A trip in a caravan can make for an unforgettable holiday experience. It can be affordable, and versatile, and it can take you to places that more traditional holidays can’t reach.
If you want your caravan excursions to be memorable for the right reasons, however, it’s worth investing a bit of time in planning and preparation. Think about what you’re going to be packing and make yourself a checklist. If you’d like a starting point, then read on.
Kitchen essentials
You’ll need to be able to feed yourselves. This means being well-stocked with crockery and cutlery. Make sure that you have enough washing-up liquid to last, and that there are plenty of Tupperware boxes to store your leftovers. Tea towels and kitchen roll are also both crucial.
Bedroom essentials
Bedclothes are critical, but the exact amount you take will tend to depend on the time of year. Fresh linens, duvets and sheets can all make a big difference. You don’t want to be slumming it on the same bedding, night after night. Caravanning needn’t mean compromising on luxuries like fresh sheets!
Bathroom essentials
You can never truly have too many towels. Have spares for the beach, the swimming pool, and for hand-washing. Assume that there’s going to be a spillage (or some other accident) and take more towels than you need.
Other bathroom essential supplies can be packed all together in a single container. This means shampoo, conditioner, soap, and shower gel. Then toothbrushes and toothpaste.
Naturally, you don’t want to run out of toilet roll – so buy it in bulk and stash it somewhere safe inside the vehicle.
What if I need power?
If you don’t want to rely on the limited battery that’s attached to your starter motor (which is a risky practice), then you’ll want a dedicated generator. These are perfect, especially when the weather is cold.
Entertainment
If you’re taking the family, then you’ll want a means of entertaining yourselves during downtime. This might mean giving everyone a tablet computer – but the best fun on a caravan surely comes from crowding around a board game and having a good time together!
Navigation
Getting from one place to another in your caravan often means consulting a map or satnav system. Make sure that you’ve got access to both. Don’t rely on your phone, especially if you intend to venture out into the wilderness, where the 5G reception is a little spotty.
If you’ve got your essentials packed, then there’s only one thing left to remember: to have fun! Provided that you’ve got a core of key items on board, you needn’t stress too much about what you haven’t packed – since you can often pick up supplies along the way.