We picked up our new van today, yay a 2011 25ft Jayco Sterling. We have it parked at our place just until Tuesday when it will be taken out to a storage shed on a friends property. I'd like to pack it with some clothes, kitchen non perishables, blankets etc. so on our trips away we don't have to spend forever packing. We will only be doing long weekends and short trips over the next few years. Does anyone have any suggestions for must have items that are not the norm? Things that you wish you knew about and couldn't just go and grab in a small town? Thanks in advance!
Hi lisa, welcome to the playground. Must haves are different for everyone. when we are storing we take out all food, even non perishables. Don't want ants, ****ies or rats to be attracted to food. Enjoy.
Take a tip. Forget clothing nOW. Set the van up with full homeware. Cutlery ,Crockery, kitchen items Including microwave/cooking gear. Cleaning gear, etc etc.
Have it fully set up so it can go anytime. with just the clothes for the areas you going to/ and foodstuffs to match.
If you load clothes now. Are you loading them for snow or up here in tropics???. Easier to do at the time.
When we, and a lot I know are travelling long time. we used to keep post cartons of clothing to suit different areas. At friends/family. (Prepacked.) Then when changing climates just ring for suitable pack to be Sent. and pack/send the current stuff back when it arrives. But that was with small vans and looong trips.
We never go South of Yeppoon. so tropics all yr for us. Sandals. shorts. jocks and 1\2 doz, t shirts for me.. Simple. Di chucks in a coupla bra,s .
Always have a coupla fishing outfits there. they can supplement meals nicely. Fresh and sal****er.
Hmmmm Never even noticed that...................^^^ "Salt-Water."
Somebody on the ball. Hey.
Have fun and enjoy. It's a great life, then some.
-- Edited by macka17 on Sunday 7th of August 2016 07:17:40 PM
Thanks guys for the tips and info. We cant wait to get going. Unfortunately no retirement for us for around 15 years when we will be 60. I doubt workaholic hubby will ever give up work completely. He will be hassling the grey nomads on the road to fix there electrical and air cons so look out! Looking forward to some east coast trips in the meantime.
one of the "tricks" many nomads do is to buy a box of coloured (orange or pink stands out the most) one sided sticky dots from Office Works or a decent news agency.
Stick a dot (the removable type) onto most things (not your knickers etc) like clothing and other items you think you may not often use. If you use it more than once, take the dot off.
After about 6 months, go through your stuff and take all the things with a dot still attached out of your 'van.
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Cheers Bruce
The amazing things you see when nomading Australia
Not all are workaholics. there are much nicer things to do in life, believe me.
I retired at 49yrs.
and basically cruised in my yacht (and van) ever since.
A lot of people are conned into the work and pay taxes to keep your politicians in the life they deserve (Ha Ha)
till 65 regime. retire and fade away over next ten yrs.
Hah,
A lot of us, Basically yachties. with and without wives.
Bred and trained kids.,
worked and saved till we had what we wanted. then stopped. and did our thing.
just working for a while some yrs to top up reserves.
Work is NOT.. the be all, and end all, of life. Just a lever to a better part.
You just have to get what you want b4 you start.
and you hopefully die owing a dollar hey.
Enjoy
it. It's a great life. Travelling.
Our food cupboard has long shelf life, non-refrigerated stuff - tinned peas/corn, instant mash potato, canned fish (sardines,tuna,salmon), baked beans, tinned fruit, potato crisps, muesli bars, pasta meals, peanut butter & vegemite. Get dry biscuits, bread, cheese, meat, milk, fresh or frozen vegetables as required/available.
I don't buy coloured dots but find labelling it good. Used do it at work. Everything in the fridge on Monday morning had a label put on it. Still there next Monday it got thrown out.
Save you old knickers, sox etc, take them with you, wear an extra day or two then bin them.
Kitchen gizmos are as important as anything (as noted above) - can & bottle openers, scissors, decent bread/meat knives, chopping board.
You do need several trips to decide what you really need and don't need. Watch what other campers have.
And a small tool kit - hammer, spanner, pliers, 100mph tape, cable ties, screw drivers, allen keys, silicone sealant, good glue.
Small box of rags and/or old towels.
-- Edited by LLD on Monday 8th of August 2016 10:33:14 AM
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GRANDPARENTS & GRANDCHILDREN GET ON SO WELL TOGETHER BECAUSE THEY HAVE A COMMON ENEMY
Hi Lisa, and welcome aboard. We're both still working for another year or two and have had our van for a bit over a year now. We will be doing the big lap when we retire, and in the meantime have been doing many short trips away, weekends here and there, and the odd chunk of a week during holiday breaks etc. Each trip has helped us to get to know our van more & more, what we need, what we don't, what we'd like, what the protocols of free and park camping are, etc. It's been a terrific experience and a highly enjoyable trip along a learning curve. I think it's essential to do many short trips away like this to get to know your gear, how to use it properly, and how to tweak it to exactly what works best for you. You also get to learn a hell of a lot from other nomads and their setups along the way. And have lots of trips away in the process!!
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There are three types of people: Those who can count, and those who can't.
we keep our beds made up......sheets, doona, light blanket and a throw............... spare sheets and pillow cases in the cupboard.
half a dozen towels...light ones which will dry easy
kitchen towels, hand towels and dog towels
beach towels
crockery and cutlery
basic cooking utensils
basic shower needs, soaps, combs and toothbrushes etc.
As with Rip & Rosie do the same with bedding & towels. We tend to always pack clothes for 7-10 days. After that you are looking to do a bit of washing. The laundromat at a van park is a great place for a conversation & get travel information. Almost as good as the camp kitchen. Always seem to find a good supermarket (mainly IGA) in most small towns whether just passing thru or camped there. Many fuel station also carry basics. We've extended our original plans by 7-10 days on several occasions as we saw no reason to go home. Ah retirement!! No idea where I got the time to go to work.
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GRANDPARENTS & GRANDCHILDREN GET ON SO WELL TOGETHER BECAUSE THEY HAVE A COMMON ENEMY
i keep our van packed including basic clothes. This way we can decide in a split second to hit the road for a few days or a few weeks and be gone within half an hour of making the decision, just need to throw in some 'going out' clothes in case there is a decent club or restaurant in or near where we are going and some fresh/perishable type food. Just took delivery of our new van on Thursday so i am now in the process of packing it ready for our shake down trip this Thursday for 2 weeks and have found some stuff that doesnt need to be packed ( had to make room for the new stuff i bought )
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Dare to live the life you have dreamed for yourself. Go forward and make your dreams come true.
Us it's Cruskets, cheese and chilli tuna 100g cans backed beans, Soagettti . Eggs and milk . Weat bix and rolled Oates for cereal .. Brown bro wine ., dried Apple,apricot . Milk powder if we run out of milk .. We seem to have the above even though we have other foods . Tend to buy sausages more than straight meat as it has some preservative . Weather that's good or bad ? Often cooked up as curry with veggies . Extra nice the next day !!
Absolutely...lol to the wine especially Brown Brothers. Thanks everyone for the info. Our first trip is next weekend. Just 2 hours from home for 3 nights. We plan to do this for a few years to come before making the big trip around Aus. Until then its all practice.
-- Edited by Lisa Ozzy on Tuesday 9th of August 2016 01:33:34 PM
If you are leaving your van at a friends property, make sure you have a wheel lock and tow ball hitch lock.(or even take wheels off) Thieving is absolutely rife in rural areas nowadays...thanks to ice.
Collo.
-- Edited by Collo on Tuesday 9th of August 2016 05:58:21 PM
