Little things to help a touring caravan holiday

[3littleowls]

I started a thread several weeks ago - www.mumsnet.com/Talk/camping/4181792-Caravan-holiday-with-three-young-children-am-I-crazy?msgid=105221304 -about buying a touring caravan for my family of 5 - DH and 3 kids - age 5 and under. I got so many helpful replies and I have finally taken the plunge and bought a 6 berth touring caravan. Exciting times! Now down to the details. Wise Mumsnet touring caravan crowd, what little things do you recommend for my caravan to make holidays easier? I’ve got the big stuff noted like an air awning and motor mover. I’m talking about things like a tin opener, mattress topper etc. The little extras and sometimes luxuries that make things comfortable or special. Appreciate your advice for a complete novice at this touring caravan thing!

Congratulations @3littleowls, I'm sure you'll love it. Things I would suggest:

A BBQ so you can cook outside
Some outside table and chairs
Plastic drinking cups
Tin plates
Hot water bottles/electric blanket (it can get cold)
Extra blankets (same reason)
Kettle
Toaster
Some sort of drier rack, when clothes get wet, or for your washing

Fairy lights, a wasp trap to put away from the caravan, swing ball, one of those inflatable sofa things if you can fit it in, cricket set, board games, bikes, don't forget Calpol and a measuring spoon (u did once it was a but tricky) . Audio books are great for bed time.
Colander for rinsing stuff, washing up bowl, cloth etc.
Milton & lots of kitchen roll.
A bin with a lid.
Also gin. For you obv .

Cheap buggy you don't mind getting scruffy! A cheap folding highchair if you have space.. Baby gate for caravan door if dc need 1...

Don't forget something to stand on to put the awning up.
I always take tea for the first night we get there, something easy to make or ready to eat.
Snacks for the kids whilst you pitch.

Brilliant tips already and so much I hadn’t thought of! Thank you!!!

Two washing up bowls. One is never enough, particularly if you are using the sites washing up area (recommended, gets all the muck out of the van)
Microfibre cloths. LOADS of them. Use them for face wiping, surface wiping, dry to hold a hot pan, to wipe down the groundsheet before you pack it away, clear condensation....loads of uses but most importantly you can use them dry to wedge wobbly things when you travel.
Microfibre towels each, a bit weird to use but you get used to them, and they dry fast.
Somewhere to put wet stuff, even a beach tent pitched by the door and a strict no shoes inside rule.
Crocs for everyone for quick loo trips, the showers etc.
We have rain cape/ponchos each for loo trips in the pouring rain. Pack up small and used a lot!
A toiletries bag each with everything, toothpaste, shampoo etc etc even the little ones. Makes nipping to the shower a breeze.
An emergency meal stashed somewhere in case the worst happens. Something everyone will eat if you cannot be arsed to go to the shop and it’s raining. Mine varies but the rule is if it is eaten it is replaced the next day as a priority. Something like pasta and a jar of sauce and a lump of Parmesan is easy and good to eat but it can be posher than that, just needs to be always available.
Somewhere to hang wet stuff in the dry and rain. My shower cubical is used in the rain, in other than rain I have a washing line and re is always somewhere to tie it.
Head torches for the kids, means you can see them, mine also loved luminous jamas.

I could go on....

I have loads of plastic boxes to organise stuff in the lockers, particularly for the kids clothes. Have a small box/basket in one of the lockers where you ALWAYS put the keys. I have either pop up laundry bin or large IKEA bag for dirty laundry. Lots of hanging hooks in the awning for coats/bags etc. We have a full size bin that we put in the awning or if no awning just put outside, the little ones incorporated into the door are tiny.

When the kids were little we had interlocking foam mats for the awning floor. Makes it much warmer and drier for kids playing on the floor/crawling babies. Most awning groundsheets are breathable to allow grass to grow but they will be a bit damp if kids are sat in the floor. Good luck!

@Toomuchleopard we used to have an IKEA bag for laundry too.
I kept a certain amount of caravan clothes, not for the kids as they grew too quickly, but spare pjs, hoodies that could double up as dressing gowns, slippers, wellies for DH and I.
We joined the Caravan Club and always stayed at 5 van sites. We loved the peace and quiet and found the 5 van sites to be so much cheaper.

Most campsites have washing machines and dryers so you don’t need to pack masses of clothes, you can always chuck a load in there

We use plastic shoe boxes for the over head lockers. Really optimises the space. We also have a camping washing line

www.amazon.co.uk/Andes-Aluminium-Camping-Clothes-Washing/dp/B01CR9Q0NW/ref=asc_df_B01CR9Q0NW/?hvlocphy=1006518&linkCode=df0&hvptwo&psc=1&hvnetw=g&hvadid=344357221916&hvpone&hvlocint&hvpos&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl&hvqmt&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&hvtargid=pla-702594168903&hvrand=2461679475474589372

Anything you buy needs to be light as it all adds to the towing weight

Melamine plates and cups are ideal as they are light and less chance of an accident

These are also very useful
www.amazon.co.uk/Ikea-103-391-71-Sealing-assorted-30-pack/dp/B00C65BLD2/ref=asc_df_B00C65BLD2/?hvlocphy=1006633&linkCode=df0&hvptwo&psc=1&hvnetw=g&hvadid=309810605437&hvpone&hvlocint&hvpos&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl&hvqmt&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&hvtargid=pla-350329597871&hvrand=3974527094864426993

We found it helpful to play calming music quietly when dc were going to sleep and so that any sudden noises (eg people walking past talking) didn't wake them up or get used as a distraction from going to sleep in the first place.

Started off using pillows that had speakers in with MP3 player lead but ended up just playing through the system

We used two duvets per bed - one to sleep on and another to put over. Different seasons so you could switch the top one but always comfy to lie on and easier to get in and out of than a sleeping bag (and easier than sheets and mattress protectors).shoe storage for the awning (could be a plastic box), a multi charger with leads for iPhones and mini usb that you can keep in there, toasting forks, lightweight tea/coffee/sugar canisters, 4x different coloured towels that you keen there and 4x beach towels. Bath mat, torches, lots of batteries, 2x bins that can stack inside each other for awning for rubbish and recycling, wasp swat, plastic baskets for bathroom cabinets, one of those multi board game boxes, cards, Uno, boules, set of stainless steel stacking bowls - lightweight and space saving and can be used for cooking of serving, if you have a dog then spike and long lead, bowls that live in van, lightweight blankets, storage bags to put bedding in each morning, drill attachment to let feet down, and another for tent pegs. Nightlights for children, hdmi lead for tv, DVD player and dvds in case no WiFi, box of change that you keep there (for laundry, anything), fairy lights. We always plugged into mains and put the fridge on the day before travelling and put bubbly/kids drinks/water/milk in so that is was nice and cold when when we arrived.

Biscuits!!
Caravanning makes you very Hungry!

Awning with Hanging Shoe rack, bin, pop up laundry bin & coat rack (aldi foldaway ironing stand in our case)

Turkish hamman (sp) towels that dry quickly.
Airer to dry towels, swimming stuff etc.

If you have room on your beds Memory foam mattress toppers with removable covers are fab! Easier to make beds & very comfortable. You can buy £££ ones but we have an older version of these.

www.argos.co.uk/product/4631255

Large washing up bowl (or 2) with handles to carry any washing up over to the www.campervantastic.com/product/camping-kit/water/sturdy-washing-up-bowl-with-handles-available-in-three-colours/

A bag of £1, 50p, 20p and 10p coins for laundry and a ground sheet for your awning.

A cheese grater! And a colander!

A husband to empty the chemical toilet

These are all superb - thank you so much. I now have a big shopping list and will enjoy gathering all the things we need. Sounds like having ways to manage washing, cleaning and outings to the shower block are key. Love the idea of the basket for always keeping keys -DH has a knack for losing keys so that’s a must. We have the microfibre towels already from our camping days so that’s great. Also like the idea of a separate bin - the one attached to the caravan door won’t do more than a morning for our family . Do you think those fold down bins are any good? Or are they flimsy? Also great idea for the emergency meal - thanks @antidisestablishmentarianism. We’re sorted for foam floor mats for the awning. How do you store bedding during the day too? Stash it in the drawers under the bed? Realise this isn’t a problem for fixed beds or bunk beds but it’s for the two singles at the front I’m thinking about - they’ll double up as a sofa area in the day if we’re not in the awning.

Oh god yes, re: the keys - we have a strict rule of a particular shelf they have to be returned to after the year of the keys being locked away in the trailer (we were campers then).

Then there was the year that he forgot to attach the caravan as we pulled off the drive to catch the Eurotunnel train.

Then there was the year the jockey wheel broke as we arrived at the site. We didn’t know it was called a jockey wheel and we were in France so we were trying to find out what it was called and then translate it

Then there was the year the car battery was dead because he’d attached the separate fridge to it and it drained it.

The year we were in gale force winds and we thought we’d die.

The year it snowed at Easter and the awning collapsed with the weight of the snow.

The year I had to take him to hospital and I was worried he’d be too ill to drive the caravan back home.

The year our middle son broke his collar bone on the first day.

The year it was 42 degrees and we ended up leaving the site after 2 days to drive to somewhere cooler.

WE LOVE CAMPING AND CARAVANNING

Me and DH have just been sitting here killing ourselves laughing over all our mishaps BUT caravan people are the most friendly and helpful people and they all helped us get over our scrapes.

Re: bin - we have this one and keep it in the awning - the door bins are useless

folding bin

Bedding goes under the sofas during the day

Also don’t stress if you find it hard at first. When we started caravanning we had a 2 year old plus baby. We then had another baby so 3 under 5. It was hard work at first but it does get a lot easier and they are the best holidays for kids and families.

We have a couple of sticky hooks by the door for keys & torches.

Duvalay mattress toppers plus sheet - roll them up when you put the bed away, simply unroll when bed out. Silk duvet folds up much smaller than normal duvet for storage if you are making beds up daily. Some blankets to cover seating.
Shoe box for the awning - no shoes inside the van
Carpet for awning
Door mats to put outside awning door and before caravan step
Tent pegs to peg down caravan step and door mats.
Storm straps for awning
Non slip roll stuff for cupboards
Big box to put cups, etc in for travelling
Cupboard for awning and you can put toaster, coffee machine, breakfast cereals on there too. If you live near me, I have one to sell!
Bin - the one in the van are tiny so may need camping collapsabile bin and if you don't use it as a bin, you can use it for dirty washing.
Collapsible bucket
Collapsible collander
My most fave thing - my collapsible washing up drainer - it's fab
Camping towels - decathalon are cheap or mountain warehouse - you will also need kitchen towel and more tea towels than you thing.
Collapsible washing up carrier - I have a large rectangular one which doubles as a carrier to take recycling
Water carrier - if you stay on fully serviced pitches (totes game changer) then a hose and water thingy that goes from the tap to the water hog then into the van. Likewise loads of grey pipe stuff for grey waste.

We all take far too much so don't overload. You need to keep an eye on nose weights, MTPLM, etc. Most camp sites have washing machines ( take £1 coins) which are pricey but worth it.
We have a rotary dryer, which is good.
Oh - a drill and the pegs that you can drill in and out of the ground - another game changer.

In Australia, I can buy artificial lawn off a roll - however much I want. So I bought 50cm of the second cheapest and it’s been marvellous. It’s about 180 cm long and is the door mat for our tents, it stores the shoes, it rinses off and dries on the line, it just rolls up to travel.

At home it’s the farmyard, it’s the princess’s red carpet, it’s Barbie’s kingdom, it keeps itself busy.

Also, we had one of those little tables you put over your legs in bed. IKEA sell them. That was dd’s space. She had a box that tucked underneath with colouring in, Barbies etc. It would fit neatly over the end of her bed while she was small and it worked really well. It folds for travelling and storage.

Sorry I’ve been so slow to reply to all of these! Feel like I’ve spent the last 48hrs hiding eggs and eating them . And wiping chocolate fingerprints off sofas. And trying to work out how to release the handbrake on our caravan...but that’s another story...!

Oh @NotSorry those stories and mishaps did make me smile along with you! The awning under the snow must have been a moment, and the eurotunnel incident . Thank you for the link to the folding bin. It’s now on my list.

@Toomuchleopard those were just the words I needed to hear after DH and I had a big panic the night before last about it all. It just feels like there’s a lot to learn and I think taking possession of the caravan brought it all home. And the handbrake incident we had that day too. But the kids loved seeing the caravan and we let them have a picnic on it while we sussed it all out. They jump up and down with excitement every time we talk about it with them.

@PurpleWh1teGreen - good thought with the hooks and simple to install too. Also on my list.

@LostArcher - what an awesome list! Thank you so much. I like all the collapsible ideas and have added those to the list. We’ve got a rotary dryer that was included in the sale so that’s sorted - can see that being a must for the five of us. I try not to take too many clothes on holiday and wash as we go. DH likes your drill idea so that’s also on the list. And I will also look into silk duvets.

@TheSandgroper - brilliant idea for the grass carpet roll - can see that working nicely on top of the foam mats in the awning. And my middle DS especially will love a little fold up table like that to play with all his playmobil ‘peoples’ in his bunk space.

Now to read the caravan manual and work out how to release a handbrake among other important things. Oh and noseweights! Thank you @lostarcher for mentioning that as we had no idea we had to look into that aspect too.

A wind up torch, I'm not a camper/caravaner but I have a wind up torch in my handbag and you'd be surprised how often it is used.

I have a second one that also has a radio and a USB slot for charging phones etc.