Our Essentials Accessories List

Setting Up a Caravan 

You associate a caravan with long, fun-filled camping holidays. But what you have at hand is a threadbare room on wheels, most likely featuring only a bed, cupboard, counter, and hoses for drinking water and sanitation. Suddenly, you are faced with the (daunting) task of turning this trailer into a welcoming motor home, and if you’re new to the camping scene, you might be wondering where and how to begin. The following checklist covers all common caravan accessories that you will need to purchase before you can use your new motor home.

Appliances: A basic set of appliances including air conditioners, refrigerators and washing machines, will serve as the groundwork for turning your new caravan into a functioning home away from home. To this repertoire you can add various kitchen appliances such as a microwave or a coffee maker.

Water Storage and Plumbing: Extra lengths of hoses, and large capacity camper trailer water tanks, will eliminate a great deal of inconvenience, such as frequent trips to acquire drinking water, and being forced to park right above the sewage dumping site whenever you need to empty your trailer’s black tank.

Personal Safety Essentials: Invest in a first aid kit, a fire extinguisher, and smoke detectors, to prevent misadventures from marring your camping experience.

Electrical Accessories: Carry surge protectors, extra fuses and power adaptors for all your devices. Also invest in a backup electrical power system such as a portable generator or a solar panel kit for essential appliances.

Utensils: Purchase space saving, durable utensils. Opt for cast iron if you’d also like to cook at a campfire, and steel if you’re purchasing an induction cooktop for your trailer’s kitchen.

Portable furniture: this would include the likes of folding chairs and tables, or an outdoor tent to sleep in during pleasant nights.

Cleaning and Maintenance: A basic wet and dry vacuum cleaner, a broom and dustpan, disinfectants and wipes, and a supply of garbage bags, will help you keep your trailer clean. Also keep a basic set of tools handy for the odd repair job that you might have to see to.

Weight distribution hitches: A fully furnished and loaded trailer can weigh a few tons. Lugging this weight without a proper towing hitch can damage your vehicle, and make driving rather difficult. Invest in a good quality weight distribution hitch that is rated for your trailer’s weight.

Protective Gear: Caravans need to be protected, both when parked and when in use. Caravan covers make for a simple and relatively inexpensive way to shield parked motor homes from the elements. You can browse through caravan & camper trailer covers with various attributes including water resistance, UV protection, breath ability and accessibility. Caravan hitch locks come in handy while you’re out camping, keeping your trailer hitch inaccessible to other towing vehicles.

There are several other camper trailer accessories that can simplify life on the road. With the items in the above checklist in place, you can move on to awnings, mats, furnishings, storage solutions and a variety of sophisticated entertainment equipment. But acquiring the essential camper trailer parts first is a good idea, especially if you’re on a tight budget.