RV MUST HAVE CHECKLIST

And I have put this all together in one easy, time-saving, and money-saving RV MUST HAVE checklist.

Contents

Your RV MUST HAVE checklist. All items can be purchased on Amazon.

RV Must Have Accessories You Need for Electric, Water, and Sewer Hookups

Sewer Hose

RV MUST HAVE CHECKLIST - 12 ESSENTIAL ACCESSORIES for RV Beginners — Buy RV Sewer Hose on Amazon

If your RV has a bathroom you are going to need to empty your black and grey tanks. Your black water tank holds sewage and your grey water tank holds used water from your sinks and shower. And you empty them both with a sewer hose.

It is rare that my husband and I camp at a campground that offers sewer hookups so we dump our tanks at a dump station. So, all we need is a sewer hose.

However, if you will be camping at RV parks that do offer sewer hookups then I suggest buying a kit that contains a sewer hose, and also a connecter which is what you will screw into the sewer connection at the park. You will also need sewer hose support because most RV parks require this.

Disposable Gloves

#2 on your RV must have checklist is disposable gloves! Because you do not want to be touching your really dirty sewer hose.

Disposable rubber gloves are the best for emptying your sewer hose. And I suggest having a box of them handy at all times.

Dirty Water RV Hose

RV accessory MUST HAVE #3. You need a dirty water hose to rinse out your sewer hose.

It is important your dirty water hose is a different color than your drinking water hose so you can clearly identify them because you don’t want to get these mixed up!

RV Drinking Water Hose

You will need a drinking water hose to connect to your campsite’s water hookup or if your campsite does not have water hookups you will use it to fill up your freshwater tank.

Your water hose must be labeled drinking water safe. I would also recommend buying one that is BPA-free, lead-free, and phthalate-free because these are harmful chemicals.

And drinking water hoses come in a variety of lengths. Many RVers have one 50′ or two 25′ drinking water hoses. Most times I fill my freshwater tank at a dump station because they often have potable water and a shorter hose works perfectly but there have been times when using water hookups at a campsite I have been glad I had a longer hose because the water spigot was a distance away. I have found my 35-foot hose to be long enough at the campsites I have been at.

You also want a hose with a 5/8″ inner diameter.

RV Electrical Power Cord

If your campsite has electric hookups you will need a power cord to connect your RV to the power and your RV probably came equipped with one. If not, you will need to purchase one.

But first, you need to determine if your RV is set up for 30 Amps or 50 Amps. If your RV did not come with a power cord, you should be able to find this information in your owner’s manual.

If your RV did come with one you can determine if it is a 30 amp or 50 amp by looking at the cord prong. A 30 amp cord has three prongs and a 50 amp has four.

And you should always hook up to the same amperage rating that your RV’s power cord uses.

Most campgrounds have 30 amp hookups, some have 50 amp and others offer both.

So, if your RV is set up for 50 amps it is smart to purchase a 50 amp to 30 amp adapter so you don’t find yourself unexpectedly unable to hook up to power.

Surge Protector

#6 on the MUST-HAVE RV accessory checklist is a surge protector.

An electric surge guard or surge protector protects your RV from a bad power supply. When hooking up to campground power you never know if you are getting a safe current or not. A surge protector notifies you or stops the power when there is a problem. Knowing this is critical because bad power can be a costly mistake because this could damage your appliances and electrical system.

A surge protector evaluates what is going on with the power and alerts you if there are problems with a color signal before you hook up to your RV. This is important because if there are problems you do not want to connect your RV to the outlet.

There are many surge protectors on the market and this one has served us well for 5 years.

GasStop

Buy the GasStop on Amazon

This RV safety device will instantly and automatically shut down the flow of propane if it detects a major leak.

RV MUST HAVES Accessories to Set Up your RV at your Campsite

We are making so much progress! So, let’s keep going! Next up is the ever so important RV MUST HAVES you need to set up your RV at your campsite.

RV Wheel Chocks

RV wheel chocks secure your RV by locking the wheels in place.

So, when hitching up, unhitching and when your RV is parked it is crucial you always have RV chocks or wedges in place. The only time they should not be used is when you are towing your RV down the road.

It only takes a fraction of a second for your RV to start rolling away and get out of control. You do not want this to happen to you! So always make sure your RV chocks are in place.

Bubble Level

#8 on your RV Must HAVE accessory checklist is a bubble level.

A bubble level will be your best friend when you are trying to get your RV level while setting up at our campsite.

There are three major reasons having a level RV is important:

You need to support the weight of your trailer. If your RV is not level you are putting stress on sections of your RV and this can cause costly damage.
Your RV refrigerator needs to be level to function properly.
Comfort – especially when sleeping.

There are many different bubble levels to use. Another popular one is LevelMate Pro. This one uses an app on your phone.

RV Leveling Blocks

Leveling blocks are a MUST HAVE RV accessory if you do not have an automatic leveling system. And they are # 9 on your checklist.

They help you level your RV. You place them behind the wheel of your RV and you drive up on them until you have the right height to level your RV side to side. Think of them as mini ramps for your tires to rest on. My husband made ours and they wood blocks with a beveled edge so driving up on them is easy. Depending on how level your camping spot is and some of them can be pretty unlevel, will determine how many leveling blocks you will need.

If you do not want to make your own RV leveling blocks these are popular ones you can buy on Amazon.

And stackable blocks are another popular way to level your RV. I use them as stabilizer blocks to help support the stabilizer jacks. So they are good for both purposes.

Or instead of stackable leveling blocks, you can purchase curved ramp-like levelers that may RVers really like to use.

RV Jack Pads (Blocks)

Jack pads or blocks are placed underneath your RV’s jack to prevent your jack from sinking into the ground so they are important to have. They are also helpful because your jack doesn’t need to extend as far down which is really nice if you have a manual jack.

We use a piece of wood, but if you prefer to buy jack pads on Amazon, these are the ones I recommend.

RV Bathroom MUST HAVES

There are 2 RV MUST HAVE bathroom accessories you need to prevent your bathroom from smelling and from clogging up your toilet… because that would not be a good experience!

RV Holding Tank Treatment

#11 on your checklist is a holding tank treatment to prevent any nasty bathroom odors.

There are many RV bathroom odor treatments on the market, but I like using Happy Camper because it is an organic, environmentally friendly, biodegradable holding tank treatment that uses NO harsh chemicals.

Not only does it reduce odor which is critical especially in a small camper but it also reduces the buildup of scum, sludge, scale, and clogs.

Happy camper has made my camper happy!

RV Toilet Paper

OK, did you know you should never use the same toilet paper in your RV that you use at home?

That’s why RV toilet paper is #12 on your must have checklist.

Toilet paper specially designed for RV dissolves quickly and it breaks down easier than what you use at home, so it will not clog up your black tank.

I am sure you understand why using toilet paper specially for an RV is important… so enough said about this topic!

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