What are some of the things you use on a daily basis? Also,what are some things that you do not use on a daily basis but still consider essential to the RV lifestyle when traveling? I'm thinking fifth wheel here, but I am also curious about other types of rigs. Thanks.
Camper Chronicles said
04:50 AM Jul 27, 2014
That is a really great question and I think to some extent it changes and of course is VERY specific to the person. That being said here's some things I need
A corkscrew - I am not a big drinker but nothing else can really do it's job and although we originally didn't have one then added one we added one quickly
Extra outside chairs - we started with 2 and now have 6 . We spend a lot of time outside and around the fire and have had more guests than I ever originally thought
Tiki torches - in the NE bugs are a pain so we have 4 torches and setup a bug perimeter which is pretty and keeps the bugs away
Rainy day stuff - for us it's books and movies but originally we had nothing for rainy days and about drove each other crazy.
Here's Lees list
Water manifold
Quick connects
Extra hoses
Surge protector
Voltage regulator
Water regulator
Extra little folding tables
Fire gloves
Sushidog said
07:04 AM Jul 27, 2014
I would add a door mat on the ground by the front door to stop tracking stuff inside. I use a simple piece (about 6' x 8') piece of AstroTurf, but many RV parks object to it as it kills grass if left down for a few days. There are other mats found at Camping World that don't kill the grass.
Our king size memory foam mattress and thick comforter are invaluable for us too. Nothing like a good night's sleep.
Finally we love Reflectix material over the windows to keep heat outside when hot, keep heat inside when cold and keep the bedroom dark and private until we are ready to get up. It helps with noise insulation too. We attach ours with velcro for fast, easy removal.
Chip
cejones4210 said
08:34 AM Jul 27, 2014
As we travel with dogs, an Xpen is a requirement. Let's them be outside without being tied up and I can relax without constantly getting up to untangle them. I also must have my cast iron skillet, it is so versatile for cooking inside or out. Before we retired, we never traveled with a TV, but in January, when we started full-time, we broke down and bought one and had an antenna installed. Great to have on rainy or snowy days. Also for tracking storms in Iowa.
Dog Folks said
08:50 AM Jul 27, 2014
A good bed.
A loving wife
Time to enjoy both.
That's all I really need.
When traveling: (Not in any particular order)
A good grill-Weber Q120
WD40 & Duct tape
A Blue boy with modified wheels
A residential refrigerator.
A surge protector.
A water pressure regulator.
My Nook.
A weather radio.
2 outdoor chairs.
Trikester said
09:47 AM Jul 27, 2014
A Progressive Surge Protector
A water pressure gauge to determine whether we need the water pressure regulator
A water pressure regulator to keep RV plumbing from bursting
A voltage meter to monitor how much we are taxing a park electrical system
MPMomof3 said
06:52 PM Jul 27, 2014
Thanks! :). I have heard that extra chairs are useful. I think we will need to invest I some of those.
MPMomof3 said
06:53 PM Jul 27, 2014
Tiki torches are a great idea to! Didn't think of that. We will probably be traveling mostly in the Southeast.
MPMomof3 said
06:58 PM Jul 27, 2014
Thanks for the mar tip. We just bought stair treads today. I have a camping world nearby so I can check there for a rug to go in front of the steps. Haven't heard of Reflectix. I will have to check that out to.
MPMomof3 said
07:00 PM Jul 27, 2014
I don't have a cast iron skillet, but I've always wanted one. I could see how that could be very versatile.
MPMomof3 said
07:01 PM Jul 27, 2014
What's a blue boy?
MPMomof3 said
07:02 PM Jul 27, 2014
WD40 and duct tape sounds really useful.
MPMomof3 said
07:03 PM Jul 27, 2014
So many great ideas! Thank you all again!
Terry and Jo said
09:17 PM Jul 27, 2014
MPMomof3 wrote:
What's a blue boy?
Meredith,
A "blue boy" is a generic term for an RV sewer tote cart. Because most of them seem to come in the color blue, that is how the name started.
They are used when camping somewhere that you don't necessarily want to hook up to the RV and tow it to the dump site. However, with some RV's that have large black and grey tanks, it can involve numerous trips to dump both tanks it that is needed. We've had a Thetford (seen at the link) and have only used it once, but we don't travel much. The one occasion that I used the Thetford was to empty the grey tank because it filled before we moved from our one-week vacation spot. When we left after the week, we visited the dump station and dumped both tanks at that time.
If you are planning to be in places that have sewer at each site, they are unnecessary.
Terry
The Bear II said
11:45 AM Jul 28, 2014
My List:
TV
Satellite receiver and dish
Recliner
Refrigerator & Microwave
Her List:
Everything she can possibly squeeze into our 5th wheel and truck. AND everything is important and can't be gotten rid of even if it's never been taken out of the cabinet in the 20 years we have had the RV....
Sushidog said
12:24 PM Jul 28, 2014
MPMomof3 wrote:
Thanks for the mar tip. We just bought stair treads today. I have a camping world nearby so I can check there for a rug to go in front of the steps. Haven't heard of Reflectix. I will have to check that out to.
Here's a shot of Reflectix over my windows:
It comes in 2 and 4 ft wide rolls. There are a few styles, the most common being the double-bubble, double-sided reflective surface, which is the one I use. It is very light weight and folds up easily for storage under your bed or in a closet. I got mine at Lowes, but it is readily available at hardware and many big-box stores. It is a radiant barrier reflecting 97% or so of all infrared radiation making it much better at insulating than it's R-value would indicate. There are other brands of thin, foam-core radiant barriers that work well too. Here's a link to a competing brand that shows just how this type of reflecting barrier works: http://www.videcomp.com/reflectech/astrofoil.html
Chip
MPMomof3 said
08:46 PM Jul 28, 2014
Awesome! Thanks for the blue boy and Reflectix clarifications! :)
MPMomof3 said
08:48 PM Jul 28, 2014
The Bear II, I feel for you. I am trying not to be a pack rat wife. :). Hence the reason for my question.
MPMomof3 said
08:50 PM Jul 28, 2014
Hey, on a related note, does anyone know where I can find a good RV specific checklist for what to take as far as things like personal care, clothing, food, and the like or would a standard travel checklist be pretty close to what I need?
MPMomof3 said
08:51 PM Jul 28, 2014
Did I say thanks for the mar tip? I meant mat. I would blame it on autocorrect, but I think its exhaustion! I really need to get away and go camping! :)
Hey
What are some of the things you use on a daily basis? Also,what are some things that you do not use on a daily basis but still consider essential to the RV lifestyle when traveling? I'm thinking fifth wheel here, but I am also curious about other types of rigs. Thanks.
A corkscrew - I am not a big drinker but nothing else can really do it's job and although we originally didn't have one then added one we added one quickly
Extra outside chairs - we started with 2 and now have 6 . We spend a lot of time outside and around the fire and have had more guests than I ever originally thought
Tiki torches - in the NE bugs are a pain so we have 4 torches and setup a bug perimeter which is pretty and keeps the bugs away
Rainy day stuff - for us it's books and movies but originally we had nothing for rainy days and about drove each other crazy.
Here's Lees list
Water manifold
Quick connects
Extra hoses
Surge protector
Voltage regulator
Water regulator
Extra little folding tables
Fire gloves
Our king size memory foam mattress and thick comforter are invaluable for us too. Nothing like a good night's sleep.
Finally we love Reflectix material over the windows to keep heat outside when hot, keep heat inside when cold and keep the bedroom dark and private until we are ready to get up. It helps with noise insulation too. We attach ours with velcro for fast, easy removal.
Chip
A loving wife
Time to enjoy both.
That's all I really need.
When traveling: (Not in any particular order)
A good grill-Weber Q120
WD40 & Duct tape
A Blue boy with modified wheels
A residential refrigerator.
A surge protector.
A water pressure regulator.
My Nook.
A weather radio.
2 outdoor chairs.
A water pressure gauge to determine whether we need the water pressure regulator
A water pressure regulator to keep RV plumbing from bursting
A voltage meter to monitor how much we are taxing a park electrical system
Thanks! :). I have heard that extra chairs are useful. I think we will need to invest I some of those.
Meredith,
A "blue boy" is a generic term for an RV sewer tote cart. Because most of them seem to come in the color blue, that is how the name started.
Sewer Totes at Amazon
They are used when camping somewhere that you don't necessarily want to hook up to the RV and tow it to the dump site. However, with some RV's that have large black and grey tanks, it can involve numerous trips to dump both tanks it that is needed. We've had a Thetford (seen at the link) and have only used it once, but we don't travel much. The one occasion that I used the Thetford was to empty the grey tank because it filled before we moved from our one-week vacation spot. When we left after the week, we visited the dump station and dumped both tanks at that time.
If you are planning to be in places that have sewer at each site, they are unnecessary.
Terry
TV
Satellite receiver and dish
Recliner
Refrigerator & Microwave
Her List:
Everything she can possibly squeeze into our 5th wheel and truck. AND everything is important and can't be gotten rid of even if it's never been taken out of the cabinet in the 20 years we have had the RV....
Here's a shot of Reflectix over my windows:
It comes in 2 and 4 ft wide rolls. There are a few styles, the most common being the double-bubble, double-sided reflective surface, which is the one I use. It is very light weight and folds up easily for storage under your bed or in a closet. I got mine at Lowes, but it is readily available at hardware and many big-box stores. It is a radiant barrier reflecting 97% or so of all infrared radiation making it much better at insulating than it's R-value would indicate. There are other brands of thin, foam-core radiant barriers that work well too. Here's a link to a competing brand that shows just how this type of reflecting barrier works: http://www.videcomp.com/reflectech/astrofoil.html
Chip