47 Brilliant Van And RV Hacks For Anyone About To Embark On A Road Trip
Put the WIN in Winnebago.
Who doesn't want to spend the next few weeks or months seeing amazing scenery everyday while traveling in a socially distanced way?
View this photo on Instagram
Vans and RVs are especially great right now because you get to be contained and socially distanced with your loved ones while still getting to enjoy the outdoors whenever you want.
It goes without saying though: If you're going to travel, do so mindfully and safely.
Here are some hacks that will help you save lots of precious time, space, and effort while traveling in your RV or van.
1. Use a dry food container as a wastebasket.
2. Use a plastic soda bottle as a funnel.
View this photo on Instagram
If you're always losing funnels, this one's for you!
3. Get yourself some variation on the "bumper dumper."
When you gotta go, you gotta go. Here's one from Etsy that is available for $64.
4. Utilize the inside of your doors.
5. Add glow-in-the-dark tape to your stairs at night.
6. Magically create extra counter space with cutting boards that snugly fit over your stove and sink.
7. Use broom holders to store your flashlights in a convenient place.
8. Use velcro to keep your remotes in place.
A great idea for cell phones, too.
This one is attached to a piece of wood so you could hang it on a doorknob or hook. Get the DIY here.
9. Mount cleaning supplies and other long items to the ceiling with brackets.
10. Hang coiled hoses from nylon velcro straps.
They'll dry more readily.
11. Get a ceiling-mounted paper plate dispenser.
Get it from Amazon for $6.99.
12. Kids will love hanging out in this front seat hammock made from PVC pipe.
See how they made this here.
13. Make your own waste tank cleaner.
Mix together a cup of Borax detergent and 1/2 cup of Calgon Water Softener.
14. At a campsite? Tie a bar of soap to the spigot with pantyhose for easy hand washing.
15. Use badge holder clips to hang string lights from your awning.
You can also use wooden clothespins. A bunch of ideas here in this forum thread.
16. Use a towel rod to hold your bath products in place.
17. Square containers save more space than round ones.
And they won't bump up against each other as much.
18. Keep your tissue boxes from getting wet/squished.
19. Use velcro to hold black-out curtains in place.
20. Prevent heat loss with a vent cushion.
Get one from Camping World.
21. Use paracord to make your own awning track hangers.
Hang lights, tarps, awnings in a surprisingly sturdy way. Get the full directions here.
22. Get a solar-powered shower bag so you can take a warm shower at any campsite.
Fill it up at any truck stop and use with biodegradable soap. This one's available from Amazon for $21.68 and has 4.5 stars.
23. Mount your electrical adapters to keep them neat and tidy.
Everything in one place.
24. Wipe everything down with Pine-Sol to keep flies away.
Dilute it with water to create a 50/50 solution and wipe down your counters, tables, and awnings with it. Read more about this magical solution here.
25. Command hooks are a super easy way to hang curtains.
26. Insulate your camper windows during the cold winter months with bubble wrap.
Medium to large bubbles work best. See how it's done here.
27. Invest in a WeBoost cell signal booster.
They're pricey (between $400-$600) but if you plan on working from the road, it's well worth it. According to Jen Shisler, creator of The Van Life App, "As a large metal box, vans actually act as a faraday cage and block signal. This device will get you an extra 2 bars of service."
28. Make scrambled eggs or pancake batter without dirtying up a bowl.
Mix 'em up with milk in an empty water bottle for an easy breakfast.
29. Stack your dishes vertically in a plate cradle so they don't slide around and it's always easy to grab what you need.
Get them on Amazon for $9.99 each.
30. Re-label weekly medicine organizers with different spice names, and fill each compartment with a little of each spice.
From Miss Tweedle.
Get a similar organizer on Amazon for $5.59.
31. Update those ugly floors with vinyl plank flooring.
It's easy to install because you can cut the planks with a utility knife, they come pre-glued, and they're waterproof to boot.
32. Cut up a shoe organizer for instant bed storage.
33. A bar of Irish Spring soap will keep mice out of your vehicle.
Not convinced? Read this testimonial from a blogger.
34. Line every shelf and drawer with non-slip liners.
35. Save all the free condiments you can.
Not only are they free, but they take up a lot less space than their full-sized counterparts.
36. Keep wasps away with cut up flea collars.
Wasps are attracted to the smell and taste of propane. To repel them, cut a flea collar in half and place in your RV compartments.
37. Slit foam swim noodles lengthwise and slip over each awning strut.
No more bonked heads!
38. Hook up IKEA LED lights to run on your trailer's 12V system.
Get the instructions here.
39. A suspension rod in the shower lets you hang clothes while they're still damp.
40. Anti-fatigue floor mats on the bottoms of bunks add comfort and insulation.
They're cheap, too! You can buy 6 squares to fill a bunk for around $15-20.
41. A little spraypaint will help those sun-faded plastic parts on your RV look like new again.
42. Turn any cup into a travel cup with Press n' Seal.
No more sudden spills!
43. These plastic mesh sleeves will keep your precious wine bottles from noisily knocking into each other.
You can get the mesh sleeves here.
44. Re-upholster your camper cushions with the least amount of sewing possible.
It's like wrapping a gift! Get the full directions here.
45. This tip is great for road trips of all kinds: use shower caddies with suction cups to hold kid activities.
46. A collapsible laundry basket becomes a makeshift garbage can at any picnic/camp site.
Just add a plastic garbage liner.
47. Lastly, make sure your RV fridge is always stocked with a giant jar of roadtrip sangria.
Recipe here.
LET'S GO CAMPING!
Do you love these lists? Absolutely hate 'em? Think you can do a better job? Well, good news! BuzzFeed has a brand-new game out at Target wherein you and your friends can compete to come up with the absolute funniest, weirdest, cutest, or grossest list humanly possible. Buy it now for $19.99!
