I am putting alot of my personal things in storage while I travel.The Question is,

"What do I pack to take with me"?,From- linen, towels, clothes,etc.I have no idea.I So maybe The Ladies can advise me on whats what,please. I know it sound silly, But its part of what I need to know.

When we got our camper van, I went out and bought all the new and matching linen and towels, it looked lovely. We travelled the Savannah way and Tanami Track and its very hard to keep the dust out in our rig. A lot of the new pretty stuff was ruined to be honest. And we took too much.

Next year, we will only take what we need and not double up. I took about a dozen towels but not this time. A beach towel each and two bath towels each and thats the limit. Same with sheets, only one pair per bed, they dry in no time to whack them back on the bed.

I took way to many clothes on the last two trips and will cull that dramatically as well. Four t-shirts and shorts plus a good set of duds is all it will be. Token warm weather gear because we only travel to the north and its never cold there. I always pack a good big thick jacket and some jeans just in case though.

Shoes will be joggers, thongs, sandals and walking boots, only one set of each as I needed nothing else.

I am one of the least experienced travellers though mate, so one of the guru's will set you on the right track.

Out rig dictates what we can take, the camper vans don't have a lot of storage.

What are you pulling bushlady?

before we sold our last caravan.  ken and i had 3months at cardwell n.q. i only packed enough ,to last 5 days of just knock around,with 2 outfits to go out in ,if it got a bit formal.   i found with me,the best thing to take is really comfortable walking shoes.     margaret brown

Firefly, you may consider yourself a novice, but you have certainly summed it up perfectly.I have a 20ft c/van with more room, but I don't like clutter.I carry a spare throw rug, and I kept my old double doona in case I passed through cold country. The towels and bed linen needs have been covered very well. About 5 teatowels.As I live in this thing all the time I use both wardrobes because I don't have to share. There is room to make room if I do get the opportunity to share.So I have a variety of clothes - camp/park shorts & tanks, 3/4 pants & t's, a couple of dress up pants and tops. Most of my clothes are 100% cotton because I can't stand synthetics in the heat and humidity. Shoes include joggers, sandals, dress up and dress down thongs. A couple of jackets, flanno shirts, and an overcoat which I haven't had to use yet.Crockery - a 4 setting Corelle and cutlery, tongs, egg slide, stirring spoons, stove lighter etc, a set of pots and pans, elec fry pan, a couple of extra mugs, bowls for mixing, or eating salads, rice, pasta etc. I don't entertain much, but it's nicer than melamine.  A few square storage containers because they stack and store better.You have to consider the weight of these things. I put the heavy stuff in the lower cupboards, and lighter stuff up the top. Don't forget a place for your medications, and the first aid kit. Somewhere for books and stationery. Cleaning products cupboard, maybe in a basket with a solid bottom to keep the accidental spills contained. Those storage boxes are a great option. They're not dust proof but you can place a plastic bag over the items and snap the lid down over it. They keep things neat in their place. Don't forget you have space in the car as well. Cheers Chris

I bought a few big plastic storage bags with the ziplock or slide on them Chris, only five or six dollars for a couple, slid the box or tub into it and no dust.

We had the correlle set but found it too heavy in our little job. All that hard plastic stuff next time. Even found nice plastic wine glasses. I just can't drink wine from a vegemite glass ha ha. 

We bought a little blow heater and small fan as our van is not airconditioned and found them invaluable. The fan in the top end and the heater on the way home, in the few van parks we used.

Bought a lot of our cheap stuff at Aldi. They had a sale believe it or not, for $24 for the lot I bought an iron, toaster, jug and one of those bamix looking things. Twelve month warranty and all on that stuff and its still going strong ha ha.

I did learn the hard way to keep the plug in the sink when travelling though.

I always have a 240v fan on the bench, and I've fitted a reverse cycle split system aircon, mounted on the back bumper of the van with the outlet where the ranghood used to be. I have a blower heater for emergencies in the cold places which I try to avoid. I use acrylic drinking vessels (not really glasses). In fact I try to avoid glass and the corelle dinner ware is ok so far. I don't cook on the stove in the van so the micky wave sits on the stove. I try to make the most of the space I have. Those storage bags are ok but they're very fragile and split at the seams very easily, without putting them under too much pressure. Otherwise they are a good idea. Cheers Chris

Have limited storage space in our van (14 foot length inside), but did live full time in it for 3 years. Have 2 sets sheets & pillowcases. Doona because we are sometimes where it is cold. 4 bath towels, 2 small bathmats, 2 beach towels. 6 tea towels, 3 hand towels.
Use melamine plates and bowls (4 plates, 6 bowls), 2 mugs, acrylic drinking glasses, 2 enamel pie plates.
Have electric frypan, stick blender, electric sandwich/wrap toaster, electric kettle. Set saucepans, a small and large frying pan, kettle (we are not always on power). Some plastic storage containers that stack inside each other. Set 3 steel mixing-serving bowls, a plastic salad bowl. Cutting board. Cutlery for 4, good knife, assorted cooking cutlery etc. Have oven in van - muffin tin, pizza tray, log cake tin.
Carry electric fan and a small fan heater. Also have a 12v fan (noisy!).
Clothes: about 6 T's and tank tops, 2 good polo shirts, 1 good fabric shirt, 2-4 windcheaters, 1 polar fleece jacket. about 6 pairs shorts, 4 pairs long trousers/jeans, 2 pairs long loose light cotton trousers (for mozzie, sandfly country), bathers,  undies etc for 10 days, socks. Japara raincoat.
Very useful is 2 elastic clothes lines, hooks each end, maybe 6 feet long - these can be strung under annexe roof to dry clothes. Don't forget pegs. Liquid wash better than powder in caravan park washers (we can put a man on the moon, but not invent a c.p. washer that works properly!).

Hi firefly, could I please ask what happens if you dont put the plug in the sink? I havent experienced a problem yet, but it probably wont be long before I do. 

We have a Jayco Hawke Camper and not real airtight to say the least. I didn't put the plug in the sink on the Savannah Way, through miles and miles of bulldust. When we popped the van up that night, it was a red dust interior, nothing like the lovely blue we started out with.

Noticed the plug out, put it in from that day forward and lessened the dust intake for sure.

Wow, This is great,i love to make lists.This is a good list, Thanks so much everyone.Please any little thing that will make it easy,I would love to know..Before I put it to everyone, It seemed so daunting..Do I need to carry a small genny?

Regards Annie

-- Edited by bushladybythesea on Thursday 20th of August 2009 08:33:17 PM