5 Tips for Easily Packing your Campervan for the Road
Campervan living is always going to be a bit of squeeze, but if you are looking for tips on how to pack for life on the road then you are in the right place.
Firstly, it is important that you understand that there are lots of potential ways of packing up your campervan and part of finding out what works best for you, is hitting the road and trying out different options plus making some mistakes along the way! Learning to utilize all the space is very important, often I liken packing for vanlife to a big game of Tetris. Think carefully about the things you will use more regularly and will require easier access. Some things you won’t need to access as often, so can be pushed to the back or put in cupboard that is harder to reach. It is also worth trying to invest in items that have a duel purpose!
Click here for more information about campervan storage solutions.
Personally, we prefer to travel without an awning, but this also adds to the complexity of space for packing for us. For those of you new to vanlife, make sure you read my Beginner’s Guide or if you are interested in how to plan your first road trip, then click here.
It is more than possible to pack lightly, and over time I have learnt to pack more efficiently - anything we don’t have, we can usually cope without (apart from one time I forgot our pillows on an eight night trip so we had a quick dash to a supermarket to buy some new ones). Overtime, I have also learnt to utilize washing machines and tumble dryers on campsites where necessary.
Here are FIVE TOP TIPS for vanlife packing:
1: Invest in some packing cubes. We have one large cube for each member of the family. I fill it and that is all we take. One cube for each family member is easy, especially if they are different colours or labelled properly. This also means everyone can find their clothes quickly and easily. Rolling clothes instead of folding them also means you can fit more in.
Click here for a video of packing cubes in action.
2: Stick to packing similar colours. I try to pack clothes that are similar in colour - darks and normally pinks (what can I say - I have two girls!). This makes the washing so much easier when we return home too.
3: Take a dirty laundry bag. I take one large bag that everything goes in as it becomes dirty. This one bag just gets taken into the house and divided into two piles as soon as we get home - easily sorted for the washing machine! Alternatively, take two smaller bags and separate the dirty laundry into darks and colours as you go. TOP TIP: avoid putting anything in the dirty laundry bin until it is really dirty. You never know, when you might need it later on during the trip.
4: Pack layers. Leggings, t-shirts, jumpers, thermals etc are all things that need little or no ironing and can simply be washed and repacked ready for the next trip. Oh and FYI onesies are rubbish for camping especially for ladies/girls! Having to totally remove your top layer to go to the toilet in the middle of the night is not enjoyable, combined with the fact that the onesie normally drags on the floor of the toilet cubical. Instead, consider opting for a changing robe which basically feels like a dressing gown especially for the outdoors!
5: Invest in some microfibre towels. They are super lightweight, absorbent and quick drying - ideal for use after showers, washing up or even cleaning the dog! We have different coloured towels for different things so we don't end up using the dog towel to dry the dishes! They take up significantly less space in the campervan and we usually hang them on hooks on the back of our headrests.
Click here for a video of our campervan essentials.
Click here for a video of our campervan luxury items.
Other things to consider when packing:
One thing that has becoming increasing common since the pandemic is the use of a travel toilet in the campervan. We recommend the Thetford Porta Potti. It is easy to pack, store, empty and clean. It is important to use toilet paper that dissolves quicker in a travel toilet. It needs to be less absorbent to ensure it does not block the Porta Potti system. We would also recommend Elsan organic toilet fluid. It is the most environmentally friendly fluid we have found to date and can be used for both the flush and the waste.
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