Stuff you have purchased

[leslie]

I am waiting for my Camplite to be built. Waiting is terrible. I am reading about mods and taking notes. But what about the stuff you have inside your Camplite?

I have my priorities. I went shopping and I am prepared for Happy Hour at the Campsite. I have extra wine glasses and cocktail glasses just in case some campers stop by. I have a blender for making frozen drinks. Now I want to shop for all the rest of what I need.

What have you purchased to put inside your Camplite? What works and what hasn't worked for you?

[charliem]

[font size="3"]Leslie,

There's no pat answer for your question. It's all up to the individual, but I see you have your priorities correct  . One way is to go to Amazon.com and click on all of the above, but then you'll need a bigger trailer. The most immediate problems will be the everyday cooking and living items. The CL has plenty of cabinet and shelf space, but no drawers. Plastic drawer and storage bins from Wally World work well. Don't forget the bathroom storage areas. Think through how you will cook and eat and take dishes, glasses, utensils, pots and pans. Paper roll holders for the kitchen and bath are a necessity. [/font][font size="3"]Get a selection of different sized 3M Command strip hooks for clothes, towels, hats, etc. [/font][font size="3"]Add bedding that you can leave in the camper so you don't have to move it from the house before each trip. A few nights in the driveway can help and keep two pads with a pencil handy: one for things you need and one for things you don't need. Your first trip should be close by so you can pick up stuff you forgot. I know waiting is torture but the planning is fun. We've been trailer camping for almost two years now and still improving our set up. Good luck and have fun.
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[leslie]

Perhaps I should list some of my other priorities. We have 2 dogs who will hang out on the lower bunk of our 21-BHS.  I am a gourmet cook. Hubby is a history buff, especially when it comes to Civil War history. He has his own Kindle and is putting books there to cut down on weight in the camper.

[drdave]

To each their own, but here are a few things I have purchased for inside the camper that probably make sense for most people inside items:

Costco LED light strips 2 pack.   I mounted one above the stove/sink and the other one in the front cargo area.   The one in the cargo area I have set to go on via motion and it seems to work well.   

Memory foam mattress topper.   The factory mattress is nothing to write home about.

Right now (August) Target and Walmart have TONS of cheap plastic bins and storage containers for all the back to college kids.   We scored plenty for all the "stuff" in the camper.   My wife found one with three drawers that holds our kitchen utensils, etc. that is particularly helpful.

[hdrehder]

Regarding the pen and paper advice, we bought this dry erase board and applied it to the front of our fridge.

http://www.containerstore.com/shop?productId=10032178&N=&Ntt=white+board

Comes rolled up like a poster. Just lay it out to flatten it for a few days and then carefully adher from top to bottom, pushing out the small bubbles to the side with something like a plastic dough cutter.

We mounted the dry erase pen high between bathroom and fridge so the 4 year olds can't get to it without permission. We keep a list while out on the road and then transfer to Evernote shopping list when we get home.

Great find.

[runningwriter]

We bought one of those folding, wooden, clothes drying racks.  We set it up outside for towels and bathing suits.  Also, purchased a 5gal potable water container.  Next was a 120v to 30amp adapter (pretty inexpensive at Lowes), just in case some campsite doesn't offer the 30amp that we need.  It's useful in the driveway at home, too.

i installed a Progressive Industries EMS-LCHW30 mostly to protect our AC from a brown out, but also, for peace of mind concerning incorrectly wired shore power.  I still check shore power myself with a non-contact voltage tester before we plug in.  But that's just me.

We also bought a small, plastic folding table; the kind that one might set up between two folding chairs to set coffee or other adult beverage on.  That was maybe, $11 at a big box dept store.

[lora]

I'll second the drying rack!  We already had one and brought it with us on first trip with our QS10 since we had room.  Worked great for bathing suits and towels.

[drdave]

[quote source="/post/2958/thread" timestamp="1409076143" author="@dave"]We bought one of those folding, wooden, clothes drying racks.  We set it up outside for towels and bathing suits.  Also, purchased a 5gal potable water container.  Next was a 120v to 30amp adapter (pretty inexpensive at Lowes), just in case some campsite doesn't offer the 30amp that we need.  It's useful in the driveway at home, too.

i installed a Progressive Industries EMS-LCHW30 mostly to protect our AC from a brown out, but also, for peace of mind concerning incorrectly wired shore power.  I still check shore power myself with a non-contact voltage tester before we plug in.  But that's just me.

We also bought a small, plastic folding table; the kind that one might set up between two folding chairs to set coffee or other adult beverage on.  That was maybe, $11 at a big box dept store.[/quote]Walmart has 120v to 30 amp and visa-versa adapters for about 6 bucks each they even "glow" so you know you have power.   If you are talking the locking 30 amp connector then those are expensive at about 24 bucks.      

You'll also need:
sewer hoses and I'd recommend a clear connector to see the stuff is coming out right
drinking water hose
leveling blocks and level
wheel chocks
flashlights
dishes
silverware
sheets/bedding
towels/washcloths
pots/pans cooking utensils
soap/shampoo 
extra batteries for all your gizmos/lights
coffee maker
electric skillet for cooking greasy bacon etc. outside
hitch pin lock and or hitch pin and I'd recommend a lock that goes in the hitch when your trailer is stored
black water tank smell good chemical
best brake controller you can afford...I recommend the tekonsha prodigy P3 and adapter for your make/model of Tow vehicle

Optional:

exterior roof vent cover so you can leave a vent open raining
master blaster for cleaning out the black tank
water line air adapter for blowing the water lines out for winter storage
LED light bulbs - reduces power demand and produces much less heat the the factory bulbs   Mine took 921 size for inside and 1141 (I think) for the exterior bulb
propane tank level indicator
20 lb. propane tank adapter and hose to hook up a 1lb cylinder type grill
grill for above adapter
extra exterior extension cord for hooking up whatever outside the trailer
board games, card games, frizbees, etc, etc.
sunscreen and bug spray
umbrellas
sweatshirts/jackets
extra pair of old sneakers/shoes
rug/mat for outside door to wipe feet on before entering trailer
collapsable garbage can
lighter/fire making stuff
pie iron/fire pit stuff/hotdog sticks
Folding camping chairs of your choice
picnic tablecloth and clips to hold it down.
area rugs for putting on the picnic table seats if it rained and they are wet
assorted spare fuses for tow vehicle, etc.
one of every command strip product made
RV grade single ply TP (DONT use normal 2 ply!!!)
portable DVD player and your favorite movies for rainy days
extra USB adapters for all your USB charging gadgets
small generic tool kit and your favorite multitool
etc., etc.   the list is endless!!!!

[charliem]

[quote source="/post/2974/thread" timestamp="1409088115" author="@tlbones"]Walmart has 120v to 30 amp and visa-versa adapters for about 6 bucks each they even "glow" so you know you have power.   If you are talking the locking 30 amp connector then those are expensive at about 24 bucks.      

You'll also need: etc.................

etc., etc.   the list is endless!!!!

[/quote][font size="3"]An excellent compilation. I totally concur on the Takonsha P3 brake controller. And I believe the new CLs are coming with LED lighting packages standard and black tank flushers as part of the XL Living option.  [/font]

[drdave]

Also optional:
2 way radios for backing up.   Your spouse can tell what that crunch you heard was without yelling
small 12 air compressor 
tire jack
road triangles or LED flares
reflective vests for roadside emergencies

[tinkeringtechie]

[quote source="/post/2979/thread" timestamp="1409091946" author="@tlbones"]Also optional:
2 way radios for backing up.   Your spouse can tell what that crunch you heard was without yelling
small 12 air compressor 
tire jack
road triangles or LED flares
reflective vests for roadside emergencies

[/quote]These are part of my normal car kit (always in the back of the car). Instead of triangles or LED flares we use these industrial glow sticks:

http://www.amazon.com/Cyalume-SnapLight-Industrial-Alternative-Intensity/dp/B004NBZL8I/ref=sr_1_4?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1409092720&sr=1-4&keywords=glow+sticks

I've tested a few and they're extremely bright and no worries about the batteries being dead when you need it.

[leslie]

I am glad I asked this question.

I don't know what a hitch pin is. I assume a hitch pin lock is something like an anti-theft device.

I told the RV dealer I needed a brake controller for the camper's electric brakes. I mentioned that I had heard a lot about Prodigy P3. The parts manager told me they carry a brake controller by the same manufacturer as the P3, but it lacks some of the bells and whistles as the P3. He said something about a gauge on the dash for the P3 that the less expensive one doesn't have. Are the bells and whistles worth the extra money? The dealer will order the P3 for me since it isn't something they keep in inventory, if I decide to do that. They keep the less expensive version on hand.

[leslie]

Something I have on my PDI checklist is to ask if the fans that come with the Camplite have covers that allow me to use the fans in the rain.

[tinkeringtechie]

[quote source="/post/2982/thread" timestamp="1409093217" author="@leslie"]I am glad I asked this question.

I don't know what a hitch pin is. I assume a hitch pin lock is something like an anti-theft device.

I told the RV dealer I needed a brake controller for the camper's electric brakes. I mentioned that I had heard a lot about Prodigy P3. The parts manager told me they carry a brake controller by the same manufacturer as the P3, but it lacks some of the bells and whistles as the P3. He said something about a gauge on the dash for the P3 that the less expensive one doesn't have. Are the bells and whistles worth the extra money? The dealer will order the P3 for me since it isn't something they keep in inventory, if I decide to do that. They keep the less expensive version on hand.[/quote]You could just order a P3 online and have the dealer install it. It looks like Tekonsha makes a harness for your vehicle, so installation should be plug and play:

http://www.amazon.com/Tekonsha-3045-P-2-Plug-Control-Adapter/dp/B004R36OV0/ref=sr_1_sc_2?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1409093588&sr=1-2-spell&keywords=tekonsha+harness+jeep

Just plug that in and attach a couple screws and you're set. If you hand the dealer a P3 and that harness they shouldn't charge you much (if anything) to do the installation. It should take less than 15 minutes.

[tinkeringtechie]

I forgot to mention that I upgraded from a P2 to a P3 because of the bells and whistles, so obviously I thought it was worth it. The P3 looks a lot better in my opinion also. Functionally they are identical.