Necessary Items in a Travel Trailer

[Octopus Prime]

Thank you so much for the replies, and if you think of something else please add it.
I'm writing it down in my trailer notebook.

I will be taking some of my things that were above the water level during the flood (our house flooded in Harvey), and we will use the old stuff in the trailer. Many things have to be purchased new, however. Certain things can be borrowed from the house until I can get a dedicated set.
And honestly, we live in a hot, humid climate. I can't leave bedding and towels in the TT during August & September (the time we will have to store it away during football season when my husband works so much), because those are the hottest and most humid months for us.
One we get dedicated bedding and towels for the camper, I'll still have to bring them in but I will have bags for them and keep them packed and ready.

Things like hoses, tool kit, chocks and blocks, silverware, etc. can all be left in the trailer year-round. It's the trailer-specific items that I'm so unfamiliar with, unfortunately.

We don't plan to do any boondocking, but I'll purchase that stuff in the future if that changes. We will go between state parks and private campgrounds or RV resorts.

[Poppy]

I may be a little OCD, but I use a white hose for water in the trailer when I'm camping and a green hose for flushing waste tanks when I'm packing up to head home or on down the road. I don't like the idea of possible waste getting into my fresh water.
As far as the walkie talkies go, my wife and I just use our cell phones.
Happy Camping,
Poppy

[RedHorse1]

My experience has been that the TT purchase consumes 80% of the budget. Getting the “stuff” you need to actually go camping consumes the other 80% of the budget.

[Siamese]

Originally Posted by RedHorse1

My experience has been that the TT purchase consumes 80% of the budget. Getting the “stuff” you need to actually go camping consumes the other 80% of the budget.

Now, that there, is funny.

[GrumpyDad]

If you are missing something sometimes you can use beer as a substitute to get you by. Rarely will other rv gear make a reasonable substitute for beer.

[SecretCoveDave]

Please don’t be offended but I found patience and a sense of humour to be helpful while learning.

[Tunce the traveler]

Originally Posted by SecretCoveDave

Please don’t be offended but I found patience and a sense of humour to be helpful while learning.

Well said and take the advice from the old timer next to you thats done it a 1,000 times.

[Victoria]

Originally Posted by GrumpyDad

If you are missing something sometimes you can use beer as a substitute to get you by. Rarely will other rv gear make a reasonable substitute for beer.

[tcanthonyii]

This is what I sent my friend who bought our popup last fall. Some of it may not apply but it's good stuff.

"Pillows and blankets. You’ll want plenty of both. We stored the pillows under the table during travel and blankets in the table booth by the back bed. Never folded them just stuffed in. I never liked sleeping bags so we never used any of those. Lots of people do though. Be sure to be comfortable. If you don’t sleep well you won’t use it. This is priority number one. Mattress pad really helps here. Keep an eye out. You can’t go thicker than maybe 1.5 inches without removing it from the bed each time.

Electric heater. Since the camper doesn’t have a propane heater you’ll probably want one for when it gets cooler. Fall camping is the best. Different type of people camping. The ac has a heat strip but it’s only good for like down to 40-45 with the bunk covers. One little heater does the trick. If you need one I probably have an extra.

Clamps. Harbor freight has them. I think I left a couple with the bunk covers. You will want 6 for each bunk. A hand full of extras and different sizes are awesome. You can use them for everything. That’s why I kept most of them.

Collapsible trash can. AKA lawn and leaf bin. Hf sells them. Wally does etc. Use a couple small clamps or clothes pins to hold the bag in place. Invaluable and perfect because of space.

Tent stakes and rope. Every camper should have a good assortment of these. I liked thinner rope.

Assortment of tools. Small ax, hatchet, ratchets, screw drivers wrenches. Duct tape. Volt meter. Electrical tape. Propane sealant tape. Screws. Eternabond tape. Bug spray. Can coozies. Kids games, colors etc. batteries flash lights. Coleman fuel. Little propane cylinders. just a small list of the “crap” I kept in the camper. Also a 25 foot hose. Proper hose the “white” hose for drinking water. If I did it over I would get an expanding hose. Probably will for this one. I waste a lot of space on hoses. Also a pressure regulator for parks that have city hook up. (I’ve only ever been to 1).

Cooking utensils. Goodwill or dollar tree is perfect. Can opener, a couple of spatulas, spoons, slotted spoons. Etc. cutting board. Knives. Knife sharpener. Scrapers. Tongs. Measuring cup for liquid. Greenies. Hot pads. Anything you need for basic cooking then add as you plan meals. We lived a crock pot. Toaster never ever got used. Stainless steel bowls. Easy to clean. Plastic sticks. (Personal preference). We had/have real silver ware. Always used paper plates bowls and cups. Skillets and pots. One larger pot for sure for boiling water. Your 413 will boil water faster than any other stove. At least 2 skillets. We cook feasts so usually have hash browns, eggs, sausage/bacon etc going. We group cook a lot. New camper we have plastic plates and bowls but I didn’t like wasting storage space for them in the pop up. Personal preference.

Water jug. The blue square ones are great. Yes the camper has a water tank but going in and out is a pain so we put one on a table outside. Inside we still used but did most things outside. It’s easy to refill too. I hate water bottles so we bought a cooler jug. Filled with ice and water and used yetis to drink out of.

Small grill. I have one that runs off the camper if you’re interested. Otherwise any grill will do. I had a road trip. At the end of the day it was big and bulky so I sold it this weekend. We don’t grill much but when we do I have a small Weber.

Tables. We used two folding plastic tables. I also had a roll up coleman table that I used outside the screen room for cooking.

Bags. Black trash bags. Kitchen bags. Zip lock bags. Foil. Parchment paper. Paper towels. The usual.

We had a 3 drawer storage deal that we kept food in. We always left some canned goods in and seasonings. Never knew when we wanted to change our tune in a planned meal. You could do the same with your kitchen. We kept it and now use it for outside kitchen stuff and paper plates etc. keeps things dry since our awning can’t be out all the time. Yours will do well tied down. This style does not.

Kitty litter if you decide to use that toilet. We didn’t during the day but at night it was awesome. Again the screened porch was perfect for it.

I kept 2 propane bottles for a long time. I have a distribution t I would use with propane lantern and the grill and road trip. I got to the point I never used it. If you end up using a lot of propane a second bottle is nice. Otherwise just weigh it before a trip.

Fridge. So not a need since it has but but some info on it. It runs on dc, ac and propane. I disconnected the dc side and used the wiring to install the fans. Ac works ok. When it was hot out it barely worked well enough. Propane is the best by far. We camped I think 30 days on it before we ran out of propane. We always started the fridge the night before because it takes a while to get cold. It’s manual start. The burner does get dirty from time to time and needs cleaned. When it’s above 85 I kicked the fan or fans on outside to help cool it. Doing that I could keep it below 38 even at 100 degrees. Use it for food. Don’t use it for drinks. Also put a fan inside the fridge. They make battery powered ones and the batteries last 30 days. You can put a computer fan in it too. I’m doing that on the new camper. For drinks get a cooler or two. I can give you one if you need another. I have lots.

Chairs. Duh

Small radio. I like some music. We use a bt speaker.

We never took a microwave. Many do but I never needed one.

I liked having a tv. Didn’t use always but if the weather was crap or we had bad cell service it was nice to catch news.

Extension cords. I have a 50 and 30 foot 30 amp. I use them at in laws and to get my generator far far away. Only once I needed it at camp ground. A heavy duty 20 amp would be just fine for that camper. Only the ac pulls any amperage. A coupe of 25’ 15 Amps are nice to have around for lights or chargers etc.

Speaking of generator. Not needed unless you plan to camp way off grid where there aren’t many people. If you go to smith with us and you want ac you might want one. You need a 3000 minimum. Champion is probably the brand you want. We only use ours a couple times a year. Research a hard start capacitor. With one a 2k might work. The smaller the quieter.

We recently started using an ice machine. Love it but we drink a lot of water.

Camp in the driveway. Treat it like a camp ground. Don’t go in the house. Cook outside. You’ll get a decent idea of what you want/need. Then camp close to home. Pawnee or branched oak for example. I like Pawnee better. It’s quieter. Or a place close to a Walmart. Then you can grab stuff as needed. Like I said we camped for 4 seasons before we had it all figured out to the point of buy food hook and go.

Outside carpet. I put some in buts like old Astro turf. That is fine. But heavy and holds water. You’ll eventually probably want a synthetic woven rug. They are like 50+ bucks.


I feel like I’m missing something. It seems like a lot but it’s really not bad. Ease into it. Don’t buy a ton of stuff before the first trip besides essentials. (Sleeping then cooking). You can always eat out or order pizza). Sleeping is numero uno. Grilling gets old. We cook like we are at home.

Keep in mind we are always willing to go camping too. So the first trip or two if you want us we will go too. My first trip out the old owner was with us and had to show us the awning.

Oh I kept at least one of each type of awning pole extra with us. Never knew when one would break.

Just don’t rush. You’ll find you change things a few times before getting your sauce. If you camp with us you’ll find we all carry too much **** anyway. Our camping group always has too much food too. This summer there was a group of 4-5 families and we camped together quite a few times. It’s kind of fun that way.

Please ask questions too. No dumb ones. I know that thing inside and out. We camped probably 160+ nights in 5 seasons. And yes we did camp driveway a couple times too. Movie nights.

"

[Flyrotor]

I have never used RV toilet paper
I do not like the toilet treatment chemicals, they make your trailer smell like a porta-potty at concerts and fairgrounds.

[suzieshome]

Looking at these posts and realizing I have a lot of the items suggested already, makes me want to purge my trailer. Can you tell I am spring cleaning my house early?

[LarryJ]

We've been camping many years but last fall we purchased a short shovel, found that late season camping sometimes there is no one to clean out fire rings - Pattison State Park mid October (WI).

[jloco]

Originally Posted by Octopus Prime

I'm starting to compile a list of things I need (and things I want) for the TT.

Some things are necessary and must be purchased before the first camping trip; some things can wait or can be borrowed from the house until the trailer gets its own.

Here is what I have so far based on articles I've read online:

weight distribution hitch

EMS Progressive Industries Surge Protector (which one?)
You want an EMS as opposed to a surge protector. There are portable or inline ones. Both do the same thing. It's a matter of preference.

tool kit (got it)

duct tape (got it)

wd-40

water pressure regulator (which one?)
I'd go adjustable model

extra fuses (get from dealership? How do you know what to buy?)
They're standard auto fuses. Once you get the rig, take a look at the fuse panel to see what you'll need for spares. Buy them wherever you like

water filter (which kind?)
You can buy the one that connects to the hose city water inlet, or get an inline one. Again, personal preference.

level (got it)

leveling blocks

wheel chocks

flashlight & batteries

fire extinguisher

smoke and carbon monoxide detector
There should be one included with the rig

freshwater hose (15')

normal hose

sewer hose (15')

nitrile gloves

power cord (how long?)
For what? most rigs have a sufficient length cord included

plug adapter

RV toilet paper

toilet treatment pods

What am I missing?

I keep spare water heater parts. Sealants.(tubes of what your rig uses).
non citrus or petroleum based cleaning supplies. We keep a Shark rocket vac in the rig as well as a broom and dustpan.

[Octopus Prime]

Originally Posted by jloco

I keep spare water heater parts. Sealants.(tubes of what your rig uses).
non citrus or petroleum based cleaning supplies. We keep a Shark rocket vac in the rig as well as a broom and dustpan.

Why non citrus cleaning supplies?



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[Octopus Prime]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...k_ql_qh_dp_hza

TT we are planning to get has 30 amp power. Is this the one we get for it?
Will it still protect us if we are ever parked in a campground that only has 50 amp?

[Rafstar]

Originally Posted by Octopus Prime

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...k_ql_qh_dp_hza

TT we are planning to get has 30 amp power. Is this the one we get for it?
Will it still protect us if we are ever parked in a campground that only has 50 amp?

That one would work, but it is not hard wired into the TT. Also, the hard wired version provides more features and better protection. Between Robbbyr (this forum) and Amazon here are the advantages of the hard wired version:

1 Better security because it is installed, and locked inside your RV.
2 Protection from the weather from an inside installation
3 Ability on some models to install a remote readout of electrical functions
4 Larger, more robust unit offers better surge protection
5 Permanent install so you do not have extra plugs to fight with or manage at the power pedestal, nor do you have to install a lockable cover as you would on the portable unit. You just pull out your shore power cord, plug it into the power pedestal receptacle, flip the breaker on - and you are done."

Here is the link for the 30 amp hardwired version: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...qh_dp_hza?th=1.

I had mine installed by Freightliner but some have said it easy to install. However, easy for me usually does not work out to well.

Bob

[Octopus Prime]

I just now started a thread about the hardwired vs portable.
Thank you for your response.

I wonder if dealership would install it for me, or if it would be cheaper to hire an electrician.

[Tunce the traveler]

Originally Posted by Octopus Prime

I just now started a thread about the hardwired vs portable.
Thank you for your response.

I wonder if dealership would install it for me, or if it would be cheaper to hire an electrician.

You could install it yourself, scale of 1 to 5 it's a 1.

[ifallsguy]

Forget WD-40. It's water soluble and stays wet, holding dust and dirt. Get a real penetrating spray such as B'laster 16-PB Penetrating Catalyst. The get a silicon spray, preferably one that is dry like DuPont Teflon Silicone Lubricant or Boeing T-9 Lubricant. Great for spraying moving parts, like the pivot points on the outside crank up tv antenna.

Find a roll of silicon fusion tape. Waterproof, useable temps -60f to 500f, no residue when removed. Can use it to fix hoses, wrap electrical wiring, you can even use it to give you a better grip on tools. I carry several rolls and have used it as a temp repair on a leaking water line, put a non slip grip on a screwdriver handle, and to seal an electrical splice on my boat while out on the water. You can also find it in various colors.
https://www.amazon.com/X-Treme-Tape-...=silicone+tape

A small hatchet to cut kindling for a fire. You might buy firewood on site, but you will probably need to trim off kindling to get that fire started.

Chargers for cell phones and any other electronic devices you cannot live without. Easy to forget, can be expensive to replace while on the road and may be difficult to find.

Water filter. You can get an inline to help make sure you are using clean water. Unfortunately there are campground with contaminated water and you don't want to get into a situation where multiple people are fighting over that seat.

GMRS radios. Small handheld two way radios to help guide driver while backing into a campsite. Just don't believe the 20 mile plus range.
https://www.amazon.com/Midland-LXT50...+walkie+talkie

[norty1]

This is the water pressure regulator I am going to when my current one goes bad. It's non restricting non adjustable. Set at 55psi.

https://www.rvwaterfilterstore.com/PR.htm