First MH bought. What do I need?

[Sopworth]

Hi,
Firstly, thanks to all those who helped me with sound advice as we’ve looked to buy our fist MH. We get it next week and very excited!
A while back I read a thread on here about essentials when staring out but can’t find it using the search function so I thought I’d create a new thread.
What I was after was an idea of what we need for our first outing. I appreciate its probably an obvious list but any pearls of wisdom for us as a family of 4 and dog.
I remember reading about a low voltage toaster and stuff like that.
Thank you

 

[Jake Royd]

Get a watering can for fillups when there is no other way and a folding bucket to remove your grey water when there is no drive over etc.
Would not be without either.
Also, get a fire extinguisher if you don't have one.

 

[phillipsheila]

carbon monoxide alarm

 

[Clarky]

A large bank account.

Richard.

 

[KiwiKampers]

As mentioned in another thread, you may need a waste water hose to use at some sites that don’t have a drive over disposal outlet.
Forget about a toaster. Low voltage ones are useless. Use the gas grill or switch to cereal.
Some people make a small sign with their vehicle number on it to stick in the ground and reserve their place at CLs.
Make up a small tool kit and include Super Glue to fix the things that will inevitably drop off!
Slip on shoes, such as Crocs, are handy. They can be left outside and used for those quick walks to toilet blocks or when you have to change the gas in the middle of the night. Saves having to fuss around and also helps to keep the van floor clean. Talking of which, a dustpan and brush for sweeping the floor.

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[M-J]

Levelling ramps

 

[royw]

tool kit with a physical bias like adjustable plyers snips screwdrivers electronic with full set spare fuses insulation tape bodge take piece of string tyre string kit fluids water washer fluid toilet fluid spare add blue if used, i suppose it depends on your journey duration

 

[Ivory55]

Gaffa tape. There is bound to be something that falls off etc.

 

[mikebeaches]

There have already been plenty of good suggestions, but try not to get too much 'stuff' to begin with. You'll soon find what you want or need.

Two obvious things are gas and a hook-up cable.

Perhaps less obvious, but still handy - some levelling ramps.

And a plastic watering can is useful for putting fresh water in the tank.

Have a great first trip!

 

[Kannon Fodda]

Try a short local trip, or even better camp a night in the MH whilst on the drive to find out what you might need based on how the MH works and how you might use it. Keep it simple and avoid spending out on toys many of which won’t be needed.

What you might put in the MH could depend on storage and the dreaded payload.

essentials:
Bedding
Clothing
Toiletries inc loo roll toothbrush
Towel and tea towels (latter are great for stopping rattles)
Plates cutlery pots pans ( nestable ones save space) and oven tray if your MH has an oven. Cooking utensiles
Bottle opener!!!!
Means of filling and emptying tanks watering can (look for Colapz) can be great if short of space for top ups.
Something for your toilet cassette (too many threads on MHF on that subject)
Cleaning stuff clothes sponges washing up liquid remember not just kitchen but for the bathroom too.
Outside chairs and possibly table
BBQ
Gas bottle if not integral
EHU lead
Beer, wine or something stronger!

After that it starts to depend on where you are and what you are doing
Levelling blocks some swear by but I’ve yet to use
Grip mats for soft ground
Tools: screwdrivers pliers and wire cutter gaffer tape spare fuses electric multimeter.

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[Hollyberry]

Can of WD40.
Can of similar stuff for silicone/ plastic.
Kettle
tea bags.
a torch.

 

[Vipar]

Siegfried line

 

[sedge]

Kettle! Tea bags and/or coffee, milk, cups/mugs. Teaspoon. Washing up essentials. Couple of tea towels cos as you set off along the road and realise the grill pan rattles like hell and you can't hear yourself think, there's one used already as you wrap it up to prevent it doing that. (Just have to remember not to light the grill though, gets expensive in tea towels ...)

Think about what meals you will need to cook and eat. Choose the utensils to a) cook them and b) eat them. Pack the ingredients.

Don't invest in sets of half a dozen this that or the other, until you find out whether you need them.

Toiletries, a towel or 2.

Bedding.

Suitable clothing for weather and activities and even if its scorchio take at least one sweater and something rainproof, and suitable footwear. Crocs are good cos eg paddling in mud doesn't wreck them instantly - and that's something from me cos I hate em.

Paper and pen, to write down the things you wish you'd brought with you.

 

[irnbru]

A damp meter is essential, let’s you check your vehicle.

 

[Langtoftlad]

A sense of humour is absolutely essential - and doesn't add to the payload when you're bogged down, the EHU has tripped, the gas needs changing... and you've forgotten the corkscrew .

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[WillH]

A spirit of adventure, or at least a curiousity to find out what's down the road and round the next corner. Oh, and gaffer tape.

 

[Mr porky]

I do like the idea of doing a night on the drive then you realise actually I could do with this or I need that.
when we started we used stuff from the house then over time changed or removed as we saw fit.
don't stress just Have fun

 

[kevenh]

I do like the idea of doing a night on the drive then you realise actually I could do with this or I need that.
when we started we used stuff from the house then over time changed or removed as we saw fit.
don't stress just Have fun

We had a couple of nights just on the drive. One without pets & then with ‘em!
Then our 1st campsite was a night at Bishops Green - barely 10km away - but at least with some new footpaths for us to check

 

[The Coops]

A large wallet a blank chequebook and a sense of humour ! In all seriousness look at what has been posted, a set of ramps, a hook up, a collapsible bucket and a means of filling up the water tank, hose and/or watering can hosepipe. the rest is up to you, e bikes awning, table and chairs BBQ , the list is endless as is the payload But number one is gaffer tape ! It does a multitude of jobs!

 

[Ivory55]

I wonder if they have picked up on how much they going to need gaffa tape yet. Haha

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[Mike Rivers]

Apart from the obvious, if you’re planning on travelling abroad some sites require a 2-pin connection for the EHU in which case a conversion cable required to use your EHU cables. Someone mentioned a 10 litre plastic jerrycan. Wouldn’t be without ours ever. In fact we use it instead of our AquaRoll as in our setup the space saving is useful. We also like the rubber interlocking mats which we place outside entrance.

 

[Mike Rivers]

EHU adaptor for use on some French sites

 

[terminal15]

Probably less food than you need! We still take too many choices when actually we should save the space and eat whatever is there!

 

[Lenny HB]

I wouldn't worry about what everyone tells you to take with you everyone's different and use there vans diffently.
Just do a few short 2 or 3 day trips you will soon lean what is essential for you.
Once you get to the point of knowing what you need for a few weeks away go to a weighbridge and weigh the van fully laden including fuel & any water you are likely to carry, if wilding you will probably want a full water tank. Make sure you check the axle weights as well as the gross.

 

[two]

Agree with Lenny.
Try to temper your enthusiasm to spend even more money. Part of the adventure is discovering your needs for yourself and learning to be minimalist. Take a pen and paper. Make a record of what goes well or wrong and what you use most or needed to have. Try to avoid taking things "just in case". Build up an inventory of what you use regularly, avoiding cast-offs where possible. When on holiday, you don't want to be frustrated by a cheap present you feel obliged to keep or displaced household item that no longer does the job properly. Get decent stuff that will reward you with time. Duplicate things to avoid the need to transfer from the house each time you venture away (bedding, toiletries).
Leave your worries behind and take a larger smile...

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[dr1uk]

Great tips so far on this thread. Some we have found useful:

Ridgemonkey Connect Combi & Steamer - great addition. This is the only cooking pan we need.​

Outdoor or gym lightweight clothing that roll up small and don't need ironing. Easy to layer in cold weather with marino wool base layer.​

 

[KiwiKampers]

The majority of things that we needed for day-to-day use in the motorhome we bought from charity shops. I believe in recycling!

 

[Vipar]

Never mind what you take away with you. It’s what you bring back that’s important. A GREAT BIG SMILE AND FEELING REFRESHED.
And the feeling that you can’t wait to get away again

 

[GeeCee]

I set up this list when we got our motorhome, as well as what you need it includes what you need to do in preparation before a trip. One or two items on the list of things to take, like a tent, are not essential.

 

[Rob Turner]

Some time off work