Packing Guide for Your RV Trip

You’ve finally decided: it’s time to take a trip in an RV. You’re embracing this choose-your-own-adventure style of travel, which magically comes with a comfortable bed and a refrigerator.

No sooner has your RV rental been approved than you get a knot in your stomach.

It’s time to pack!

What will you need in the RV? What will you forget? How in the world will everything fit?

If your upcoming RV adventure is being overshadowed by packing stress, then that needs to stop right now. The sooner you understand that RV trips are about making memories, not the stuff piled around you, the sooner you’ll be free to enjoy this exciting opportunity.

Here’s your no-stress, no-frills, comprehensive packing guide for your upcoming RV trip.

Why Does Packing Matter So Much?

Strategic packing is important for obvious reasons, and some not so obvious. First of all, there are important items you will want to have with you. Without planning, you’ll find yourself spending money on items you could’ve brought from home.

Second, you’ll want to keep the clutter down. RVs are carefully designed to maximize livable space. But too much stuff can quickly cause you to feel overwhelmed. This is why it’s so vital to bring only the things you need, so you can focus on the experience…not shifting a mess around so you have a place to sit down.

The third reason packing is important may not be obvious to a new RV user: carrying capacity. With full tanks of gas and fresh water, plus multiple people onboard, your RV may not have the carrying capacity to pack out every square inch of available storage space.

Let’s use a real-world example to put this into perspective. Do you know the carrying capacity of a 4-door Jeep Wrangler is around 1,300 pounds, compared to the Class C Winnebago View carrying capacity of about 1,400 pounds? With the available storage space in the View and many other RV models, it’s certainly possible to exceed the weight limit.

Don’t worry too much. You won’t hit your capacity with reasonable amounts of clothing and kitchen ware. But start throwing in your bag of golf clubs and ski equipment for four people, and you may need to run some calculations. (Pro tip: you can hit the scale at any large truck stop to find out how much your RV weighs fully loaded. Just don’t forget to add in the weight of the people onboard!)

Essential RV Packing Checklist

If you’re new to RVing, you may be confused about what you absolutely need for your RV trip. Here are a few categories to review, with some items you can easily bring from home (and avoid buying on your trip). The list might need to be adjusted for you, depending on time of year and the activities you have planned.

Kitchen

• Plates, bowls, cups, and cutlery
• Pots and pan depending on your group size
• Cooking utensils, such as a spatula, wooden spoon, and ladle
• Tupperware and/or Ziploc bags for leftovers
• Condiments and spices to match your meal plan
• Aluminum foil
• Paper towels
• Trash bags
• Multi-purpose cleaner
• Dish sponge or rag
• Dish soap

We highly recommend planning your meals in advance if you can. That way, you can bring certain ingredients from home, like condiments and spices. If you plan to have electrical hookups, the Instapot is many RVers’ best friend. If you plan to dry camp instead, our pro tip is to wash and prep your produce at home, while you still have plenty of water to use.Note: all AdventureKT rentals come with utensil tray, paper towels, Organic Simple Green Counter and Kitchen Spray Cleaner, dish sponge, and dish drying rack. A complete kitchen/cooking set for 4 is available to rent. Other kitchen add-ons include a toaster and Keurig coffee maker.

Barbecue Grill

Bring an outdoor grill to facilitate tasty meals with a view. Don’t forget a grill mitt and any grill utensils you may want to use.

Note: AdventureKT has barbecue grills available for rent.

Bedding

Consider bringing similar bedding to what you use at home, to get your best night’s sleep on the road.

Note: AdventureKT has bedding available for rent. Our bedding/linens/towels package stocks your RV for the number of people selected. We’ll even contact you for your preferences, such as sleeping bags vs. traditional sheets and blankets. No linen laundry when you get home!

Clothing

Pack season-appropriate clothing, but make sure you check the forecast at your destination. If you’re going to a high-elevation location, you might be surprised by how much cooler it is there.

Clothing is an area where you can go overboard. There’s little reason to pack more than a week’s worth of clothing, given the prevalence of laundromats in nearly every small town across the country. Remember, you want to keep clutter and weight down! Just make sure to pack laundry detergent and quarters, so you’re ready when you do run across a laundromat.

Personal Items

Don’t forget your toiletries, so you can avoid the cost of replacing them on the road. Sunscreen and bug spray are must-haves.

Entertainment

If you have a long drive ahead of you, consider how you’ll stay entertained. Design a special playlist, have podcast episodes in the queue, or pull out that book-on-CD that’s been buried for a few months.

Entertaining the little ones is important for everyone’s sanity. Have a handful of new coloring books, puzzle books, and small toys ready to pull out. The novelty goes a long way.

Outdoor Gear

A huge part of any RV road trip is the time you get to spend outside. For that reason, you should consider your “patio” area and how you can comfortably relax outdoors. Depending on the storage space in the RV you rent, you should consider bringing an outdoor rug (to keep the mess down), patio chairs, and a small folding table for holding drinks and personal items.

Note: all AdventureKT rentals come with a long stem lighter. Our complete outdoor camp essentials package comes with propane BBQ, BBQ utensils, 4 folding camp chairs, outdoor rug, 550 lumen LED lantern, outdoor folding table, table cloth, and wind clamps.

If you’re traveling to a No Open Fire area, then you can still have all the pleasures of a campfire with our Forest Service-approved campfire-in-a-can propane campfire set up. This set up is approved for no fire zoned areas. In late 2015, most campsites in California were fire restricted and this little baby was the super hero! Don’t get caught without the real deal to make those s’mores. Does not include a propane bottle. Uses standard 5-gallon propane tank fittings.

Other RV Gear

You won’t go far without your RV gear! You’ll need a potable water hose (which you should only ever use for potable water), and a septic hose for dumping grey and black water. Most RVs come equipped with their own electric cord, but you may need an adaptor at some RV parks. For example, a 30 amp to 50 amp adaptor, or vice versa.

Note: all AdventureKT rentals come with a potable water hose, water pressure regulator, septic hose, septic drop-ins, septic hose riser, sanitation gloves, RV toilet paper, cable TV cable, and leveling blocks. We provide a hand broom and dust pan for cleaning, plus a long handle broom for RVs over 24-feet. Last, but not least, we ensure your propane tank is filled at least half-way.

Review our full add-on list to ensure you have everything you want for your upcoming adventure. We also have an article called “10 RV Camping Essentials You Absolutely Must Pack for Your Road Trip” that you can review before you go.

How Do I Pack for My Specific RV Type?

You now have a general RV packing checklist. But what storage considerations should you keep in mind, depending on the type of RV you’re renting? Here’s a quick run-down of the storage space you should expect from your RV rental.

Class B Van