How many levelling ramps does a motorhome need?

Two is normally enough. Because you can drive up each ramp by a different amount, a pair levels side-to-side and front-to-back at the same time — put them under the two wheels on the lower side or axle and drive up together. Four are only needed on very uneven ground.

What do people only miss once they are on the road?

Four things, in practice: the country adapter for gas, a bucket for sites without a drive-over drain, spare fuses, and the vehicle dimensions written down by the driver’s seat. All four are noticed only when it is too late, and all four weigh almost nothing.

Does the fridge need pre-cooling before setting off?

Yes, if it is an absorption fridge. It needs several hours to reach temperature and cannot bring warm food down while you drive. Connect it to hook-up the evening before and only load it once it is cold.

How much hook-up cable do you need on a campsite?

Twenty-five metres is a common minimum, because the bollard is rarely right beside your pitch. Add an adapter from CEE to a domestic plug for older sites that have no CEE bollards yet.

How heavily can a motorhome be loaded?

The figure that counts is the maximum authorised mass on the registration document. Water, gas and luggage add up faster than expected: a full 100-litre fresh water tank alone weighs 100 kilograms. If in doubt, drive over a public weighbridge fully loaded once.

What is the most common avoidable damage to a motorhome?

The awning. It gets wound in too late when the wind picks up, and a single gust is enough. The rule: wind it in when the wind arrives rather than waiting, and always close it overnight.

Send it to the app — then tick it off and keep planning

Motorhome Packing List

The motorhome packing list for first-timers and old hands: onboard systems, water and waste, the kitchen, pitch gear, and the small things you only miss once you are parked up. Tick it off, pull it into the app with the code — and next time your motorhome inventory already knows what is on board.

Open in the app

133 items · 14 categories

Documents and vehicle

The bundle without which the trip does not start at all. Everything here belongs in the vehicle, not in the daypack that goes walking with you.

Vehicle registration document and driving licenceAbroad you will be asked for the registration document far more often than at home.
Passport or national ID cardFor non-EU destinations, check the remaining validity: six months beyond your return date is a common requirement.
Warning triangle, hi-vis vests, first-aid kitSeveral countries require one vest per person, not per vehicle. Count them — do not just confirm they exist.
Green Card insurance certificateRarely needed inside the EU, often asked for outside it. It costs nothing and saves a long roadside argument.
Toll vignettes or a toll appAustria and Switzerland enforce strictly, and you cannot buy a vignette at every border crossing.
Spare key kept separatelySeparately means with another person, not in the same vehicle. Locked in the drawer it helps nobody.
Vehicle dimensions written down and visibleHeight, width, length and weight on a card by the driver’s seat. There is no time to look them up at a low bridge.
Camping Card or ACSI cardHalf price on many sites out of season, and it doubles as a document you can leave at reception instead of your passport.
GHIC, EHIC or proof of travel insuranceA GHIC or EHIC covers state healthcare only. Repatriation needs a policy of its own.

Electrics and gas

Two systems almost everything on board depends on, and both like to fail when the nearest dealer is a long drive away.

CEE hook-up cable, 25 metresThe bollard is rarely on your pitch. Twenty-five metres is the practical minimum on many sites.
CEE to domestic plug adapterOlder sites still have no CEE bollards. Without an adapter the hook-up stays unused.
Extension lead and multi-way socketThe socket inside the vehicle is almost never where you need to charge something.
12 V chargers and USB adaptersCharging on 12 V is much kinder to the leisure battery than going through the inverter.
Spare fusesA blown fuse takes out the fridge or the water pump, and the right replacement is hard to find on the road.
Gas bottle level checkedGas always runs out mid-meal, never while packing. Weighing beats guessing.
Gas hose and regulator inspectedGas hoses carry a printed expiry date and are the most common reason a gas inspection fails.
Country adapters for gasThe connection differs in Italy, France and Spain. Without an adapter the full bottle sits uselessly in its locker.
Gas bottle spannerWithout it you cannot change the bottle, and it is famously the one thing left at home in the toolbox.

Water and waste

The routine that sets the rhythm of a motorhome trip. Store it strictly apart: fresh water kit never next to waste kit.

Fresh water hose with adaptersFood-grade, and stored separately. Tap threads differ from country to country.
Watering can for topping upWhen the tap will not reach the vehicle, the can is the difference between filling up and moving the whole motorhome.
Water filter or purificationMains quality varies in southern Europe, and the tank sits still for days in the heat.
Toilet chemicals or an alternativeSome sites ban chemical additives. Carrying a biological product saves hunting for one locally.
Fast-dissolving toilet paperOrdinary paper blocks the cassette and turns emptying into a mess.
Disposable gloves for emptyingThe one item on this list whose absence you notice immediately and vividly.
Waste water hose and bucketNot every site has a drive-over drain. With a bucket you manage there too.
Tank sanitiser for longer tripsAfter two or three weeks tank quality drops noticeably, especially in summer.

Kitchen and crockery

An onboard kitchen differs from the one at home in two ways: very little space, and the fact that everything moves once you drive.

Stackable pansDetachable handles save more space in a motorhome than it sounds.
Plates, bowls, mugsMelamine or enamel rather than ceramic: it survives the first sharp bend.
Cutlery and one sharp knifeOne good knife replaces three bad ones, and it is the most common disappointment in holiday lets and motorhomes alike.
Chopping boardWorktop space is tight. A board across the sink doubles it.
Tin opener, corkscrew, peelerThe three small things taken for granted at home and reliably missing on the road.
Fridge pre-cooled and loadedAn absorption fridge needs hours. Pre-cool on hook-up the evening before, or you are driving warm food around.
Cool box or ice packsFor the shop on arrival day, while the fridge is still coming down to temperature.
Storage boxes to stop things slidingAnything not wedged in migrates on the first bend. Boxes are quieter and save tidying time.
Kitchen roll and dishclothOn the road, kitchen roll is napkin, cloth and coaster at once.
Washing-up liquid and a bowlThe bowl saves water, because you are not rinsing under a running tap.
Coffee or tea kitThe one item whose absence reliably ruins the first morning.
Bin bags and separate wasteMany sites separate strictly and check. Two bags on board save re-sorting at the bins.

Food and staples

The stores that feed you in the evening even when the supermarket was shut or the site sits a long way from anywhere.

Pasta, rice, couscousLong-lasting, small to pack, and ready in ten minutes.
Passata and tinned vegetablesWith pasta this becomes a meal, and none of it needs refrigerating.
Oil, vinegar, salt, pepperThe basics that rescue any dish and are never complete in a holiday kitchen.
Spices in small tinsFull jars are dead weight. Small tins weigh almost nothing and make the difference.
Coffee, tea, sugarOften expensive locally, or only available in the wrong sort.
Long-life milk or plant drinkSurvives heat and travel, and rescues breakfast while the fridge is still empty.
Muesli or porridge oatsBreakfast with no refrigeration and no shopping trip on the first morning.
Tins for the emergency eveningTwo or three for the night when everything is shut or the weather keeps everyone inside.
Bottled drinking waterIndependent of the tank, and the simpler answer in countries where mains quality is uncertain.
Snacks for the drivePrevents the expensive services stop, and the bad mood that precedes it.

Pitch and outdoors

Everything that happens in front of the vehicle. This is what decides whether a pitch feels like home after ten minutes or still does not after an hour.

Levelling rampsTwo are enough if you drive up them by different amounts: that levels side-to-side and front-to-back at once.
Chocks for securingNot the same as levelling ramps. These stop the vehicle rolling once the handbrake alone is not enough.
Camping table and chairsSitting outside is half the reason for the trip. Folding and light beats sturdy and heavy.
Awning or sun sailWind them in when the wind picks up, rather than waiting. Awning damage is the most common avoidable holiday repair.
Pegs, ground anchors, guy linesKeeps the awning and the groundsheet where they belong.
Outdoor matKeeps sand and grass outside. Some sites allow only breathable types.
Washing line and pegsSaves coins at the dryer and gets swimwear dry overnight.
Outside light or string lightsThe path to the door is darker at night than you expect, and the vehicle lights draw insects.
Doormat at the doorThe cheapest measure there is against sand in the bed.
Barbecue with charcoal or gasOpen fires are banned in many places; a gas barbecue is permitted almost everywhere.

Living and sleeping

The interior is a living room by day and a bedroom by night. Whatever makes that switch quick belongs on board.

Bedding and pillowsFitted sheets cut to size are worth it: motorhome mattresses are rarely a standard measurement.
Sleeping bag or warm blanketA reserve for nights colder than forecast, and for guests who stay over.
Towels and beach towelsKept apart from each other, or everything is damp by the third day.
Blackout blinds or thermal matsFitted outside they keep the heat out; fitted inside the windows mist up less.
Mosquito net or fly screenIn southern Europe and by lakes, the difference between sleeping and lying awake.
Coat hangersThe wardrobe is narrow. Hangers stop the pile of clothes building on the bench seat.
Earplugs and eye maskPitches are often closer to roads than the photograph suggests.
Heating or an extra blanket checkedEven in summer, mountain nights drop below ten degrees.
Small cushions for the seating areaThey turn the bench into somewhere you actually stay sitting in the evening.

Clothing

In a motorhome you pack by layers, not by occasions. A few things that combine beat a full wardrobe.

Underwear and socksThe rule of thumb: days away divided by two, plus two. There is always somewhere to wash.
T-shirts and long-sleeved topsThe base layer that combines with everything else.
Jumper or fleeceThe mid layer that makes the difference at the table outside in the evening.
Waterproof jacket and trousersIn the mountains and on the coast the weather turns faster than the forecast shows.
Warm jacket for eveningsEven at the height of summer it cools sharply after sunset.
Long trousers and shortsFor walks, cool evenings, and churches with a dress code.
Sturdy shoes and light shoesOne pair for walking, one for comfort. Rarely is more needed.
Water shoes or flip-flopsFor the shower block and stony shores alike.
Swimwear and a towelEven away from the sea: many sites have a pool or a lake.
Hat and sunglassesOn water and at altitude the sun is far stronger than at home.
NightwearStatistically the single most forgotten item when packing.
Laundry bag for worn clothesKeeps clean apart from dirty, which blurs quickly in a narrow wardrobe.

Washing and bathroom

The bathroom is small and the water is limited. Small sizes and few products are not thrift here — they are necessity.

Toothbrush and toothpasteSmall tube: the large one fits no onboard bathroom and weighs more than it needs to.
Shower gel and shampooBiodegradable, because on many sites it ends up in the grey water.
Deodorant and hairbrushSmall sizes, because storage in the bathroom is the scarcest space on board.
Shaving kitWet shaving saves power, electric saves water. Each has its moment on a trip.
High-factor sun creamBy water and at altitude, your usual factor is not enough.
Aftersun or moisturiserSun, wind and salt dry skin out far faster than daily life does.
Insect repellentEssential by lakes and rivers in the evening, and often expensive to buy locally.
Wet wipesThey replace the shower when the water tank runs low or the facilities are closed.
Nail scissors and tweezersFor splinters and ticks — and for ticks, the tweezers in a first-aid kit are usually too blunt.
Personal medication in its original packagingWith the leaflet, so that nobody abroad has to guess at the active ingredient.

First aid and medicines

The medical kit is where economising pays off least. Abroad, at night, neither the remedy nor the language is available.

First-aid kit, expiry date checkedThe kit in the vehicle expires, and out-of-date contents count as a defect at a roadside check.
Plasters in several sizesThe most-used item in the whole kit.
Blister plastersNew walking boots and long days are the most common reason a day out is cut short.
Painkillers and something for feverAbroad these are often pharmacy-only, and only during opening hours.
Something for upset stomachs and nauseaDifferent water and different food are the rule when travelling, not the exception.
Rehydration sachetsIn heat and after a stomach upset, more useful than any medicine.
Antiseptic creamSmall grazes become infected faster in summer and in water.
Insect bite gelIt saves the night nobody would otherwise sleep through.
ThermometerSmall, light, and the difference between waiting and finding a doctor.
Hand sanitiserFor wounds and for hands when there is no water nearby.
Tick removerIn the woods and meadows of central Europe this is standard, not a precaution.

Tools and breakdown kit

You reach for all of this in the same moment, usually in the dark and in a hurry. That is why it belongs together in one place.

Tool set and duct tapeTogether they solve more problems on the road than any other single item on this list.
Torch or head torchKept by the door. The phone light is always in the vehicle at the moment it is needed.
Spare bulbs and fusesRequired by law in some countries, and a failed rear light is a favourite reason to stop you.
Compressor or puncture repair kitMany motorhomes carry no spare wheel. Then the kit is the only way to get moving again.
Tyre pressures checkedLoaded, a motorhome needs considerably more pressure than empty. Under-inflation is the most common cause of tyre failure.
Tow rope and work glovesGetting stuck on soft ground is more common than an actual breakdown.
Jump leads or a jump-start power bankAfter a few days standing, the starter battery is the most likely thing to fail.
Cable ties and wireThey hold everything together until a workshop can do it properly.
Multi-tool or pocket knifeStore it in the vehicle rather than carrying it: in some countries it otherwise counts as a weapon.
Spare keys for the gas locker and hatchesThe body locks have their own keys, which you only miss once one is gone.

Technology and navigation

Power is scarce on board and a signal cannot be assumed. What works offline is worth more than what does more.

Navigation with a motorhome profileOrdinary sat navs send motorhomes under low bridges and into narrow lanes.
Offline maps downloadedIn the mountains and near borders the signal drops out exactly when you need it.
Pitch-finder app with offline dataThe search for somewhere to stop often begins where the reception ends.
Power bankFor the day away from the vehicle, and as a reserve when the leisure battery is flat.
Charging cables for every deviceA missing cable disables a device just as thoroughly as an empty battery.
HeadphonesIn a small space, the simplest form of retreat.
Camera with a spare batteryThe phone battery is flat by evening, and that is exactly when the light arrives.
Small Bluetooth speakerUse it considerately: quiet hours are enforced on many sites.

Cleaning

A motorhome gets dirty faster than a house, because only a doorstep separates outside from in.

Dustpan and brushThe most-used object on board, second only to the coffee maker.
All-purpose cleaner and clothsOne product for everything saves space and is entirely enough for the interior.
Microfibre clothsFor windows that mist up overnight, and for everything else too.
Glass cleanerMisted and smeared windscreens are a genuine safety issue with a low sun.
Bucket and spongeFor washing the outside where the site allows it, and for emptying.
Detergent for hand washingA small amount goes a long way: it doubles how far your clothes stretch.
Spare bin bagsIn practice, the thing that runs out first.

Rainy days and downtime

Wet days are part of every trip. What is on board then decides the mood inside the vehicle.

A pack of cards or dice gameSmall, needs no power, and works for any number of people.
Book or e-readerAn e-reader lasts weeks without a socket and stays readable in bright sun.
Walking map of the areaPaper works without a battery and shows connections a phone screen cannot hold.
BinocularsFor wildlife, for views, and for checking a pitch before you drive onto it.
Beach towel and windbreakOn the coast, shelter from the wind matters more often than shade.
Bikes and locksThe pitch is rarely where you want to eat in the evening.
Rain poncho for days outTakes less room than a second jacket and saves the day.
Notebook and penFor pitch codes, directions, and everything the battery will not stretch to.

Common questions

How many levelling ramps does a motorhome need?: Two is normally enough. Because you can drive up each ramp by a different amount, a pair levels side-to-side and front-to-back at the same time — put them under the two wheels on the lower side or axle and drive up together. Four are only needed on very uneven ground.
What do people only miss once they are on the road?: Four things, in practice: the country adapter for gas, a bucket for sites without a drive-over drain, spare fuses, and the vehicle dimensions written down by the driver’s seat. All four are noticed only when it is too late, and all four weigh almost nothing.
Does the fridge need pre-cooling before setting off?: Yes, if it is an absorption fridge. It needs several hours to reach temperature and cannot bring warm food down while you drive. Connect it to hook-up the evening before and only load it once it is cold.
How much hook-up cable do you need on a campsite?: Twenty-five metres is a common minimum, because the bollard is rarely right beside your pitch. Add an adapter from CEE to a domestic plug for older sites that have no CEE bollards yet.
How heavily can a motorhome be loaded?: The figure that counts is the maximum authorised mass on the registration document. Water, gas and luggage add up faster than expected: a full 100-litre fresh water tank alone weighs 100 kilograms. If in doubt, drive over a public weighbridge fully loaded once.
What is the most common avoidable damage to a motorhome?: The awning. It gets wound in too late when the wind picks up, and a single gust is enough. The rule: wind it in when the wind arrives rather than waiting, and always close it overnight.

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