In 2017, just over 40 million people took part in some form of camping and caravanning in the U.S. If this is going to be your first caravan tour then you are joining millions of other enthusiastic adventurers.
However, as most of them may tell you, if you are not well prepared you are in a for an epic fail. So save yourself a lot of disappointment and read on for 7 things you need to buy before going on your first caravan tour.
1. Where There Are Wipes There is Wisdom
You will quickly come to appreciate the value of a damp wipe. They are brilliant at cleaning up spillage and cleaning up surfaces. Not only will they help to keep your caravan in the hygienic conditions that you like, but you will be able to use them for your own personal hygiene too.
Wet wipes will become your friend when you are caravanning. The fact they are moist means you do not need to access water and they are fairly cheap and easily disposed of. You just need to make sure you pack enough!
2. Pencil Case For Your Keys
This is a brilliant purchase. Inevitably, when you go camping you will have several keys or sets of keys that you are not always using. So where do you put them?
Any caravaner with some experience will have a story about how they lost their keys at some point. With the best will in the world, unless your keys are kept together they will be easily lost.
Buy yourself an inexpensive pencil case and keep all your keys together. Then you can store them in the same hidden place in the caravan. You need only keep the caravan keys on you when you go to the beach for example.
3. Pre-Packed Ice Bags
Part of the fun of caravanning is to enjoy the great outdoors while retaining some of the pleasures/luxuries from indoors. That includes ice-cold beers for when you arrive at your destination.
Buy pre-packed ice bags to keep your drinks cold on the journey and then when you arrive, put them into your portable fridge freezer. This will help cool the fridge faster than normal and will be ready for those evening drinks.
4. Think Litter
Having an effective way to manage the litter that you will generate is very important when you are in the countryside and also when you are living in a limited space. A great idea is to buy a collapsible laundry hamper and line it with a bin bag.
If you keep this outside you will need to make sure it is secured to your awning or caravan in some way so that it does not blow away. Change the bin bags often and definitely do not leave it out overnight.
5. Folding Chairs
This is an obvious purchase. However, in the excitement of trekking off in your new caravan, you will not be the first to have forgotten the folding chairs. These are part of your essential outdoor furniture so make sure you give them the priority they deserve.
Like chairs another obvious item is insurance. Check out this article to avoid some of the common insurance mistakes.
6. Large Water Container
On an average day, you will be amazed at how much water you consume. Whether it is for personal hygiene, cooking, or drinking. You will quickly see that a few plastic bottles are not going to cut it.
Take the labor out of the task by purchasing a large water container and preferably a trolley system for moving it. There are some excellent options on the market and will save you from hours of backache.
If you are not certain of the hygiene of the water source you are using, then it always makes sense to be well prepared and use water purification tablets. There are lots of choices on the market that offer a surprising range of tastes. Make sure you do your research because not all water purification tablets kill the same things.
Please be aware that some purification tablets are contraindicated for certain health groups such as pregnant women and others with a specific health problem. So make sure you know exactly what you are buying.
7. Mini Spirit Level
The spirit level is a genius invention. It is cheap, small, and extremely user friendly. Save the debate on whether the caravan is level or not but purchasing one of these small spirit levels.
You will find that some caravan sites claim to be level but once you have settled in a sense of being off-balance will irritate you after a short while. No need to wonder, you will be able to either put your mind at ease or make the adjustment.
This may seem like a small matter but part of caravanning is being able to get away from everything and relax. If you can’t relax because something doesn’t seem right your little breakaway will be spoiled.
Ready For Your First Caravan Tour?
If you follow this list of essential items for your first caravan tour then you will be. Of course, as you gain experience you will see there are many other items that you will want to collect along the way that makes life a little more comfortable.
As you get into caravanning more and more you will see the benefit of picking up some basic D.I.Y skills. Check out an article on this site entitled ‘Now Is a Great Time to Try a Little DIY.’