Overpacking for RV Trips: My Confessions & Tips for Traveling Light

“Remember that time we brought seven lawn chairs for three people?” I ask Meg my wife, a mischievous gleam in my eye. She groans theatrically, “Oh, the humanity!” We both chuckle, a shared memory of our earier blundering RVing days. Back then, our RV resembled a mobile storage unit more than a comfortable camper. Yes, your truly was part of a family of master packrats.

The ‘Just in Case’ Apocalypse

My wife, bless her heart (and her nursing, Scouter, early girl guide background coupled with being adopted into a nest of packrats ) was the true overpacking champion. “What if’s” haunted her every move. “What if it rains? What if we get cold? What if there’s a donkey apocalypse?” (Okay, maybe that last one was slightly silly).

• Lawn chairs? We had enough to host a neighborhood barbecue, despite our introverted tendancies
• Towels? I swear, we could have opened a small linen shop.
• Clothing? We packed for every possible weather scenario, from biting blizzards to blistering heatwaves.
• Blankets? We could have comfortably hibernated for a month.
• Dishes? Enough to entertain the entire campground, even though we were just the three of us sometimes another

And the food! Don’t even get me started on the food. The fridge was bursting at the seams. We had coolers overflowing with perishables, and a separate container for dry goods that could have fed a small army. All for a weekend getaway. I swear, we could have survived a nuclear winter with the amount of provisions we hauled along.

My Military-Inspired (Sort Of) Packing Hack

I learned very early on in my military career, that you pack and carry everything on your back. So you become more selective of what you take with you.  Now, I wasn’t completely innocent. My own packing habits, while more “practical,” left a lot to be desired. My weakness? Salty snacks. Chips were non-negotiable. I also prioritized a well-stocked beverage supply (for hydration purposes, of course) and an extensive toolbox, just in case I needed to perform emergency surgery on the RV. Always be Prepared! So the Scout motto goes.

The Day of Reckoning: A Packing Nightmare

One fateful friday, we were preparing for a trip. The RV was already overflowing, a testament to my wife’s meticulous planning. I thought we were done, but my wife had other ideas. “Did you pack the pillows?” , tossing a mountain of them onto the heaping bed. “And the hammock! We might want to relax under the stars.” And then, the pièce de résistance: an inflatable neon donut “In case the water is deep like at Bon Echo!”

Loading the truck felt like attempting to squeeze a giraffe into a phone booth. I sweated profusely, muttering under my breath about the perils of overpacking. By the time we finally hit the road, we were exhausted and it was later than we wanted it to be. Navigating rush-hour traffic with this behemoth of a vehicle was a white-knuckle experience. I swear I saw stars.

Arriving at the campsite, we were famished. My son, usually the grill master, was tasked with setting up the BBQ. But with the truck bed overflowing, the search was fruitless. We spent what felt like an eternity digging through piles of “essentials” – the extra pillows, the hammock, the inflatable flamingos – before we finally unearthed the grill. By the time we fired it up, we were all hangry.

I worked as the grill master this time while the rest of the family were apparently dying of imaginary starvation and produced the most satisfying dinner EVER. It must be true because they were inhaled so quickly, I don’t think anyone actually had a chance to taste them. The energy  we had left for the day was very low. My wife mentioned she wanted a campfire, so being the awesome husband that I am, I showed her where the fire pit was so she could start one. As you might imagine that didn’t go over too well, but at least it was a quiet evening, even though it was a little chilly.

Two days later, Sunday rolled around, and the dreaded time to pack up had arrived. Operation ‘Reverse Trailer pack’ initiated! I usually tackle the exterior, while my wife reigns supreme inside. But let me tell you, the sounds emanating from inside that trailer were less than melodic. It sounded like a war zone in there! Seems the kitchen had devolved into a chaotic obstacle course, littered with mountains of dirty dishes (despite our valiant efforts to keep up). I could practically hear the air turn blue. When she finally emerged, I swear the sky cracked open with her essence, I knew then it was time to rumble.

Stuffing everything back into the truck bed was defying known laws of space. It’s like the universe conspires against you when you pack up; somehow, the same amount of stuff suddenly occupies twice the space. Thank goodness for my arsenal of bungee cords and rope – they were put to the ultimate test! And miraculously, we managed to make it back home without littering the highway with our belongings. Your welcome world!

Were we done? Ha! Unpacking and cleaning commenced, turning our home into a disaster zone. But hey, at least we had enough food to last us for the next three weeks! The mountain of dirty dishes made a triumphant march to the dishwasher, while the (thankfully) smaller pile of laundry shuffled off to the laundry room. As for the truck bed? Well, that could wait a couple of days. I needed a break from the chaos!

The Rocky Road to Minimalism (and Sanity)

Since that epic camping weekend, slowly but surely, we have started to embrace a more minimalist approach. Compostable recycled plates, or napkins in those fast food style baskets. Cleanup became a breeze (almost), and the stress of washing mountains of dishes at the campsite was significantly reduced. Having a meal plan helps so we don’t try to pack an entire grocery store to take with us on a weekend.

Lessons Learned: Packing Light for RVing Bliss

This experience was a wake-up call. Overpacking wasn’t just inconvenient; it was downright stressful.

• Embrace disposables: For short trips, disposable plates and cutlery are a lifesaver, we watch for sales on compostable, or simple wood cutlery or paper that we can burn safely
• Create a packing list: This will help you avoid impulse packing and ensure you don’t forget essentials.
• Plan ahead- food prep– to minimize mess and keep within budget we plan to make a few dishes that we pack the left overs to freeze and use for camping trips. Often can just take out of freezer and either put on fire, grill or bake in the oven (weather dependent)
• Utilize packing cubes: These magical little bags can help you maximize space and keep your belongings organized.
• Embrace the “less is more” philosophy: Bring only the essentials and learn to adapt, try to use items that serve multiple purposes.
• Shoopsie!!!: The park store, local grocery, general or big box store are usually within an hour drive if you’ve forgotten a MUST have, and don’t be scared to ask fellow campers if you can borrow or spare a small amount (can opener, wine bottle opener, coffee grinder/or couple scoops of ground) Most of us have been there are happy to help if possible.
• Upgrades: Trailer upgrades must make your life easier, and not create more work. Don’t embrace working harder, not smarter.
• Food on demand: Needed to keep away the hangry beasties that creep in when you’re behind schedule and disturbing the Peace is the least of your fears. Something that can be eaten without heating, utensils or manners is best. We have often grabbed take out that everyone can enjoy- my wife would drop in on way home from work to a local grocery or restaurant and we enjoy falafel wraps, grape leaves and some salads and enjoy them over the weekend, not to mention munchies and a cold beverage.

So, there you have it. Our journey from enthusiastic packrats to (somewhat) recovering hoarding RV’ers . Now, when we pack for an RV trip, we focus on the essentials and leave the unnecessary baggage behind. And Meg well she tries to declutter the items we haven’t used in awhile when closing, and when we open it back up in the spring we have been plotting all winter on projects and our next adventures.

Now, I want to hear from you! Share your own overpacking confessions or your best tips for traveling light in the comments below. Let’s learn from each other and make RV trips more enjoyable for everyone. Happy travels!