I bought an RV, now what? Accessories that will make RV life better!

26 May, 2020  

So now that you have your RV…

A friend of mine recently bought a new RV and there is a lot of information that seasoned RVer’s take for granted…which made me think, I need to share what I have learned…

I hope you are happy with your purchase and are prepared for years of enjoyment. Travelling and seeing different places is so fun and educational. At first, I thought I was doing it for the kids and I was, but really who am I kidding? I loved it just as much or more. So many memories made travelling and my kids can tell people of all the places they have explored. (See future blogs on places I have been, we have been to 29 states!)

Travelling with kids: I have to say, RV travelling is best done when the kids are younger. The older they get, the more classwork they miss and homework they will have to catch up on. Even as youngsters, the amount of work sent home during a 2 week trip was stifling. When we traveled far, we drove up to 10 hours a day to jam it to our destination so daylight hours riding in the truck were spent doing schoolwork so that they could play once we got to our destination.

On several trips, I proposed an academic plan which the teachers accepted in lieu of the classwork. For math, we planned a budget for travel which included gas, lodging, and food. The kids were in charge of each day’s food budget and this is where the learning comes in. We shopped with the kids and allowed them to look at sale ads to buy groceries. If they wanted to eat out, that was also part of the budget. So, some days we might be under budget and other days we were over.  At the end of the trip, any money saved from our initial proposed budget was divided equally among the kids as a monetary bonus. They learned pretty quickly that it was cheaper to buy a 6-pack of drinks vs. stopping at the gas station to buy a Big Gulp or that it was healthier and cheaper to cook meals than to eat out at a fancy restaurant. For history, we followed paths such as the Oregon Trail and Route 66. National Parks and museums were also high on our list of visits.  When we first started travelling in the early 2000s, there were lots of books to read through to get ideas. Now, the internet replaces books and websites for research are plentiful. Science, we collected flora and fauna from different regions we traveled to and observed plants and animals. Some National Parks such as Yellowstone have immense science opportunities. If you plan on visiting several National Parks, I highly recommend buying the NPS Annual Pass. Some parks are more expensive than others so research a bit to see if it is worth it for you.

As the kids aged, schoolwork and other obligations became more important and it became increasingly difficult to travel for too long. Not to mention, our growing farm couldn’t function without a knowledgeable person overseeing the animals. But we always camped out twice a year at our local fairs for fair week.

The RV: If you buy your RV from a dealership, it may come with warranties, some starter packs, and generally an educational how-to session before you drive away. I videoed the lesson for future reference when I bought my 1st RV. Different RVs drive differently. A travel trailer follows your truck, but remember to take wide turns, wider if you are long. A 5th wheel pivots in the truck bed so you have to be mindful also of your turns. A 5th wheel can be also taller in height so it is important to keep in mind the height allowances of overpasses, gas stations, overhanging trees, and more.

DON’T FORGET…

• Is the TV antenna down?

• Awning is pulled in and secured

• Vents and windows are closed

• Secure slideouts

Stuff you might want to have. I am not telling you go out and buy all this stuff, just telling you what worked for us. Camping World is my favorite RV store and if you choose to buy Good Sams Club membership you get member prices on certain items. (I will include links for those of you interested just click the underlined item, shop around there may be different types or brands, I do not receive anything if you purchase through these links.)

General inside: I like clear storage bins that stack and so I can see what is inside. Laundry soap, dryer sheets, and quarters – if you are travelling for anything over a few days, you may need to do laundry either at the campsite or a laundromat. Extra blankets and towels. I like cube storage that doubles as a seat for extra compact seating. Or a step stool that doubles as a seat. I keep a toaster and a small coffee maker. Small broom and dustpan. I ask all persons staying with us to take shoes off to keep it clean inside.   

Kitchen: I always stock disposables in addition to my regular kitchen dishes and cups because if you are dry camping, water is a premium resource. I cut the puffy shelf liner into circles and placed between my plates and other things that I don’t like clinking together during transit. Spring loaded tension bar for fridge. Buckets for washing dishes if dry camping

Bathroom: Oxygenics shower head, (I have a BodySpa handheld) this aerates the water and makes it feel fluffy, conserves water for those dry camping trips. Tension bar to keep everything from falling out of cabinets during transit. Holding tank deodorant. Extra toilet paper, RV type of any single ply.

Outside: a patio mat helps to keep the outdoors, outdoors. Pop-up trash bins-fill up your own trash bin and then take them to the camp dump. Buckets for water to rinse dishes/hands. Foldup chairs. Foldup table. The awning on an RV provides top cover but as the sun moves, it is nice to have the side shade that attaches to the awning. A folding handrail is nice on the exterior leading up the stairs, no-slip tape or carpet on the stairs, & bar on screen door. A portable grill with BBQ utensils is also nice since cooking in the RV when its hot keeps it hot inside. Plus, who doesn’t love BBQ? Generators for dry camping and extra gas tank. Extra ice chest. Rain spout extenders keep the rain from pouring down the side of your RV which can leave stains over time.  Wheel chocks to keep the tires from rolling when you are inside. Leveling blocks. Surge Protector. Slunky Hose support provides a slope for the hose when you dump your RV. Broom, to sweep in and out. Refillable water container, I use an empty Tidy Cats plastic jug. Awning clips, if your awning comes loose during transport or high winds your roof/frame could be severely damaged. Clear sewer hose attachment, so you can see that the water is running clear and your tank is clean when you are ready to let your RV sit after a trip.

Handy Road References. I am a member of Good Sams Club and their travelling resources have printable maps. I like to print out a hardcopy when travelling because you never know when cell service and GPS is going to wax and wane. I have had the experience of GPS sending us off the beaten path and I like having a backup paper map.  When travelling we always had 2 books readily available. The Mountain Directory (2 available, East & West) and The Next Exit. The Mountain Directory gives heads up on steep grades so you can plan a safer route, something you can’t see on a flat map or GPS. The Next Exit gives you detailed lists of what is available at exits off main interstates, saves so much time. A new edition is released just about yearly so make sure to get the most recent one.     

So these are the things I like to start with, and some items were conveniences we acquired on the way as we learned more about this way of life. Check back to see more of my Blogs to come in the future about RVing : )