Essential kit (1 Viewer)

[RonnieA]

While awaiting delivery of my first motorhome I've been compiling a list of things I'll need to get. The usual things like EHU cable, water hose, etc. As a newbie there's bound to be things I just don't think about so my question is what item do you have in your motorhome that you couldn't do without and I'm very likely not to have thought of?

 

[TheBig1]

EHU cables, short and long. water filler hose of food grade to avoid poisoning plus a heos water connector to attach hose to the filler and save standing there holding the hose for 15 minutes. a quality 10ltr watering can for top ups when not near the tap
low wattage kettle
bottle opener
can opener
corkscrew
silver screens
a quality rechargeable torch

 

[glenn2926]

Corkscrew and bottle opener. Looks like you’re going to fit right in.

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[Campervan_man]

Jerry Can because your new van will probably be on empty when you pick it up.

 

[M-J]

Levelling ramps

 

[Mark and Mindy]

Karcher Window Vac
Tyre Pal Pressure Monitor
Toolkit
Tow Rope
Tyre repair kit - it might work
Torch
Levelling ramps
Grip mats
12v socket USB adapters - lots as they wander off
USB phone leads - lots
Phone mounts for dashboard - his and hers
Road Atlas
12v Adapter for Laptop/iPad
Long and short EHU cable
Cable reel
Slippers for inside van
Waterproof shoes for outside
Full set of clothes and underwear for going away
Full set of coats and waterproofs for keeping in van
Long and short hose
Lots of click fit hose connectors - every possible combination male and female with a tap
Storage boxes for cupboards
Storage boxes for garage
Outside chairs
Outside table

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[Kannon Fodda]

Keep it simple and don't go overboard with stuff. Use the MH for a couple of small trips weekend type trips first to understand what you will and importantly will not be doing with your toy. What is an essential bit of kit for one person will be useless for another. What you want and need to carry might also depend on storage space and payload.

Essential for your first trip, in no particular order:
Bedding
Plates, glasses, cutlery
Pots / Frying Pan and implements even for your initial breakfast fry up or pasta dish
beer / wine / gin
washing up liquid / dishcloth / tea towel, kitchen paper roll, wet wipes
Personal toiletries and towel
Loo Roll and something to reduce the whiff from the toilet cassette (at the risk of not starting another toilet thread much beloved of certain Funsters, I'll let you search for previous recommendations to avoid the enviromentaly unfreindly chemicals)
Folding chairs for sitting outside if the weather permits
Really simple tools just to tighten something - couple of screwdrivers, adjustable spanner and perhaps a multimeter (you won't do major fixes on the short trip as you'll be back to your dealer, but if you find something loose), torch, and perhaps some fuses (too easy to trip something while you experiment
EHU Lead - start with one the dealer may have to supply it to you - 25 m will often be too long but too long is better than too short, and you can always get a shorter one later
Hose with tap adaptor. 10m should be sufficient to start and depending on your vehicle holding it in the tank for the first time or two isnt a problem.
Watering can - use to top up your water tank when it's too much hassle to get your hose out (collapsible versions available
Bucket - for emptying excess grey water when you can't get near a service point. (collapsible versions available)
Clothes - fair weather and rough
Couple of carrier bags (all sorts of opportunities to stash stuff away whilst you work out what to do with it)
BBQ (gas or charcoal) fuel and utensils
Cleaning cloths, squeegee type mop (inevitably if you use the shower, water won't drain away fully so you'll want to encourage it)
Charging leads / cables for your phones / tablets and maybe adaptors / splitters for 12v sockets to USB or similar, depends on what capabilities your MH has.
All your MH owners manuals for the vehicle and all the toys on it - you'll be studying them controls and settings all evening
Music - CD / MP3 or whatever will work for your MH. DVDs if you have a compatible TV.
Dustpan & brush
Smartphone - preloaded with your navigation app (does anybody still use an A-Z?), plenty of battery power and data allowance - you'll probably be googling a lot of "how to" stuff

Longer term you can worry about levelling ramps, grip mats, tow ropes, jump leads, and that sort of stuff, initially just be choosy where you park up that you are on reasonably sound ground.
Storage boxes, reels and such like wait till you know what you are carrying and where you want to put them - I bought stuff and it doesn't fit so don't rush into that.
Later you can decide on the gadjets that might make your life easier like phone mounts, dash cam, hand held vacum cleaners, but wait till you've used your MH and realise you would use it.

And finally, pack your sense of humour. You've got your van to have fun and adventures, and learning it's little foibles is part of that experience.

 

[Liverpoollass]

Paper plates to put under stacked pans and in between plates..
Rolls of that open wove rubber stuff to line cupboard bottoms..you can get it from pound shops or home and bargain..(someone will be along to tell you/me what it is called)
Any medication you need..
don't forget your sense of humour..and enjoy

 

[Anthea M]

Gorilla glue and gaffer tape!!
First aid kit .

As well as other essentials already mentioned .

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[Lanerboy]

E&,p self levelling

 

[claude et maude]

We bought way too much stuff that we didn’t really need when we got our MH so the key thing I wouldn’t want to be without is bungee straps, lots and lots of bungee straps to hold all the stuff we needn’t have bought down in the garage.

Oh yes, and just purchased a Nespresso machine cos coffee is always a good start to any day.

 

[Richard n Ann]

Olight H1R nova head light ? bet you didn't think of that, use mine every day. Fantastic!

Soldering iron, used it twice on the last trip.

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[In a Pickle]

We always carry an extra pair of glasses and sunglasses.
Make sure you have a fire extinguisher and fire blanket and don’t forget the spare keys!

 

[The Wino]

As others have said start witht he minimum as you will find otherwise after a season or 2 you have loads of stuff youve carried around paid for etc and never used.
Some of the stuff some have already mentioned as essentials is stuff we have never carried (like a watering can!!! we don't garden in the MH)

 

[Nanniemate]

I've just put all the excellent recommended stuff in my little PVC, problem is now It's full all the cupboards all the floor space the passenger seat and stair wells both sides. I have so many weather proof clothes that the bathroom is full so can't get to the loo or use the shower. storage boxes are covering the floor and the bed is piles high with very important stuff.
Problem I CAN'T get in
So emptied it all out
I have tea bags, kettle. water and milk.
Maybe I have taken out a little too much out now...…...

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[Parrot Face]

Breakdown triangle?

 

[Spriddler]

Add stuff to the very basic kit (EHU cable, watering can, toilet rolls, tea bags) on a 'need to have' basis.
There are quite a few shops beyond Edinburgh.

 

[TUCANO]

Just about everything covered there, ALWAYS UNWIND the EHU cable.
Have FUN.

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[Anthea M]

Breakdown triangle?

And high vis jackets for all travelling ( especially abroad.)

 

[AXO66]

Tin for euros for paying for water, electric, and parking fees, at some aires.

 

[Nixdorfer]

Not seen much mention of drinking water

Do you just use what comes out of the MH tap then or carry a container?

We carry a Jerry can style one with a tap on for drinks etc.

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[nicholsong]

I know the OP probably meant loose items, but if they intend to do muchoff-grid camping I would recommend a Battery-to-battery charger, either Sterling or Victron.

There is a thread on them with videos from Charles Sterling so I will let him explain.

Geoff

 

[Janp]

Batteries for torch

 

[claude et maude]

We

Not seen much mention of drinking water

Do you just use what comes out of the MH tap then or carry a container?

We carry a Jerry can style one with a tap on for drinks etc.

We buy the big bottles of water (not sure if 5l or 2.5l) if we want drinking water but most of the time we use what is in the MH tap for boiling (tea, etc), showed, washing, cooking, etc, etc.

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[SpeedyDux]

Top tip:

Travel iron? (don't bother!)

Maps, and box of matches (low tech but essential back-ups)

The fridge is for beer. Make sure the OH understands ...

 

[claude et maude]

Maps, and box of matches (low tech but essential back-ups)

Are the matches for setting fire to the maps

 

[Simon Select]

I am sure this has all been said.
Rubber mesh for the bottom of cupboards
Gaffa tape
Toolkit

Also remember, microwave dish and trolley will fit nicely in the pouches in the back of your captains chairs!

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[SpeedyDux]

Are the matches for setting fire to the maps

The maps are to give she-who-is-the-navigator something to do on the journey. She knits too, excellent multi-tasking skills.

Matches for when the piezo igniter on the gas hob goes inop. Or more often to give to a tent camper who forgot to bring theirs.

And another tip - rubber bands. They stop jars and cans rattling against each other.

HTH

 

[scotzsue]

Not read through, but my one essential is a folding step, i am a short a**e and it gets used more than just about everything else in the van.

 

[138go]

We never drink the tank water, instead we buy five litres bottled water. I'm a nurse and I have an over developed fear of nasties in the tank.

We bought an electric kettle and a toaster for the MH but they now live at home. We have an ordinary kettle that boils on the gas hob and a toaster and a sandwich maker that you use on the gas hob. We don't have anything electrical, not even a microwave.

We have two watering cans instead of a hose and different attachments.

We have a drain hose for those times we're on an all facilities pitch.

We have an inverter for my toothbrush and my electric blanket.