Van Life Essentials and Camper Van Accessories

It’s no surprise that more and more people are experiencing the thrill of exploring their surroundings in a campervan or RV. If you’ve spent any time poking around here, you know how much we love camping at ClaudiaTravels. It’s a wonderful and budget-friendly way to get closer to the natural world, with the freedom to travel wherever and whenever the urge takes you.

You might be considering an RV or campervan vacation or maybe you’re thinking of something a little longer term. Whether you’re planning a short break, a long vacation or a permanent shift to full time van living, space is at a premium in a campervan or RV. So you’ll need to carefully plan the best camper van accessories to take along with you.

Van Life Essentials and Camper Van Accessories

Of course, you’ll need your clothes and toiletries, and a set of packing cubes will help to keep everything tidy. You’ll also need to make sure you take your driving license, insurance papers and the camper van essentials for maintaining your campervan, RV or motorhome.

Once you’ve packed the basics, here are some of the best campervan accessories that will help to make your van life experience easier and more comfortable.

Camper Van Accessories for the Kitchen

Cooking and eating in your camper van or RV really helps to keep your costs down and if you’re traveling on a budget, you’ll probably cook more often than not.

Of course, you’ll need the kitchen basics – plates, cutlery, pans and so on. But be sure that your packing list also includes other useful items such as matches, a can opener and a corkscrew/bottle opener.

You may also want to take a few campervan or RV essentials for the kitchen. A compact water boiler like the Jetboil Flash makes it easy to boil water quickly for hot drinks or cooking, and also doubles up as a lightweight stove for backpacking. And if you like to start the day with a coffee while you soak in the beauty of your surroundings, the Wacaco Nanospresso will let you make barista-quality espresso right there in your van.

RV Essentials for the Bathroom

When you’re traveling in your RV, motorhome or campervan, you can always freshen up with wet wipes and use dry shampoo to keep your hair looking clean. But you’re sure to want a proper shower at some point and there may not be one available at every stop.

The Extremus Rainbow Falls Camping Shower is an ideal solution to this problem. You simply fill the bag with water, install the rechargeable pump and enjoy a refreshing high-pressure shower. It’s also useful for cleaning up around your campsite or rinsing off salt and sand when you get back from the beach.

Meanwhile a lightweight portable camping toilet ensures that you’ll always be ready when nature calls, even if you’re camping in the wild.

Van Life Must Haves for Comfortable Camping

A comfortable mattress, weather-appropriate bedding and good quality bug netting are all campervan and RV packing essentials. And a few added extras can help to make your campervan adventure even more comfortable.

If you’re traveling in the summer, you might want to take a portable rechargeable fan or install a fan ventilation system to keep you fresh and cool. Or if you’re visiting some cooler destinations, a propane camping heater will help to take the chill out of the air. Safety first: always make sure that you use your heater with good ventilation and never sleep with the heater on.

And if you’re being kept awake by the sounds of nature (or your traveling companion’s snoring), then soft noise canceling earplugs will help you to get a good night’s sleep.

Van Life Gadget Must Haves

You’ll probably want to use battery-powered gadgets such as your phone, laptop or portable shower pump in your campervan. A 12v Power Inverter which will allow you to charge your gadgets easily is a vanlife essential.

Want to go green? A solar power charger is another handy way to charge your devices. I swear by ours when we’re out car camping in British Columbia. And if you want to take things to the next level, you could invest in a full solar panel set up together with a deep cycle battery to store the energy that the panels capture.

And although you will hopefully never have to use them (we never have), a compact fire extinguisher and battery powered smoke/carbon monoxide alarm are both potentially lifesaving gadgets to add to your campervan packing list.

All of these van life essentials will add a little extra comfort to your campervan or RV vacation, to ensure you get maximum enjoyment from your trip!