Camping in an RV is a great way to enjoy the outdoors with homey amenities like a full kitchen, comfortable bed, and, thankfully, your own bathroom! But, if you’re new to RV camping, you might be wondering what you exactly need. We’ve created an all-inclusive RV camping accessories guide to the RV essentials you need to pack for a fun camping trip featuring all your must-haves.

Bedding Essentials
Bathroom Essentials
Kitchen Essentials
Cleaning Essentials
Outdoor Essentials

Bedding Essentials

Camping in an RV is more comfortable than tent camping since you’re able to sleep on a bed, but that means bedding essentials are in order. Before you hit the road, double-check to make sure your RV is packed with these items to stay comfortable and warm during your trip.

Sheets & Pillowcases: Sheets and pillowcases are essential to go over the mattress in your RV bed. RVs can include more than one bed, and various mattress sizes, so make sure you know what size you need when shopping for new sheets.

Comforters: To stay warm in your RV bed, you’ll need a new comforter! Comforters make the perfect bedding for cold sleepers or if you’re traveling to a colder destination since they are thicker and fluffier.

Quilts: Hot sleepers or warmer destinations call for quilts instead of comforters. These bedding essentials are thinner and more lightweight than comforters, so they still provide a cozy sleeping atmosphere without the bulk.

Mattress Topper: An optional addition for adding extra comfort to your RV beds is a mattress topper. Mattress toppers lay on top of your mattress and are typically made with memory foam, cotton, feather, or other fills for added cushion. If your RV mattress is firm or you’re looking to make your sleep area more comfortable, adding a mattress topper will give you the comfort you’re looking for.

Bathroom Essentials

One of the best parts about camping in an RV is its home-like qualities… like a full bathroom. Packing RV camping accessories for bathrooms is all about bringing the typical bath essentials on the road with you – we suggest storing them in the bathroom cabinets closest to the bathroom for easy access. Here’s all the bath essentials to pack for your RV camping trip.

Bath Towel Sets: Typically, all RV come with one bathroom and several cabinets to store necessities like bath towel sets. Stocking your RV with a towel set takes care of your bath linen needs all at once, since they come with washcloths, hand towels, and bath towels. Most bath towel sets come with at least two towels per item, so if you’re planning on camping with multiple people, two or more sets might be in order.

Bath Mats: To keep the floor free from water when stepping out of the shower, place a bath mat on the floor. Selecting a bath mat that’s the same color as your towels elevates your bathroom design and creates a sense of unison while you’re vacationing.

Shower Basket: Thankfully, RVs come with a compact shower that allows you to wash off from a day of hiking or enjoying the outside. To keep the already-small area organized and decluttered, add a shower basket to store your shower products. Shower baskets are small and can sit over the showerhead or suction to the side of the wall. These organizers come with a small basket for you to store your shampoo, conditioner, and soaps.

Toothbrush Holder: Keep your bathroom organized while camping with the help of a toothbrush holder. Toothbrush holders are small countertop accessories that can fit in the corner of an RV bathroom vanity to house your toothbrushes while you’re camping.

Hampers & Laundry Baskets: As you camp, odds are you’ll get dirty and sweaty. Small hampers or laundry baskets are a must for RV camping essentials to store your dirty clothes out of the way until you get back home and do laundry..

Kitchen Essentials

Another perk to RV camping is the full kitchen. SInce RVs contain basic appliances (on a smaller scale) like refrigerators, ovens, stoves, and microwaves, it’s crucial to stock up on RV essentials for the kitchen to handle all meal types.

Casual Dinnerware Sets: While packing your RV essentials for the kitchen, a casual dinnerware set is a must. These sets come complete with plates, bowls, and cups. Melamine is the best material to have for your dinnerware set since it’s made for outdoor use, and your plates won’t break if they fall to the ground.

Flatware & Cutlery: You can’t enjoy your cooking creations without a flatware set and the appropriate cutlery! Flatware sets include spoons, forks, and butter knives – everything you need for a typical meal. You should also remember to include a chef’s knife for cutting and a steak knife set for your RV travels as well. A chef’s knife will help you cut meat or vegetables, while steak knives are great for certain meals since their sharp ridges slice through meat better than butter knives.

Cooking Utensil Sets: Since RVs come with a full kitchen, keeping a full utensil set on hand is a must. Cooking utensil sets come complete with all utensils you need for compact cooking like spatulas, whisks, tongs, measuring spoons, and more. With these convenient tools, you’ll be able to cook your favorites in your home away from home.

Salt & Pepper Shakers: Don’t forget to season your food as you camp thanks to a set of salt and pepper shakers. These small kitchen utensils are the perfect size to store in your RV cabinet and keep on hand as you enjoy your meals while soaking up the outdoor views.

Cutting Boards: Keep your kitchen fully stocked with a few plastic cutting boards tucked away in your cabinets. The plastic material is easy to wash off in the sink and won’t break as you travel.

Pots & Pans: Whether you want to heat up some sides or make a meal on the stove, having a few pots and pans in your RV is crucial. Since RVs have limited storage opportunities, you’ll need to be selective with the amount of pots and pans you bring. Two to four pots and pans each work perfectly for camping since you’ll have all you need to cook without taking up too much space.

Pressure Cooker: A pressure cooker is an RV camping essential. It’s compact, making it an easy item to pack. It allows you to make home-cooked meals inside the RV or outside with an extension cord. Pressure cookers cut down cooking times, so you can have a warm meal to feed to the campers and then get right back to exploring.

Tip!

Avoid the urge to use your pressure cooker insert over a fire or grill. It can warp the shape of the insert, making it unusable.

Potholders & Mitts: Planning on using your oven? Then you’ll need to keep a few potholders and mitts in your RV drawers. These will protect your hands and countertops from the heat as you pull your dish out of the oven.

Coffee Maker: Enjoy your cup of joe in the morning while on the road thanks to a small coffee maker. Small coffee makers brew between two to four cups at a time so you’re still able to get your caffeine fix without losing too much counter space to a bulky coffee maker.

Electric Tea Kettle: If you prefer tea instead, keeping an electric tea kettle in your RV lets you make your perfect steaming cup. Electric tea kettles are perfect for RVs since you can plug them into an outlet rather than taking up one of the few burners on your traveling stove.

Griddle: Enjoy scrumptious pancakes in the morning or burgers at night with a griddle. These griddles are easier to store in an RV than a grill since they are slimmer and can fit into a cabinet. Just plug up your griddle to an outlet, let it heat, and you’re ready to cook!

Portable Ice Maker: Portable ice makers are small, letting you keep drinks cold without having to worry about taking up too much countertop space. Leave your portable ice maker in your RV or bring it outside during a cookout to keep everyone’s drinks on ice. If you have a cooler, use your portable ice maker to fill up the cooler with ice. It will help keep drinks cold for a longer period of time without taking up valuable refrigerator space.

Plastic Mixing Bowls: Similar to the cutting boards, having a few plastic mixing bowls in your RV is a smart move. The plastic material is convenient for traveling in an RV since it’s durable, and the versatile bowls can be used for marinating steaks, food storage, or mixing ingredients together.

Magnetic Spice Rack: Magnetic spice racks help keep your mobile kitchen organized, no matter the size. The spice containers are magnetic, allowing you to place them on the rack without having to worry about spices spilling out of cabinet doors. Having your spices out allows you to easily reach them when you are cooking, letting you season your meals just like you would at home.

Food Storage Containers: Since RVs come with a fridge, store the food you’ll eat on the trip the smart way with the right storage containers. These containers come in a variety of sizes, so they can hold any leftover food until you’re ready to heat up and eat again on your camping trip.

Refrigerator Bins: Since you’re traveling on the road, food may slide around your RV fridge. Using plastic fridge bins will help keep your food organized and contained – and help prevent spills! These bins keep your food or drinks from sliding around and give each item their own place for better storage.

Pantry Door Organizers: RVs are much smaller and more compact than homes, so optimizing your storage facilities is important to make your trip easier and more efficient. One of the best tools to include in your RV essentials is a pantry door organizer. These items sit over the top of the pantry door in your kitchen and include a basket that provides extra, out-of-the-way storage for food and other kitchen essentials.

Kitchen Towels: To clean up spills or wipe your hands as you cook, it’s smart to keep a few kitchen towels in your RV.

Cleaning Essentials

It’s inevitable that while camping in your RV, dirt and debris will pile up quickly. Whether you need to wipe down your countertops after cooking a meal, or mop the floor after tracking in mud, it’s always best to keep your RV accessories fully stocking with cleaning supplies to handle any need.

Handheld Vacuums: Handheld vacuums are small and portable while offering similar features to a typical vacuum. While a handheld vacuum isn’t the best option for vacuuming your full home, it is great for a weekend trip in your RV. This RV accessory will keep the floors clean from hiking boots and crumbs. Its small size makes it easy to use while letting you store it away easily, especially when you find yourself short on storage during a camping trip.

Mop: It’s inevitable that your RVs floors will see dirt and mud on your trip. Keep a mop on hand to clean up any mud that’s tracked indoors or to clean up spills from dinner.

Brooms & Sweepers: For looser dirt and to do some quick tidying during your outdoor vacation, a broom is handy to keep in your RV.

Dusters: Has it been a while since you used your RV? Dust particles might have collected. Wipe off any dust around your RV with a small duster that’s easy to store and take on the road.

Microfiber Cloth: Keep a stack of microfiber cloths on hand in your RV for wiping or washing. Microfiber cloths are the best to have for cleaning glass, countertops, or other surfaces since it’s super absorbent and leaves a crystal clear appearance. Unlike paper towels that can leave behind a film (especially when cleaning glass), microfiber cloths are softer and wipe clean.

Trash Cans: Trash bins are a kitchen essential but commonly forgotten about when camping. As an important RV accessory, having a trash bin will help you keep your campsite and RV clean. Keeping trash contained will help keep any unwanted critters away from your camp while keeping things tidy. Opt for a small trash bin that you can keep inside in a small cabinet or a taller one with a lid that you can leave in your RV kitchen.

Toilet Brushes: One of the often-overlooked RV essentials for your bathroom is a toilet brush. This item is a necessity to keep your toilets clean while camping and for cleaning when you return. These compact items can sit off to the corner of the bathroom, so they can save space while still being close at hand for when they’re needed.

Toolkit: When thinking of RV accessories that you'll need to pack for your trip, having essential tools in your RV will save you stress when something breaks. Be sure to have the basic but most common tools – like a hammer, a wrench, and different screwdrivers – on board. Most issues can be fixed with basic tools that will save you from having to call for help during your trip. You might even be able to help out other campers with RV issues. Keep your tools handy in a kit so that they can be easily tucked away in a cabinet with other accessories or under a bed when not in use.

Outdoor Essentials

RV essentials are more than just bedding necessities and bath items, it’s also about entertainment and cleaning. While you’re packing, consider these essentials to keep your RV clean and fun as you camp.

Camping Chairs: Pull up a chair, no matter where you are. Camping chairs fold in half and are portable, letting you have seating anywhere you need it. Whether you are having friends over for a meal or sitting around a campfire, you’ll never have to worry about seating. Since camping chairs are small, you can easily store them in your RV when they are not in use. Opt for camping chairs with cup holders so you can enjoy your favorite drink after a long day of hiking.

Camping Cots: RVs come with beds, but for a quick nap outside, keep a few camping cots in your RV essentials. These cots are easy to pop open and have a flat, cushioned cot to lay on outside. When they’re folded up, they’re easy to store in a cabinet, closet, or underneath a bed since they’re compact.

Hammock: For more lounging outdoors, consider bringing along a camping hammock as one of your RV essentials. These hammocks have ends that tie around the trunk of a tree to keep them up as you lay in the middle and doze in peaceful relaxation.

Portable Fire Pit: Hanging out by the fire is a camping must. Opt for a RV-friendly portable fire pit to use during the colder months for a place to warm up or for a relaxing night roasting marshmallows with your fellow campers. Make sure to pack accessories, such as roasters and s'mores supplies, to share with the campsite. If you want to embrace the camping lifestyle, opt for a fire pit that allows you to cook on it. Ensure that the fire is out and the fire pit is fully cooled down before storing it in your RV.

Portable Electric Grill: As one of our favorite RV accessories, electric grills allow you to grill up your favorite cookout foods no matter where you are. Electric grills can be plugged into an outlet on your RV and tend to heat up faster than regular propane grills, so you can spend less time cooking and more time enjoying yourself. Electric grills help you avoid messy cleanups and forgetting propane. They are smaller than backyard grills and can be easily packed during RV travel.

Outdoor Blankets: Outdoor blankets are great to keep in your RV because they can be used inside and outside. If you find yourself getting a little chilly, pull your outdoor blanket out to warm up by the fire and enjoy the company of other campers. Outdoor blankets can be placed on the ground for an impromptu picnic or a place for little ones to play. Roll blankets up and place them in a storage basket with other accessories in your RV to keep things organized.

Outdoor Rug: Create an outdoor living room feel by adding a rug to your seating area. It allows you to have a designated space outside for relaxing and can help keep you and other campers from tracking mud all over your RV. Outdoor rugs can withstand everyday weather as well as small amounts of rain without getting moldy.

Coolers: As you lounge outside your RV, enjoy a refreshing beverage thanks to a cooler. Coolers provide enough room for ice and for your favorite beverage to chill until you’re ready to drink it. If you need more room to keep drinks or food chilled and your fridge is running out of room, a cooler is great to have on hand for extra chilling.

Outdoor Canopy: Shield yourself from the sun as you sit outside or grill out thanks to the help of this must-have RV essential: a pop-up canopy. These soft-top sun shields provide relief from the UV rays for a cool spot to take a break from the heat on a scorching day, or to stay dry from the rain as you cook and lounge outdoors.

String Lights: Light up your camping area with outdoor string lights. Hook them up to your RV electrical outlets and light up your camping area when it starts to get dark. String lights can be a very useful accessory, making the site the perfect place for campers to relax and chat after a long day of exploring. Opt for plastic lights so you don’t have to worry about breaking any glass as you travel from campsite to campsite.

Outdoor Lanterns: From campfire hangouts to late-night exploring, outdoor lanterns are great for lighting your way. Camping lanterns are lightweight and portable, which makes them easy to carry, and many lanterns are solar-powered so that you don't have to worry about bringing batteries with you. Plus, most outdoor lanterns feature a top loop that allows you to hang them on a hook or a branch for on-the-go illumination.

Bug Lanterns: Keep your trip as bug-free as possible with the help of a bug-zapper lantern. These lanterns work by producing a bright LED light that attracts pesky mosquitos and zaps them when they land on the light.

Portable Outdoor Shower: If your RV doesn’t have a shower or just includes one, a portable outdoor shower might be in order for family trips. A pop-up shower is also handy to wash off any mud or dirt to keep it from coming in your RV. Just pop up your portable shower, connect it to a water source, and you’re ready to use it!

Outdoor Games: Enjoy some recreation time while you camp by bringing along some outdoor games. Choose from a variety of cornhole boards, ladder ball, and other packable games to bring for quality time spent playing with your family and friends.

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