The Best Tips and Gear For Your RV Campsite

Josh and Cassie Bailey's living room in their RV

MULTIPLE AUTHORS

Regardless if you’re new to RVing or have been doing it for years, you’ve likely discovered a few camping tricks and must-have products along the way—something that has made a complex task much easier or has dramatically improved your overall camping experience.

The RV community is all about helping and contributing, so we asked five different RVers to share their best RV campsite tips and tricks. We cover everything from what to bring with you on a camping trip, how to maximize your RV’s storage space and even how to keep the campfire smoke smell out of your clothes.

Essential Camping Gear

  1. Invest in some quality camping chairs, such as a zero gravity recliner. Quality camp chairs are more durable, very comfortable, and allow you to fully relax and enjoy your campsite. — Ben & Christina McMillan / Jayco Jay Feather Travel Trailer

  2. Bring a small pop-up tent or clam tent; these are great to protect against bugs and rain, and they also double as a place for extra storage or a covered play area for kids. — Samantha Edmunds / Dutchmen Voltage Fifth Wheel Toy Hauler

    Samantha Edmunds shows a tent covering a picnic table at a campsite

RV Storage

  1. Hang a cloth shoe organizer on the back of your bathroom door for additional storage space. — Josh & Cassie Bailey / Highland Ridge Open Range Fifth Wheel

  2. When you’re not using your cooler to house cold drinks, use it as an extra storage bin for bulkier items. — Samantha Edmunds / Dutchmen Voltage Fifth Wheel Toy Hauler

  3. Maximize space by using peel-and-stick hooks or double-sided velcro to hang things like extra baskets, collapsible storage bins, jewelry, and towels. — Jessica Lawson / Thor Motor Coach Tellaro Class B

    Jessica Lawson using hooks to hang belongings

RV Tanks & Cleaning Products

  1. Have two doormats—one at the foot of the stairs outside and one right inside your RV. This will help keep dust and dirt out of your RV and eliminate the need to constantly sweep the floors. — Ben & Christina McMillan / Jayco Jay Feather Travel Trailer

  2. Add a water filter outside of your RV at the hose connection—this will help filter both your drinking water and your bathroom water. — Josh & Cassie Bailey / Highland Ridge Open Range Fifth Wheel

    Josh Bailey setting up a water filter on his RV

  3. If your RV has a bathroom, place a bath mat inside your shower or wet bath to help prevent slipping. Adding a screen protector over the drain also helps catch dirt and hair, and will keep your gray tanks cleaner. — Jessica Lawson / Thor Motor Coach Tellaro Class B

  4. Vinegar is great for cooking, but you can also use it for things like sewage spills, grease stains, jellyfish stings, and smelly laundry. — Samantha Edmunds / Dutchmen Voltage Fifth Wheel Toy Hauler

  5. When dumping your black tanks, try to do it early in the morning or later at night when fewer people are around and as a courtesy to others in case there are any foul smells. — Kimberly Graham / Highland Ridge Open Range Fifth Wheel

Tech & Safety

  1. Always use a good surge protector, as you never know when an electrical surge can spike and fry your system. — Josh & Cassie Bailey / Highland Ridge Open Range Fifth Wheel

  2. Have a few small, portable chargers to quickly charge cell phones, speakers or other electronic devices. These are great if you have a limited number of outlets or are running low on power and need a back-up. — Ben & Christina McMillan / Jayco Jay Feather Travel Trailer

    Ben and Christina charging devices outside of their RV

  3. In the case of an emergency, always have where you are staying (including your site number) written down and visible in a central location inside of your RV. — Kimberly Graham / Highland Ridge Open Range Fifth Wheel

  4. Installing a backup camera on your RV makes pulling into and backing out of campsites much easier. — Josh & Cassie Bailey / Highland Ridge Open Range Fifth Wheel

    A back up camera on Josh and Cassie Bailey's RV

Other Helpful Tips

  1. Place a small, battery-powered fan inside your RV’s refrigerator to help it cool down faster. — Samantha Edmunds / Dutchmen Voltage Fifth Wheel Toy Hauler

  2. Bring a fitted tablecloth for your campsite’s outdoor picnic table—you never know what previous campers put on the table and it makes your campsite look nice. — Josh & Cassie Bailey / Highland Ridge Open Range Fifth Wheel

  3. Bring a notebook and pen with you to write down anything you forget or items that you didn't use that you can leave at home the next time. — Jessica Lawson / Thor Motor Coach Tellaro Class B

  4. Use a measuring tape to find out exactly how deep your slides are and keep those measurements in an accessible spot to help you better navigate any small campsites. — Kimberly Graham / Highland Ridge Open Range Fifth Wheel

  5. If you plan to have a campfire and don’t want to smell like smoke or want to avoid constantly washing your clothes, invest in some campfire-specific clothing. These are typically made with fleece and won’t hold the smell. — Ben & Christina McMillan / Jayco Jay Feather Travel Trailer

    Josh and Cassie Bailey sitting around a campfire at night with lots of friends

Find Your Perfect RV

Whether you're new to the world of RVing or you're ready to narrow your search, we're here to help you sort through it all and find the RV that's right for you. Explore RVs based off of your lifestyle and the features important to you.

Find Your RV
An travel trailer RV parked in a green field.