The thrill of adventure is why most people get an RV, to look forward to open roads and wide-open spaces to enjoy their off-time outdoors with cabin-style living.
Another part of the fun of traveling in an RV is gearing up for that time. I always love the big shop that happen before every trip.
If you’re anything like me, you’re always looking for that next time or day-saving gadget or tool that will make RV living easier and more enjoyable. I’ve rounded up some of my favorites. Keep this list handy before your next trip.
1. Say Yes to a Cooling Mattress
This kind of mattress is so cool that you may just want to bring it in the house with you when you get home.
A good cooling mattress will come with a ventilated layer of cooling gel on the top of the mattress, but still provide just the right amount of pressure. The beauty of the cooling gel is that it captures heat while still cooling you.
The cooling gel is also a memory foam that will prevent the build-up of heat on hot days and comes with built-in ventilation.
A hot day is a hot day, but a cooling mattress provides relief. These are designed with RV living in mind and are more comfortable than the average RV mattress.
2. The Swedish Washcloth You’ll Never Give Up
If you’ve never used a Swedish washcloth before, prepare for a new obsession. These washcloths are a combination of cellulose and sponge and are said to replace approximately 15 rolls of paper towels.
You need a washcloth for everything when you are living in an RV, or paper towels for every little spill or pile of dirt that traipses in.
The Swedish washcloth is extremely absorbent, and also odor-resistant, and can be reused and washed as often as you need it. It’s also very effective for cleaning.
You can buy them in packs of 10 or 12 and a few packs is all you need to keep things the way you like them in your RV.
3. Portable Fire Pit
Easy to put together is the name of the game when you are living in an RV for a few days or weeks. You’re also planning multiple accessories for those fire pit nights.
With a portable fire pit, you cross a lot of those plans off of your list. Collapsible fire pits are a thing, and they make fire-making so much easier and relaxing.
Get one that is marketed as easy to assemble, and you’ll save space and have a fire pit for any night of your trip. Fire pits are a beauty for RV life.
You can cook, roast, grill, or just enjoy a quiet night under the stars. Those nights are made easier with the right tools.
4. Instant Steamer
For the home, a 9-quart or 10-quart instant pot or steamer is what you would normally use. For the RV, something like a mini-three-quart instant pot or steamer makes RV cooking so easy.
A three-quart mini steamer can do a lot of things for you, including a quick saute of onions for the burgers, rice cooking, steaming, and even yogurt making.
The minis will tow away easily almost anywhere in the RV without you even noticing that they are there. You may have to use this a few times for one meal if you have a larger family, but the time and space-saving will be worth it.
5. Collapsible Dishes
Collapsible dishes are the way to go when you are living or traveling in an RV. Start with collapsible assorted containers that you can use as mixing bowls or for leftovers.
These dishes will collapse into flat sizes so that you can store them horizontally or upright. When you are looking for the right kind, get ones that are made of silicone to make cleaning easier, and food storage safer.
You can get collapsible bowls or collapsible sealable containers, or both, depending on your needs for your kitchen. The best kind can collapse to one-third their size.
Add a collapsible colander or set of collapsible colanders to your shopping list and your RV kitchen is well on the way to being well-stocked.
6. Collapsible Dish Pans Save Space
Collapsible anything is the only way I like to travel in my RV, and there is a lot to choose from. A collapsible dish pan and a collapsible dish rack can help you to save space and get your dishes done quickly and easily.
If you are like me, you want to get the dishes done as soon as possible to provide for even more counter space after a meal.
Collapsible dishpans are easy to use, and collapsible dish racks even easier. You can even put the dish rack outside the RV to air dry making for even more space while you are in the kitchen cleaning up.
Most collapsible dishpans will come with a plug that can easily drain away the dirty water.
7. Mini-Coffee Maker
A mini-Keurig is a great idea for an RV, but you don’t need to go brand name. Plus, a single-serving mini-coffee maker that doesn’t need space-consuming pods for use is better for life in an RV.
There are plenty of single-serving coffee makers that cost one-third of the price of a mini-Keurig and will work just fine with your favorite ground coffee.
Most will come with a reusable filter so that you don’t have to keep purchasing paper filters.
Add a cup of water every morning to your single-serving coffee maker and you will have your fresh coffee and save space-saving too. The right mini-coffee maker shouldn’t take more space than a large-sized coffee tumbler.
8. Cooling Fridge Fan
One thing they don’t tell newbie RVers upfront is that fridges don’t come with compressors. Airflow in an RV fridge is a little bit different than the one you have at home.
A cooling fridge fan is going to be very handy for circulating air and preventing food from spoiling or causing odor in your fridge.
Without one, the cold air falls and the food on the top shelves of the fridge have a tendency to spoil faster. Some are battery-powered and can easily slide into your fridge for use with the touch of a button.
9. Cast Iron Pans
Everybody loves a good cast iron pan, and they are lifesavers for cooking when it comes to the great outdoors.
Additionally, the flavor in your food from a pre-seasoned pan is unforgettable. These are excellent skillets you can put right on the fire, and enjoy smokey meat, fish, and potatoes all at once.
Cast iron skillets are durable and often come with long warranties. Today’s models are also much more affordable than in the past.
If you have a large family, a few cast iron skillets will be all you ever need for RV cooking, and you can do that for less than $50.
10. Swinging Tree Hammocks
You started the RV life to enjoy a little bit of lying around, but you also love the outdoors. You want to do some of that outside if you can.
Cue the swinging tree hammock where you can lie down on your own, or with company, or even with your laptop or a good book. One with a double-layer is the best kind to have.
Some will also come with handy side pockets for you to store your phone or other device. Get one for yourself or for every member of your family.
These are easy to install on your favorite tree, and roll up and store away when the time comes to say farewell to your RV site.
11. Portable Grilling Made Easy
An open fire with a grill on top is true outdoor living, but you can grill outdoors with your RV in easier ways.
An open fire with an outdoor grill does pose some dangers, and you won’t get the kind of cook that you are dreaming of. A flat portable grill can be affordable and easy to stow away.
There are many non-stick portable grills available that connect to small propane tanks and serve as an ideal stovetop for any RV meal. The non-stick models will be the easiest to clean, and with a flat top, easy to store when you need to.
12. The Just-In-Case Second Toilet
You never think about needing a second toilet when you are on the RV until you need a second toilet. Stocking up on a just-in-case portable toilet is a good idea, and it is more affordable than you think.
You can also purchase a portable tent for use for showers, and to hold your portable toilet that you can use while you are camping for emergencies.
Sometimes the RV toilet will back up, or be in use, or you may even just have a larger family that needs to share the space a little wider than other families. A portable toilet is easy to assemble, easy to use, and easy to pack up.
13. Ultimate Zero Gravity Camping Chairs
We decided that we didn’t want to go camping in the same chairs that we use everywhere else all summer long.
Ultimate camping chairs with pillows, cup holders, and all of the works are money well spent. Zero gravity camping chairs do exactly that, offering structure and support alongside comfort.
You can go as deluxe as you want here, with a pillow and umbrella shade, or even a recliner. Some of the latest zero-gravity models today have a slope to them so that they feel like a recliner without the added weight in the chair.
14. Collapsible Camping Tables
A collapsible camping table is the ideal accessory to go with your zero-gravity camping chair, and serves as an additional cup holder, or even end table if you are outside a lot during your RV time.
Some will come with additional cup holders, and others will be just enough to hold your snacks, phone, tablet, or a book if you need it to.
Collapsible camping tables come in a wide range of materials, from wood to nylon to meet your needs. If you plan on using one daily, one that is made with a sturdier material such as wood or steel will keep your table secure.
15. Outdoor Patio Mat
An outdoor mat for your RV living may not be something that you think you need until you get there.
When you realize that you will be on the grass or sand a lot, you may want an outdoor mat to lay outside the RV to add some ambiance and comfort to your RV vacation or adventure.
You don’t need to spend a lot here. This is a map that will do the same job that a few towels will, but with more durable coverage. Mesh mats will reduce a lot of the dirt that comes into the house and will be light and easy to carry.
16. Inflatable Tool/Bathtub
If you have children or animals that are going on the RV with you, an inflatable pool is going to feel like a godsend once you are there.
These double as bathtubs if you need them to, or even a cool space for the dog to chill out in on long days when cool and freshwater isn’t enough.
There are many models available, and if you are getting one, you may want one where you can enjoy some relaxing time yourself.
A standard inflatable pool will work, but so will one that includes some backrests for yourself if you have the setup space for it. Letting the air out makes this a pool that is very easy to store.