My wife and I bought our first camper trailer back in 2017 and it has given my family some amazing memories. My family hinted to me that there would be many items that I would need to buy that didn’t come with the trailer. What I initially thought was I would have to buy a handful of accessories, but I couldn’t believe the long list I had come up with after doing a bit of research.
I use all of these items every time I take the family camping and are must-haves in my book.
Welcome Mat
If you have kids, a heavy duty mat like this one on amazon is a must have. We make our kids and visitors wipe their feet before they step foot on our large outdoor mat. This helps keep the kids space clean and my wife and I don’t have to worry as much about them staying a bit cleaner when playing on the floor.
Outdoor Rug
Depending on where you camp, an outdoor rug is an option for you. We like to camp at Carpenteria State Beach but the only downside is that the ground in the camp site is mostly dirt and asphalt. We purchased this outdoor rug from amazon. It works great by providing our kids a place to play right outside the camper when we aren’t on the beach.
Stabilizer Scissor Jack Drill Bit
Out of everything on this list, the scissor jack drill bit is by far my favorite! It will attach to pretty much any wireless drill and makes leveling and stabilizing your trailer a breeze. This scissor jack socket on amazon and is worth it to save your back and energy.
Bubble Levels
Bubble levels are a very important tool to have in your trailer. I found that this curved bubble level is the perfect size to help you make sure you are as flat as possible. It is very important to level your trailer from your fridge, because if you are not level by as much as 1* your fridge can malfunction, not get cold and break. This level is great because it is curved and the markings are very easy to read.
Black Tank Flush Wand
When we first began to use our trailer, the first problem we had is one of my girls stopping up the toilet with toilet paper. My kids are young and used the trailer toilet just like they would use a home toilet. Anyone who has a trailer knows what can happen when kids grab the tp. This toilet flush wand from amazon is what I keep in my trailer in case of toilet clogs. Its great because it sprays in a high pressure circle which cleans the toilet and breaks up the clog very easily.
Water Hoses
I definitely recommend purchasing two separate water hoses for your trailer travels. A fresh water hose preferably white, and a black tank hose, preferably gray or black. The different colors help you remember which hose is for which. Make sure to never use your black tank hose for your fresh water, you wouldn’t want to risk black tank left overs entering your fresh water lines.
Carbon filter
Without a carbon filter, water from camp grounds can taste “funny”. All water at camp grounds should be safe to drink and shower in, however it is noticeable without the proper filter. I purchase a new carbon filter every year just like this one from amazon.
Heavy duty gloves
You never know when you might have to work on your trailer. Anything can happen and you want to have a good pair of heavy duty gloves on hand for any occasion.
Water pressure regulator
A big concern about hooking your trailer up to camp site water is that the pressure coming out of the water spout can damage your water lines in the trailer. The only way to ensure you can prevent any damage is to regulate the amount of water going into the trailer. This $8.88 pressure regulator can save you thousands of dollars in repairs if you don’t have one.
90* hose elbow
Trailers usually have a hose input on the side of the trailer which allows you to hook up running water. If you don’t use a 90* elbow, your are allowing a higher amount of pressure to be placed on the small plastic hook up. The risk of it breaking is lowered when you divert the pressure straight down instead of directly out. This 90* elbow is only $3.77 on amazon.
Sewer Hoses & Sewer Kit
Out of all of the accessories that go along with a trailer I feel like this one would be included when purchasing a new trailer. I was wrong again. The one I have is the Camco Rhino Flex from amazon. It comes with easy connections that help you flush it with your black water hose after every time you dump. You can also purchase the
Dump Hose Support
This isn’t a must have however I find it makes dumping with full hook ups a bit easier than not having one. These work very well and can stretch or shrink to the size of your dump hose. You can see what this looks like on amazon here. If you decide to buy, make sure its long enough for the dump hose you have.
Black Tank Chemical Toss-Ins
Black tank chemicals come in many shapes and sizes. I prefer to use toss-ins because its easier to grab a couple squares and place them in the toilet than it is measuring an amount of chemical from a large jug. Just don’t actually toss them in the toilet because it can cause a decent size splash of toilet water. (Guilty of this once)
Outdoor Trash Can
I bought a collapsable outdoor trash can from camping world because I thought it would be easier than hanging a trash bag from a tree. My wife made fun of me for picking the one that I did, however it turns out that this outdoor trash can from amazon has been the best trash can we have had in the last 3 years of camping. The trash can I prefer to use can be found at camping world.
Surge Protector
Protecting your trailer should be a top priority. A good surge protector is a must have when it comes to keeping the electrical components safe. It is a decent investment but it can save you a big chunk of money and a great amount of time in the future if you plug this thing into the camp electricity before your trailer power cord. The surge protector I have costs almost $80 bucks on amazon. This was also one of the first items I grabbed.
Spare Fuses
A family member came knocking on my door during a camping trip. He asked why his AC wasn’t turning on and needed help trouble shooting. It turned out that he blew a fuse and didn’t have any on hand. Fuses come in different shapes and sizes however I found that this multi fuse kit from amazon covers many applications. The downside of this kit is that it doesn’t come with 40amp fuses. Make sure you check what your trailer has so you can cover all of the fuses.
Leveling blocks/legos/chocks
If you unhook your trailer from the hitch you had better be sure you placed wheel chocks like these on each side of your tires. If you don’t, then you may find your trailer running away from you. If you find yourself doing any boon docking, you should definitely pick up a stack of lego leveling blocks. They also come in handy by using them for your main trailer jack as you connect and disconnect the hitch.
WD 40
The first year of owning our trailer, thankfully everything worked great. The second year, the stabilizer jacks began to stick a bit and I had to lube the joints. Wd 40 is a go to for problems like this and it also works great for removing tar from your feet from the beach.
Batteries for smoke detector and miscellaneous items
Always keep a 9v battery on hand for that pesky smoke detector. It always likes to beep at you at the most convenient moments. Having extra batteries on hand can save you a world of trouble like it has me.
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Packing Checklist
Kitchen
- Pots/Pans
- Cooking Utinsels
- Sponge
- Drying Towels
- Paper Towels
- Paper plates/eating utinsels
- Cups
- Coffee mugs
- Marshmallow Skewers
- Dish Soap/Hand Soap
- Coffee Maker
- Lighter
- Trash Bags
- Cleaning Supplies
Beach/Lake Camping
- Beach Towels
- Suntan Lotion
- Beach Bag
- Ice Chest
- Sand Toys
- Umbrella for sun
- Beach Chairs
- Toys/Floats for Ocean or Lake
Bedding
- Pillows
- Blankets
- Sheets
- Dog Bed
Toiletries/Bathroom
- Bath Towels
- Shampoo/conditioner
- Soap
- Body/Face Lotion
- Brush
- Deoderant
- Make-up
- Tooth brush/toothpaste
- Razor
- RV toilet paper
Other
- Medications/Vitamins
- Hats
- Sunglasses
- Dog Food and water bowl
- Chairs
- Bikes and Helmets
- Clothes
- Jackets
- Tennis Shoes/Sandals
- Laundry Basket/Detergent
- Duct tape
- Fire Extinguisher
- Rain Umbrella
- Outside Table
- Broom
- Tools (ax, hammer, drill)
- FOOD and DRINKS
Final Thoughts
Whether your camping in a Class A, Class B, Class C Motorhome, Fifth Wheel, Travel Trailer, or a different type of RV, this list has everything you would need to make your trip a success. Get packed and be on your first rv adventure.
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