Campervan essentials: the complete packing checklist

Campervan packing is a different discipline from tent camping. You have more space, which is simultaneously an advantage and a trap — the temptation to overload is significant, and a heavy van handles worse, drinks more fuel, and takes up more space at UK campsites and campervan sites than a lightly packed one. This checklist covers what you actually need, not everything you could possibly bring.

Cooking and kitchen

Most campervans come with a gas hob, so your cooking list starts with a gas lighter or matches (backup always), a decent pot and pan, a sharp knife, a chopping board, and utensils. Add: mugs, plates and bowls for every person, a washing-up bowl and biodegradable soap, a bottle opener and corkscrew, and a small colander.

For food storage: a bag of ice or frozen water bottles for the coolbox, airtight containers for dry goods, and a condiment caddy so you're not routing through every bag for salt. A small cafetière or stovetop espresso maker is for most vanlifers a non-negotiable rather than a luxury.

Sleeping and comfort

Even if the motorhome or campervan comes with bedding, bring your own sleeping bag as a backup — it's far warmer than van-supplied duvets, which tend to be optimistic about UK temperatures. A good pillow makes an enormous difference to overnight comfort. Black-out blinds or curtains matter more than most first-timers expect; a campervan site or motorhome parking spot is rarely dark, and sleeping until 7am in July requires some help.

A doormat placed outside the van prevents a significant amount of dirt and mud from coming inside. Towels — one per person, more than you think — and a small bag of toiletries kept in the bathroom area rather than distributed through the van saves a lot of morning frustration.

Utilities and waste

The parts of campervan life nobody talks about until you need them: a fresh water container and hose adapter for filling the onboard tank (the connectors at UK campsites vary), grey waste management (check whether your van has a grey tank or bucket system), and a toilet chemical supply for the cassette toilet if fitted.

A portable power bank for charging devices when you're not plugged in, a 12V car charger, and a head torch for walking to site facilities at night. A basic tool kit — WD-40, cable ties, gaffer tape, a multi-tool — has saved countless trips.

Navigation and safety

A Satnav or mount that accounts for vehicle height is genuinely important in the UK, where narrow country lanes and low bridges can catch vanlifers off guard. Download offline maps on your phone before you go — signal in rural Wales, Scotland, and the West Country can be poor. A printed road atlas as backup is old-fashioned and worth every gram.

First aid kit, a fire extinguisher rated for vehicle fires (check that the van has one, particularly on hired vans), and a gas detector if you have a gas hob — CO and propane detectors are inexpensive and important. A set of wheel chocks and a spirit level for finding level ground on sloped pitches completes the safety essentials.

What most people forget

In rough order of how much it matters: a doorstop (keeping the van door open without it blowing shut is an occupational hazard), a clothes line and pegs for damp towels, sunscreen (you're outdoors more than usual), the EHU cable mentioned above, and a bag specifically for recycling separated from general rubbish. On campsite bookings at managed UK campsites, recycling disposal is often available but requires you to have separated it beforehand.