- Jessica Rider
Top 5 must haves for camping
Moving from tent camping to RV camping I have gotten more and more spoiled. I really think at this point what we do is considered RV glamping. What can I say, we like a little comfort when we hit the outdoors.
But even before the fifth wheel, there were certain things I just couldn’t live without when it came to camping. Some of these things we have had since our wedding thirteen years ago and others we have acquired through the years. Regardless, here are my top five favorite things I cannot live without when camping, RV camping or not!
An electric skillet for camp cooking in the RV
Recently we went to visit some people that were camping and I noticed they had the electric skillet we got for them out on the table. I smiled because out of all of the amenities and gadgets we have for camping an electric skillet is on the top of my list of must-haves. Our particular one is a Presto brand and we have had this thing for about 13 years and it still works like a champ (knock on wood). We used this in our tent camping days and now it sits on top of the stove in the RV and we use that 95% of the time. I use it inside and outside the camper and even do dishes in mine sometimes. It is not uncommon for me to whip up my favorite breakfast hash in the morning (video here), roast beef and swiss grilled cheese for lunch, and then stuffed jalapeno burgers for dinner all in the skillet. You can never go wrong with a good electric skillet.
An electric heater for RV camping in the cold
It is no secret that I am always cold, ALWAYS! As I am sitting here writing this I am outside in St. Louis on a 75 degree day in a long sleeve shirt. If I am cold, forget it, I am out. That is one reason we jumped into a camper is that in the tent days I could never get warm. I say “If my butt or feet are cold, I am out!” So having a good electric heater is a mandatory item for our rig. We actually have four in the camper. These are all ceramic heaters that we put in different areas in the camper to keep it warm and actually having all of them we keep the camper at a good temperature throughout those cold fall nights. One of the best ones we have is from www.xtremeheaters.com. This sucker is small, lightweight and it will heat up the camper in no time. We have had to turn it off sometimes because it has sweat us out in the middle of the night. Get a good electric heater and save on that propane.
A Swiffer duster is essential for RV camping
When you have a dog that sheds a ton the dog hair is never-ending and it always seems to float in the camper. How does dog hair get on top of the TV? I would wipe everything down after every trip but really I was just pushing dog hair around. I hated it so I took the Swiffer duster from our house on the next trip to try it out. It WORKED! Now the camper has its own duster. It makes cleaning up so easy when I can just run through the camper with the Swiffer and get as much of the dog hair out as I can. A quick Swiffer will help keep the camper clean and take no time at all.
Clorox wipes to sanitize while camping
When we first started tent camping I went to the dollar store and loaded up on so many things that I then filled separate bins with for our camping adventures. I think that day I bought at least six or seven things of wipes. As we moved through campers I always replenished my stock and we have four or five containers in the current camper. Camping can be messy and you never know when something just needs a quick wipe down. For us any time Rusty cooks in the camper, it is a mess. Even after wiping with a rag things may need a little extra love so I grab the clorox wipes. I wipe down the bathroom and cabinet handles throughout the rig after a weekend trip. It really does help keep things clean and looking nice. You never know when you just need to wipe something up real quick. Get a couple containers of good wipes.
A camping journal
Yes, you heard right my fifth favorite thing is a camping journal. When you go on so many trips throughout the year it can be hard to remember every trip, who was with you, and what you did. Our camping journal is filled with so many adventures, fun times, and lots of laughs. From just a quick weekend trip with just Rusty and I to an all-out week-long extravaganza with friends, we have journaled it all and look back with warm smiles.
There are many other things that I probably can’t live without when it comes to camping but these are truly the top five things that make it easier for me. These things allow me to do what I love which is to enjoy nature, make good food, keep things clean (for that OCD brain) and document it all.