Author: Mike

If you’re new to the exciting world of caravanning, you could be forgiven for thinking it an overwhelming place. With so many products available to buy, equipment to remember and etiquette to abide by, it can seem just too much for newbies – and that’s all before you’ve even pulled off the drive!

Yet, as with anything else in life, a little preparation, research, and practice here will soon have you picking up the reigns while setting you on the right path here.

With so many new visitors flocking to the Caravan Helper website, we thought now would be the best time to run through a couple of those most basic but helpful of caravanning tips. These are the caravan tips that we wish we had when we started our caravan adventure.

So, here are just a few need to know things that we’ve experienced over our caravanning journey which we want to share with all of those just starting out on their own caravan adventures.

A Beginners Guide To Caravanning

First Time Trips

The first need to know thing about caravanning is that your first outing in your caravan can be daunting. This is normal, we promise. If you’ve still yet to take that first trip with your caravan and are feeling slightly apprehensive about doing so, stay close to home.

This is a better solution all around, in particular for those first couple of adventures you fly solo as it gives you a comfort blanket. Therefore, should you forget something and need to go back home, it won’t be such a problem.

Many caravaners like to stay local during those first few attempts at entering the caravanning scene, with some even beginning their first official stay overs on the driveway!

The idea here is merely to gain some confidence and become accustomed to your caravan in a place whereby there’s no outside pressure to do so, before heading off further afield. Plus, you may find some amazing caravan park gems right on your doorstep that you never knew about! And you’ll quickly become a bonafide caravanner!

Lists

Here at Caravan Helper, we can’t stress enough how valuable lists are when it comes to caravanning! This is simply because at some point they will act as your lifeline, ensuring you do not continually forget things, only realising when it’s too late, and you’re too far down the motorway to turn back!

Write up lists for everything you need to take with you and, subsequently, everything you need when packing up to come home.

Further still, be sure to keep a supply of pens and paper to hand in your van. This way you can fill out a list of what you’re running short on while you’re away.

This is great for stuff such as boring but essential items like bin bags, toilet rolls, and washing up liquid. That way, when you get back, you can refill the van straight away making sure you’re not caught short the next time you head out to the caravan site.

DIY

Always keep a screwdriver in your caravan, alongside a set of fuses. Though these are small and often overlooked items, we’re sure you’ll be glad you packed them at some point in your caravanning journey.

Caravan cupboards and drawers will always throw up loose screws now and again, and a drill is not recommended to fix such issues in caravans, due to the temperamental nature of the wood used throughout them.

Likewise, when you’re least expecting it, you can be guaranteed a fuse will blow. This usually tends to be when you sit down with a nice hot cuppa to read your book! Therefore, a range of fuses to hand can have the problem solved in a matter of minutes.

Chargers Galore

With so many of us taking gadgets when caravanning, we often make the mistake of remembering the leads; only to then discover we’ve forgotten to bring the actual corresponding adapter to charge it with!

Because most of us rely heavily on our mobile phones, laptops, and kindles in the caravan, it’s a better idea to purchase a select number of adapters that will fit these regularly used items and keep them in the van at all times. Therefore, there’s no disappointments and no scouring the local shops for replacements as soon as you pitch up!

TV Aerials

Likewise, the TV is a favourite with most of us caravanners, especially for a bit of guilty pleasure reality TV! However, it is the TV aerial, which is one of the most commonly forgotten items when packing up the caravan.

Therefore, make it a priority to ensure you have the aerial lead before you drive off. Even better, keep all that you need to get your TV up and running in your van, always.

Fridges

As an essential workable appliance, your caravan fridge will need to be up to standard each time you travel in your caravan. However, it often gets forgotten, especially when people put their van back into storage.

Keep a small block of wood in your van to wedge the fridge door open, therefore when you close the van up, the fridge is not left shut and has no chance to develop mould or odours. This means you simply wipe it down and switch it on before heading off again.

During Transit

A tip always worth acting on and indeed getting used to early on in your caravanning career is that of storing items carefully away and locking all cupboards and drawers before setting off.

If you get into the habit of doing this and then performing a final check each time, you ensure you get to the other end to discover your van intact and exactly how you left it.

Remember to take the glass microwave plate out and store it away, as well as locking those slider doors and shower doors, finally taking the shower head off and place it on the base of the shower. There’s nothing worse than pulling a rattling caravan along and wincing at every sound as you do so!

Water Use

It’s always good to remember to be vigilant when it comes to the amount of water you use while onsite. The biggest drinker here is the shower!

Therefore, consider turning the shower on to wash, turning it off as you lather up, and then trying it back on to wash off. Likewise, only run the taps when you need to swill your toothbrush, and wash vegetables in a bowl of water rather than leave the taps continually running.

Never forget how small a caravan’s water tank is and how it’s a constant pain to keep running out of water – especially during those moments when you need it the most.

Slow and Steady

Whether you’re doing your final caravan checks or towing a caravan to a caravan park, take it slowly.

Caravanning requires you to move at a slower pace all-round, and this includes when you make those final checks before setting off from the storage unit or drive, all the way through to driving there and back to your destination.

Do a regular check both inside and outside the van; double-checking all is ready before you move. This includes checking locks, removing locks, raising steadies, hitching the caravan on and then running the car while plugging in the caravan’s electrics.

Then, make sure you get your route planned ahead of time, whether on your phone, through use of a Satnav or even the old-fashioned paper map way.

Always be mindful here that travelling with your van requires extra attention as to where you can and can’t possibly go road wise to reach your final stop.

Motor Mover

If you have the use of a motor mover, by all means, don’t be afraid to use it. These are ideal for those new to towing a caravan, and just as helpful to those who have been pulling up to sites for many years with a caravan in tow.

As a newbie, you may very well become intimated by the act of reversing your caravan onto your designated pitch. This is especially so when you feel you’ve got an audience to hand! However, there’s no getting around the fact that parking your van within a specific pitch is not always the easier of tasks.

Some people have a real hang-up about these products – but we say, if you’re lucky enough to own a motor mover, then use it all you can!

After all, you’ve paid for it, and we’re sure you’d rather get your caravan parked correctly and safely first-time round, rather than struggle just to save face here!

Towing Mirrors and Tow Bar

If your car doesn’t have a tow bar, you will need one, unless you intend to use your caravan on your driveway. You will also need a set of towing mirrors. We urge and plead with you, do not skimp on towing mirrors or a tow bar.

Make sure to buy good quality mirrors, and a towing bar (a quality tow ball will always save you a real headache), and your life of caravanning will become much easier from the moment you leave your driveway!

Oh, and there are four sizes of tow ball, so do make sure you have the correct one, that could put a stop to your holiday before you even hitch your caravan! You will also need to ensure that the car you intend to use as a tow car can actually tow your caravan. Having a tow car that can barely tow your caravan while at maximum weight may result in damage to your car or your caravan or both!

Educate Yourself

Never be afraid to ask for help as you begin your caravanning adventures and always look to gain as much knowledge about this fabulous way of life, where and when you can. Owning a caravan is wonderful, and there are some wonderful people in the caravan world.

YouTube offers a wealth of information, as well as videos for all levels of caravanners. So too does the Caravan Helper website.

Furthermore, you’ll likely discover over time that accessing the local caravanning community can be one of the best ways of obtaining some of the most beneficial information to help you on your way. You’ll likely be able to find a local caravan community on Facebook that will provide a lot of help. Plus, when you are on a caravan park in the UK, don’t shy away from having a chat or two with the other caravanners at the park. They will have some tips about improving your caravan, how you stay in it and where the best local pub is too! If you aren’t sure, ask another caravan owner for help!

Camping and Caravanning Club and Other Caravan Clubs

This caravan club was founded in 1901, and it now has over half a million caravan owners under its wing. The idea of the Camping and Caravanning Club is to bring fun to your caravan holiday. If you want to know where to take your caravan, what the local points of interest are and the best caravan site to use during your stay, this is the club for you! The Caravan Club also provides amazing tips for a caravan beginner, their guide to caravanning, for example, making it the perfect place to go for help and advice!

Final Thoughts on Starting Out Caravanning

We always stress that yes, caravanning can indeed take some time to get used to. However, even while learning all this new stuff, don’t forget to stop every now and then and take stock-taking time out to enjoy the experience as well. Towing a caravan for the first time, for example, can be stressful. But once you find your home for the week, and masterfully park your caravan, enjoy it! After all, you have all your home comforts in the caravan (if you made a list and remembered to pack it, of course). So, now you can unwind in your caravan and enjoy a brilliant holiday all while your creature comforts from back home are right there.

Caravanning should be a great journey and one which you thoroughly enjoy being a part of. It should also be the most relaxing of activities and offer a respite from the day to day grind and toil of the 9 til 5 routine back home. Once you practise towing a caravan, parking it and packing everything you need, you will quickly see why caravan holidays are still as popular as ever!

Therefore, ensure you keep reminding yourself exactly why you got into caravanning in the first place, keeping your mind focused on the many adventures ahead that you’re going to have. This way, you’ll do just fine! Plus, never shy away from asking another caravan owner for help, you’ll be amazed at the help you can find at a caravan site!

For an item you may never have thought you need, check out caravan tyre grip tracks. Please explore the Caravan Helper website for more info about caravans.

When on a caravan holiday, you may not always feel like prepping extensive meals for lunch and dinner times. What appeals to many when touring in the caravan is that sense of freedom and a move away from the humdrum of everyday domestic life.

But caravans usually don’t offer large kitchens, and indeed vast preparation space, like you may have become accustomed to at home! Add to that a limited fridge space and reduced storage space in general, and you won’t be able to buy as big a weekly shop as you do for the home either!

Yet, what you may also not want to do is get into the habit of relying on constant takeaways when you’re caravanning. Though it may be tempting, while it’s ideal for a short stay, over a longer period it can become problematic health wise. It can also end up becoming one of the costlier aspects of caravanning if you’re not careful here!

Here at Caravan Helper, we’ve put our heads together and come up with a couple of the office favourites when it comes to caravan cooking. As well as being some of the quick and easy meals to cook in a caravan as well as indeed prep, they’re also some of the tastiest you can get as you travel in the van.

Easy Meals to Cook in a Caravan

Spaghetti Bolognese

A favourite for so many of us, Spaghetti Bolognese is not only a good healthy and hearty meal but also something that doesn’t take much effort to make, cook, or even to store such ingredients.

In fact, you can choose to make this as much about utilising cupboard staple foods like chopped tomatoes – or opt for the fresher of ingredients to suit your mood.

Keep a few bottles of sauce in your cupboards along with packs of spaghetti, and then all you really need to keep in the fridge for this is the beef mince.

This can then be made in no time at all. What’s more, you can add a side dish to it to fill you up, while topping your spag bol with grated cheese and a couple of herbs to garnish.

Pasta Bake

As you stack plenty of bottles of sauce in your caravan cupboards for the spag bol, you can then use them to make Pasta Bake. This is another firm favourite for many and a real treat when coming back to the caravan after a long day.

This is once again a recipe whereby you can chop and change the ingredients you use in it, making it as straight forward or as extravagant as you wish.

Pasta Bake is ideal if food storage space is at a minimum in your caravan as you can use tinned tomatoes here and bags of pasta, which take up next to no room but ultimately offer a great tasting dish all around. Additionally, you can top it off with a selection of cheese sauce and serve it with garlic bread. Pasta dishes really are one of the easiest meals.

Curry

Perhaps not always the most obvious of choices for when dining in the caravan, curry dishes are certainly a big hit with most people.

Not only does curry fill you up, but it also keeps you warm during those colder caravanning nights.

Curries are actually one of the simpler of meals to make and do not create an excess of washing up, making them ideal for caravanning purposes! They are almost a one pot meal as everything just goes into 1 frying pan. Add some chopped tomatoes, spices and then your choice of meat and you have yourself a curry.

Once again, you can use jars of curry sauce here for added practicality and make this dish as simple or extravagant as you like, finishing it off with naan bread or poppadums.

Stir Fry

Investing in a wok and keeping it in the caravan is a fantastic decision if you regularly caravan. You can make so many delicious meals or even the odd snack using this utensil. It’s also one of the more straightforward of items to wash up afterward!

This is also a great way of ensuring you get your recommended allowance of vegetables every day, alongside cutting down on the prep time and indeed cost as you can buy so many different varieties of mixed veg already bagged up in stores now.

To bulk a stir fry up and make a good dinner from it, you could also add noodles, a selection of meat types and various sauces, completing the meal. It is a quick and easy meal that the whole family will love.

Home Made Pizzas

Pizza is something all the family can enjoy. The great thing about making your own pizza when caravanning is that you don’t have to account for ample freezer space to store those shop bought ones!

As well as this, not only is it satisfying making your own, but you can then choose to personalize your topping as you see fit.

Home-made pizza can also be one of the healthier of choices as you’re more in control of what you place on them and know precisely what’s going into them!

All you need is plain flour and yeast which you can store away in your food cupboards, and you can make as much dough as you need, leaving it to rise throughout the day. Then, it’s merely a case of loading it with your preferred choices and putting it into the oven.

The tomato puree is also a single small staple food cupboard item, meaning it takes up less room and you can concentrate on storing more of those fresh choices in the fridge here to select at your leisure.

What you don’t eat that day can be wrapped in tin foil and popped in the fridge for the next day.

Full English Breakfast

As this is generally fried or toasted, once again, you aren’t likely to use too many items here, so washing up is usually kept to a minimum!

To make a full English breakfast all the more healthier, you can opt for those fry light sprays that you can easily find in most shops now. These not only eliminate the need to carry those larger oil bottles in the van, but they are also the healthier of options, with many using a much as 95% less fat than regular oil.

A full English breakfast is almost a requirement when it comes to caravanning; especially in the UK! Therefore you could ensure a plentiful and hearty breakfast or indeed brunch here to fill you up for the rest of the day.

Better still, with most of the staple food here being the more practical to store, you can do the whole works quite easily with this meal. Here you can include baked beans, mushrooms, tomatoes, eggs, hash browns, toast, bacon, and sausages, plus whatever else takes your fancy.

Other Ideas For Easy Caravan Cooking

In the Slow Cooker:

More and more people are beginning to see the many advantages of taking a slow cooker with them on their caravanning travels. These are now widely available in a range of sizes and are very well priced. Above all, they allow you to make a great tasting and healthy meal from a vast selection of meat choices – and all in just the one pot!

Slow cookers will allow you to add a lot more variety to your caravanning cooking while still ensuring you can store all the food you need for them adequately, even if storage space for food is at a minimum in your van.

Therefore, you can access a wide variety of meal recipe ideas, including stews, soups, casseroles, and full roast dinners! Best still, you can throw all the ingredients in as you wake and then return to a fabulous full meal ready and waiting for you!

Click here for some great slow cooker recipes.

In the Microwave:

If you’re lucky enough to have a caravan microwave, you can also get some additional great meal choices for your caravan holiday.

Baked potatoes are ideal for the microwave and a good meal choice as they are filling, especially when served with options such a tuna, cheese, beans or coleslaw.

A microwave will also allow you to reheat those leftovers from previous meals which you can then improve on with fresh salads and vegetables. 

On the BBQ:

What’s a caravanning break without a BBQ? Better still, a BBQ in the temperamental British weather! Whether you choose to take a BBQ with you, utilise the BBQ amenities on site, or even pick up an instant disposal one, there’s no denying that BBQ food tastes great, especially when you’re away from home! All the family will love it.

Better still, they’re relatively easy to do, and you can cook a variety of meats to suit, stocking up with plenty of side choices.

Final Thoughts on Quick Caravan Meals

It may seem more of a challenge when you’re in the van to get those meals equalling what you’ve become accustomed to at home. But this certainly doesn’t mean you can’t create good quality and fantastic tasting caravan food.

Hopefully, as we’ve shown here, you can still eat well and enjoy several caravan meals here and there, alongside mixing them with the odd takeaway. Who knows, you may even find a new favourite or signature dish as you do so.

Therefore you don’t have to solely live off salad bags or tins of baked beans each time you set off in the van!

Check out our top picks for caravan cutlery trays.

Caravanning is a lot of fun and adventurous, but it also involves a whole lot of hard work. At Caravan Helper, we know this only too well, which is why we have put together this guide of 19 awesome caravan hacks that will help make the experience a lot more comfortable, give you some storage ideas and most importantly, enjoyable for everyone. A lot of these will also work well as camping hacks.

List of Caravan Hacks

1. Use Fans Inside Your Awning

Fans make for a better experience overall, and puts everyone in great moods, too much sunshine and heat can be a problem if you have an awning setup. Sure, the awning will provide shading, but it can still get quite muggy and sweaty.

A great option is the KOBWA Tent Light Fan . The reason we chose this one is because it’s a multifunctional unit, that not only serves as a fan, in line with this hack, but also is a functioning light. Perfect for those late nights, early mornings and dull weather conditions.

It’s extremely lightweight, portable and benefits from being rechargeable battery powered and can be hooked up via USB.

2. For Cold Weather Use an Awning Heater

Obviously, when you are caravanning in the UK, it may be that the scenario outlined above where there’s beautifully hot sunshine is a rarity. For colder weather then, you need a heater. This hack is particularly useful for those times late at night when you’re sitting up watching the stars or when you first get up in the morning and don’t want to be hit by that dawn chorus chill factor.

Fortunately, we have already posted a lot of information about caravan awning heaters.

3. Camper Shower for the Dog

We wanted to make sure your pooch was well looked after too. A camper shower is ideal as a portable cleaning station. Although there are more sophisticated full-on camping showers that you can get, camper-style models tend to be less expensive and are just a simple and easy way to clean off at the end of a busy, messy day out and about.

A great portable shower that’s worth investing in is the Hozelock PortaShower, this is a great multipurpose accessory has a 7L capacity water bottle and comes with a lockable flow control on/off handle, carry strap and spray head.

4. Pre-Cook as Much Food as You Can

This is one of our caravan hacks to make your holiday go nice and smooth. Although we all love home-cooked meals made from scratch, this is a lot harder to achieve when you are on the road in your caravan. It’s best then to pre-prepared and pre-cook stuff before you head out on your holiday. You will find a lot of great recipes out there that can be used to cook meals while you’re in your tourer.

5. Games and Activities

Now, a lot of your time on the road will involve getting out and about and exploring the world. However, there will be those times when you and whoever else travels with you are stuck inside, because of the great British summertime rain.

For times like that, you may be quick to look at your phone, tablet or other devices. If you are really trying to get back to basics, you need to think of other ways to entertain you and your holiday companions.

Good old-fashioned board games and playing cards are ideal for situations just like these. Depending on who will be playing, you could choose games like Monopoly, Scrabble, Cheese, Draughts and Travel Pursuit. Playing cards are great because one pack can be used to play a versatile range of fun games. This is also a great way to get everyone involved in some family bonding time.

6. A Caravan Checklist

It’s a great idea to create your own caravan checklist and keep it so you can use it for your next holiday. The best way to do it is by starting with what you had on the last caravan trip you took, then add items to it or take some away. This will help you to make sure you don’t ever forget any home comforts and by repeating the process for the next few holidays and trips you have in your caravan, you will have the ultimate checklist. Our packing checklist can be used as a base.

7. Pick a Caravan Park with a Playground

When you take the kids on a caravan holiday, you need to cater to them all. Especially the kids, as there will be times when there’s a lot of sitting around. That’s why it’s best to make sure the caravan parks you choose to stay at have playgrounds of some kind for your little ones to burn off all that excess energy. This is one of our tips to make your holiday that bit easier.

8. Limit the Number of Toys You Take

Peace and quiet are great on holiday, especially when you are in a more confined and small space like a caravan. In order to fight against the boredom, your kids will feel sometimes, you may be tempted to take as many of their favourite toys as possible. That might now be such a good idea, though. Unless of course, you enjoy hurting your feet and losing any available free space you have, to stuffed animals and bits of plastic.

9. Choose a Suitable Caravan Layout

This hack can help you prepare for an enjoyable family caravan holiday way before you’ve even bought your touring vehicle. During the buying process, you need to have a good look around at the options open to you to try and find the best caravan layout for your whole family, and formulating an idea of where you are all going to sleep and if there will be enough room for you and the other adults with you to sit and relax at the end of the day when the little ones are sleeping.

10. Choose a Big Awning

One accessory that is always worth investing in when you are planning for a caravanning holiday for you and your family is an awning. Ideally, finding the biggest that you can afford and that your caravan can support is best. It’s hard trying to get the kids to sleep and still having a place where you and your partner or any guests joining you can relax. An awning helps make that much easier.

If you have older kids, you could even use the space created with the awning as a makeshift bedroom for them. They’ll really love sleeping out in it, as it’s like sleeping under the stars in a tent.

11. Be Prepared for Wet Weather

Even if there has been great weather recently, one thing you can guarantee about Britain, especially during summer, is that you are never far away from wet weather. So, rather than being caught out unaware in a cold damp shower, make sure you are prepared for the worst. After all, water and grasslands just make more mess for you to clear up. Invest in waterproof clothing, including jackets/macs and wellies.

When you find you are stuck in the caravan because it’s too wet, you could bear in mind one of our earlier hacks and play board games and playing cards. You could also invest in a Netflix and/or Amazon Prime subscription, if you haven’t already. It’s not ideal to always have them on their device or in front of the TV but watching a show or some movies when the rain is pouring, is better than sitting looking glum in your caravan.

12. Awning Hooks

These are one of our favourite storage solutions. It’s a good idea to invest in some handy awning hooks for your kids’ clothes. Keeping them hanging up at all times, in the awning, will not only save some storage space, but if they are wet and muddy, you’ll have to wash them and rather than bring the chance of mould and dampness into the caravan, you could hang them up out in the awning, using one of these.

13. Keep the Kids Entertained on the Journey

Many people consider the journey to be a great part of the holiday. When you are in the car, towing a caravan, trying to drive safely, it’s not exactly enjoyable if you’re kids are constantly moaning ‘are we there yet?’ and ‘I’m booooored’. There are plenty of ways you can keep them entertained to avoid all those moans, while you press on to the caravan park.

iPads and portable DVD drivers are great ideas, but so that you are still interacting with them and spending time with them, you could employ some old-fashioned, but nevertheless, effective methods. I-Spy is a classic in-car game that kids of all ages and generations can love. It also gives you an opportunity to have meaningful conversations with your children about what you see while you’re on the road.

Food is something you should pack plenty of and you should take the time to stop regularly at service stations and other appropriate areas. As well as giving you a chance to get a break, it gives your children a chance to blow off some steam.

14. Order Your Food Shopping Online to Be Brought to The Camp Site

If you haven’t prepared much in the way of food before leaving for your trip, or you are running low on supplies, you might not fancy heading to the local Sainsbury’s or Morrisons. Fortunately, you don’t have to, as all the major supermarkets will make home deliveries, even if you are currently staying at a caravan park.

15. Order Food from Just Eat or Deliveroo to be Delivered at The Caravan Site

Part of the joy of being away on holiday is that you all get a break from your normal daily activities. That is no different for you parents. Rather than cooking every day you are away; you could order some food on Just Eat or Deliveroo and treat your family to a takeaway.

16. Make a Fire

Fires are an integral part of the authentic life on the road and out in mother nature-style of holiday that you get from camping and caravanning. Although some sites prohibit the making of fires, there are many that are fine with it, if you control it and make sure it’s completely out before you leave.

With a nice homemade fire burning away, you can tell scary stories at night, sing songs and enjoy toasted marshmallows. What kid, or for that matter, grownup, doesn’t like toasted marshmallows?

17. Do Lots of Activities with the Kids During the Day

There is lots you can do when you go on a caravan holiday, so make sure you get the most out of it that you possibly can for your kids. The purpose of the holiday is to give you and your family a treat, possibly catch up on some z’s and to just put worrying about day to day stuff on the back burner for a few days.

Take your children on hikes, to local parks, on adventures to spot wildlife or even cycling. Not only will you all enjoy the experience all the more if you are doing things together, but the more you do in the course of day, the more tired they will be by bed time and the better the chance will be that they get a good night’s sleep and don’t wake you up at the crack of dawn.

18. Go Caravanning with Another Family

Are there other families that yours are especially close to? You could double the fun and get built-in babysitters by going on a caravanning holiday with another family. It’ll take a bit more planning and organising and it will require a lot of patience and live and let live, but there are endless positives to gain from this kind of arrangement.

Not only will both your families have shared memories of the holiday, but when it comes to parents getting a bit of time to themselves, you can each take it in turns to watch all the kids while the other couple goes out for dinner.

19. Walkie Talkies

Finally, the last one on our guide is a quirky one, but what kid really doesn’t like walkie talkies? That’s right, there is no kid that doesn’t like them. You can take that love for these portable radios and use it to your benefit. If your kids are of that age when they feel comfortable and safe exploring the area, you may still have reservations about letting them go off and explore the caravan site on their own.

You don’t have to though, if you invest in walkie talkies and use them to keep track of where your children are. Obviously, it’s not a guarantee that they will always be safe but having a quick and easy way to speak to them reduces the risks greatly.

20. Shower Caddy

Storage solutions are something that needs to be considered when caravanning. We have a whole different post on them but we thought a shower caddy is a great hack that is cheap and will make all the difference to keeping your caravan tidy.

You can keep all your shower gel and shampoo in once place.

21. Sticky Hooks

Another of our favourite storage ideas. These are cheap, and if they break off you can just buy another and stick it on. They can be used for tea towels, bath towels, or whatever else you can think o.

22. Laundry Bag

This is another of our caravan storage ideas that you will love. Take a cloth laundry bag rather than a plastic one. It means that it can be folded up and put away when you are not using it.

23. Roll, don’t fold.

We all like to save space when caravanning and folding your clothes can really help. It means your clothes won’t get as creased and means you won’t have to sort through tons of other clothes. It should be easier to find what you need.

24. Storage pockets

These are one of our favourite caravan storage ideas. They can be placed inside your wardrobe or even hung from the awning poles. They are perfect for shoes.

25. Foam floor tiles

This has to be up there as one of the best caravan hacks. The last thing you want it to have your awning on some hard ground. If you take a few of these they can be easily used to create a soft floor inside your awning.

26. Plastic storage for cereal etc

Kitchen space is at a premium inside caravans. Why not shop around and find plastic containers with lids that fit perfectly into your caravan. These can be used to store cereal, pasta or rice. This means that you don’t need the original container which can be far too big and it will help you save space.

27. Herbs and Spices

One of our favourite caravan storage ideas is that rather than taking all the herbs and spices from home. It might be a great idea to premix the herbs you need at home or put them into some smaller containers.

Conclusion

We hope you find the caravan hacks above useful for ensuring that every caravan holiday is a good one. Some of these can be used as RV or camping hacks.

Touring caravan at the ready, it’s time to head off for a well-deserved break. Whether you’re off for a short weekend away with a friend, a two-week break with the family, or a six-month tour of the British Isles with your better half, you still have the unenviable task of packing prior to your departure.

With that in mind we’ve put together a helpful caravan checklist for you, it includes all of those essential items that we think you might find handy for your caravan holiday! There are links to the items we like, and we’ve even collated a printable version of the checklist for you too, so next time you plan on going away you can get organised well in advance!

There are certain things that should be on every packing list that you need in order to enjoy a successful caravan holiday. This checklist will be especially useful if its your first time on a caravan holiday.

Caravan Essentials

Make sure the below are at the top of your check list.

• Gas bottle – Hungry caravanners have got to eat, so you will need a gas bottle to power your hob, cooker, and possibly BBQ.
• Water containers – Clean, freshwater is a must for day-to-day caravan living, opt for a large water container that’s easy to fill and manoeuvre.
• Large waste water container and waste hose – Make sure your waste water is easy to shift and empty. Get your waste water from your caravan to your waste container via a waste hose.
• Spirit level/levelling aid indicator – The last thing you want to do is spend your holiday in a tilting caravan (that steaming cup of coffee looks dangerously close to sliding off the table)!
• Extension lead and caravan mains convertor lead – If you want to plug in your numerous electrical items you will need to pack an extension lead.
• Mains polarity tester – Insert a polarity tester into one of the pin sockets to check all the connections are wired correctly.
• Large caravan battery – If you are planning to stay out in the wilds, or on a site that doesn’t provide electricity, then you will need to bring along a large caravan battery.
• Corner steady pads – Big caravans are nice and roomy, but they are also weighty, and could sink into the earth.
• Winder adapter – A winder adapter is a useful tool for winding a caravans legs up and down with ease along with some jack pads.
• Steps – Unless you fancy leaping in and out of your caravan door you will need a caravan step to climb safely up and down.
• Awning / pop up gazebo – If you need some outside space next to your caravan then one of these is a must.
• Water pump – Give it a quick check before you leave to make sure it’s working.

Staying Safe on Your Caravan Holiday

• Towing mirrors – Its the law. You need these to tow your caravan.
• A spare tyre and foot pump – Don’t get caught out if a caravan tyre blows out!
• Tool kit – You don’t want to spend your caravan holiday doing DIY inside your caravan but you do want to be prepared in case an emergency fix is required.
• Spare bulbs, fuses and batteries – Don’t end up left in the dark at night inside your caravan, take along a few spare bulbs and fuses. Batteries are always useful as well.
• First aid kit – No one wants to fall ill or get injured on their caravan holidays, but however safety conscious you are, accidents do happen in caravans.
• Insect repellent and sun protection – Insects can be pesky at certain times of the year, so you might also want to keep repellent to hand and light a citronella candle to use inside the caravan.
• Fire blanket and a fire extinguisher – Take a look at your caravan insurance policy, chances are it will ask that you have a fire blanket and extinguisher readily available in your caravan.
• Torch, solar lights, lighter and matches – There might be outdoor lighting in place (depending on where you choose to park up your caravan). However, solar lights will come in handy to illuminate your pitch.
• Hitch lock and cover – We’re always looking for ways to save money when it comes to caravan insurance, and you could lower those premiums by investing in a hitch lock to fit on your caravan tow bar.
• Wheel clamps – Fitting a wheel clamp on your caravan will deter thieves, and as a result, you could save money on your caravan insurance too!

Food and Drink

One of the most important parts of any caravan holiday involves tucking into yummy food and drink. Make sure you take some of these items from our caravan packing list.

• Mugs, cups, glasses and beakers – You can’t beat a nice cuppa inside your caravan, invest in a some decent travel mugs that keep your drinks hot and have handy lids to reduce spillages / keep nasty insects out. Plastic beakers are useful for kiddies, and whilst a plastic glass may not be the most glamourous vessel for your pinot grigio, it will save you from having to deal with a shattered wine glass inside caravans.
• Tea bags and coffee!
• Plastic plates, bowls, & cutlery – Minimise breakages inside the caravan by opting for plastic dinnerware – plastic plates and bowls are robust and easy to clean.
• Outdoor table and chairs – An integral part of a caravan holiday involves lots of lounging around outside (even if the weather isn’t on your side you can still get some fresh air under your awning). Set up an outdoor table and chairs and make the most of the great outdoors.
• Food bags and boxes, foil and cling film – Keep your caravan grub fresh and tasty, and bug-free, by keeping it covered.
• Cooler and ice trays -“I just love a glass of tepid chardonnay, and a luke-warm beer,” said no caravanner ever!
• BBQ  – Invest in a caravan gas BBQ, chuck on the sausages and burgers and get grilling. If you don’t want the hassle of cleaning a BBQ or lugging it home with you, go for a disposable one instead.
• Kitchen appliances – You won’t be able to take along every kitchen gadget on your caravan holiday, so we’re thinking more of the essentials here, such as a kettle and toaster.
• Cooking & kitchen utensils – Unless you are planning to eat out every day you will need to do a bit of cooking inside your caravan. Channel your inner Gordon Ramsey or Nigella out and knock up a feast! You will need pots and pans, plus all the usual utensils – we’re thinking wooden spoon, spatula etc Don’t forget those essential items such as an oven glove, chopping board, tin opener, kitchen scissors, and (most importantly) a corkscrew and bottle opener!
• Food and drink – Compile a simple shopping list prior to each road trip, what do you plan on eating/drinking?  You will have to shop for fresh items such as bread and milk every time you go away, but you can keep a few essentials such as condiments, tins, goodies such as biscuits and crisps, and drinks stored in cupboards.

Comfort

Home is where the heart is, or in this case – your caravan is where your heart is! Make your place as welcoming as possible by packing creature comforts, practical extras and a few nice touches from our comfort checklist.

• Windbreaker/sun canopy – Make your caravan outdoor space as user-friendly as possible by setting up a windbreaker/sun canopy to guard against the elements.
• Doormat  – Make your tourer more welcoming by popping a doormat down – a place to wipe your feet and leave your slippers ready for a bout of relaxing.
• Bedding – Get a good night’s sleep – invest in quality bedding such as a comfy duvet and pillows. You will also need duvet covers and pillowcases. Take along a couple of snug throws and blankets too – great for snuggling up under on a chilly evening.
• Towels – You will need a couple of hand towels and bath towels for drying off. If you are planning on swimming or visiting the beach pack beach towels too.
• Clothesline – Dry your clothes, air your towels, hang up your sandy swimming costume! A clothesline will enable you to wash through garments and dry items off – don’t forget clothes pegs (unless you don’t mind retrieving wind-swept knickers and socks from around the site)!
• Bin – You probably have a caravan bin in the kitchen already, but you might find it useful to keep another in the bathroom or awning (if space allows).  Pack plenty of bin liners, or you will be scrabbling around for carrier bags to haphazardly tuck inside instead.
• Wet weather gear -Ok, so you might strike lucky and enjoy glorious sunshine, but you’re just as likely to strike out and get a shower or two! Cover all bases and take along waterproofs, wellies and an umbrella.
• Sun cream – The British weather is unpredictable.
• Toiletries – Pack a toiletry bag to leave in your tourer, then you don’t have to remember to pack all of those essential toiletries every time you go away. Include soap, shower gel, shampoo and conditioner, deodorant, razors and shaving gel, toothbrushes and paste, hair products such as hairspray, perfume/aftershave and sanitary items.
• Wipes, tissues, and loo roll -Don’t forget to take toilet rolls, you don’t want to get caught short! Tissues are needed for snotty noses and wet wipes are also very handy – great for sticky fingers and cleaning off mucky kids!
• Comfy slip-on shoes/slippers – You don’t want to have to put on a pair of trainers every time you want to nip outside, but going barefoot isn’t advisable either. Keep your feet cosy by taking along some comfy slip-on shoes or a pair of slippers.
• Earplugs/eye mask – Caravan walls are quite thin, and you might find yourselves parked quite close to your neighbours.
• Clock – Don’t scrabble around for your mobile phone to find out if it’s wine o’clock yet! Put a clock in your caravan so you can check the time whenever you wish.
• Mini electric heater – It’s always good to have a backup plan, and a mini-electric heater could be just the thing.
• Clothes and Shoes – Take along hangers for your wardrobe so you can hang items that are liable to crease (ironing is not a pastime you should partake in on any holiday)! Evenings can be chilly, so we recommend a warm fleece and a decent jacket.

Let Me Entertain You Check List

Forget the sweeping and dusting, say goodbye to the paperwork, and lock the lawn-mower in the shed. You’re off to have fun in your touring caravan. Take a few items from this caravan checklist for entertainment purposes and enjoy:

• Outdoor fun – Check if there are any restrictions on ball games, if not set up a fun game of football of cricket. Other ideas include a friendly game of swingball, chucking a frisbee to one another and flying a kite. You could take along a bike and enjoy the local area, and if you are planning on visiting the beach don’t forget your bucket and spade!
• Indoor fun – Colouring books, board games, dominoes and whatever else takes your fancy.
• TV & DVD -We know that the essence of a caravan holiday involves reconnecting with your other half, family and friends. A TV can prove useful if the weather is poor.
• Music – Plug your phone or tablet into speakers and enjoy singing along to your fave tunes, or have an impromptu dance in your awning!
• Books and magazines -There’s no better time to catch up on your reading. Take a healthy stock of books and magazines and peruse until your heart’s content.

Keep It Clean and Tidy

Keep your little home from home neat, tidy and dirt-free by taking along a few key essentials from this checklist.

• Toilet chemicals – Required to keep your toilet fresh and clean – ideally, steer clear of strong-smelling stuff that will pollute your nostrils. We have a great list of chemicals on our caravan toilet page.
• Washing up – Take a bowl for the sink, plus washing up liquid and a cloth/sponge, and don’t forget gloves if you like to be kind to your hands! You will need tea towels to dry up with (unless you prefer to chill out and let everything drip dry of course)!
• Cleaning up – Take along antibacterial spray to keep surfaces clean, and kitchen paper will be invaluable to mop up spills etc.  A bucket and cloth or sponge will also come in handy to wipe down outdoor furniture etc.
• Tea Towels – For drying the dishes.
• Kitchen Roll – You will be shocked at how much of this you use.
• Mini vacuum/dustpan and brush – Keep your caravan clean and crumb-free! A little mini vacuum can be your best friend.
• Disposable gloves -Someone has to clean out the chemical loo!
• Don’t forget your dog – If you’re taking your four-legged friend you will need to pack his doggy bed, lead, poo bags, water and food bowls, dog food and of course a selection of squeaky toys!

Caravan Checklist Conclusion

Phew, who knew you needed to take so much with you? Whilst, it seems like there are lots of items on this checklist once you have them you can use many of them again and again. It’s worth getting organised and kitting your touring caravan correctly if you want to make the most of your caravan road trip.