn money while travelling' here