This week we continue our Q&A series by following up on last weeks topic – expectations vs reality of RV life. In this segment we’ll talk about stuff; stuff we didn’t need, stuff we didn’t know we were going to need, and stuff we use everyday.

Here’s the breakdown:

I’m hoping most rookie RVers make as many mistakes as us! We thought we minimized our collection of stuff, but after our first few months on the road, we were still donating items to the local thrift stores.

Clothes

Despite getting rid of 60% of our clothes before we hit the road, we still realized we had too many. Our typical outfit is a shirt and jeans; all we need is a weeks worth of clean clothes and we’re good. As for shoes, we both have a pair of sandals and a pair of hiking shoes.

Tent Pavillon

This was a big purchase that has gone unused. The lack of a camper awning inspired us to buy this large tent. Unfortunately, we discovered that we’re not often in search of shade and its a hassle to set it up. We know some RVers love their outdoor living areas, but this item just didn’t vibe with us.

Fire Cooking Tripod

This cooking device was meant to be used on a daily bases; it hasn’t left its home in the back bumper since we hit the road. Our concept of cooking outside was definitely misguided.

Pot, Pans, and Pitchers

When living in a sixteen foot camper, things that serve no purpose stick out quickly. Our fruit-infusing pitcher, cast iron griddles, and multitude of pans all had to go! We have a few work-horse kitchen items that can do all the cooking.

Axe & Shovel Mount

I admit it – when installing this awesome device, I doubted it would come in handy. We’ve never used the axe, and have only used the shovel three times. But, its at least worth a few cool points.

Travel Guitar

I bought a new guitar with a light travel-case to take on the road. I thought it’d be nice to strum this beauty from the edge of the Grand Canyon or write an album from a desert boondocking site – none of these things have happened and it’s been grossly underused.

GoPro Hero 3+

Olivia was set on buying an awesome camera to capture this adventure. We didn’t use it during our first six months on the road, and use it very minimally now. This could’ve been money in the bank.

Generator

As we mentioned in Part 1, our solar set-up can’t keep up with the energy needs of our fridge. We scored this Honda 2000 generator from Spot The Scotts. It’s really played an essential role in extending the number of days we can boondock.

RV Water Filter

This was a cheap purchase we put off for way too long. For a mere $15 we now have cleaner water in our tanks. The RV water filter is a must have!

Cell Booster

We didn’t realize what we were missing before life with a cell booster. Our WeBoost give us faster internet so often – especially when using our T-Mobile hotspot. It’s a steep price, but the added cell coverage can be priceless.

Sewer Elbow Connector

We still haven’t purchased this one yet, but our current sewage donut just doesn’t work well. We plan or making this purchase soon – even though we don’t camp at RV Parks too often, we want to look semi-classy when we do and have a proper sewer adapter.

RV Exterior Carpet

This is another item we’ve yet to purchase, but really need. We track in so much dirt and really need a big outdoor area rug to dust off before entering the camper. It’d also help out on rainy days.

French Press

We love coffee and this is our favorite way to make it. There are a few easier-to-clean methods, but our French Press has become our most used kitchen tool!

L.L. Bean Jackets

Olivia bought us these jackets before we hit the road. Being from south Alabama, our cold weather gear was nil. These jackets are light enough to wear in a mild climate, but also keep us warm on cold & windy days.

Large Stock Pot

This pot is perfect for large meals that last multiple days. Chili, soup, lentils and more – we get use out of this pot almost every day. Even though its bulky, we can store it underneath our bed when we’re not using it.

Bluetooth Speaker

Music, movies, TV, and podcasts – we play them all through our bluetooth speaker. We like its portability; we can bring it outside during the day and use it inside at night. We’re currently on our third brand and hope this one proves to be a keeper.

T-Mobile Hotspot

We purchased this the day before we left and its been amazing. Despite all the smack people talk about the coverage, we have found that T-Mobile’s coverage has exceeded our expectations. They have great customer service and pretty economical data plans.

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