What We Pack First in the RV
Our short, honest list of the things that go in the RV before anything else — not gadgets, but the few items that always end up earning their space.
The short list
After three years of full-time RV life, the packing list keeps shrinking. Here’s what goes in before anything else:
- A good cast iron pan. It cooks everything and replaces three other things.
- A real sharp knife. One. Not five.
- A printed map of the area we’re heading to. Cell coverage lies.
- A small Bible and the kids’ nature journals. Most-used books in the rig.
- One stack of unmatched but loved tea mugs. Hospitality starts here.
What we stopped packing
- Specialty kitchen gadgets (we used them twice in two years)
- A second set of “nicer” plates
- Books we hadn’t opened in 6 months
- Three sleeping bags of varying mediocrity
Why this matters
The RV teaches you what you actually use. Most of it is not impressive. The things that earn their space tend to be the ones that show up in real life — coffee with a friend, a long drive, a meal cooked on a tired night.
That’s most of life, honestly.