The Cupboard Was Bare

So, you've bought an RV. Congratulations! If you're part-timers, like us, then you are now the proud owner of a second home on wheels. The rig will come fully furnished, so there's that. But what about all the other stuff? Unless you intend to lug everything back and forth every time you hit the road, you will need to stock your RV with all the necessities, and it would be easy to spend a small fortune doing so. Because space can be at a premium you might think that RV specific items are your only option, but that's not true. No doubt some are practical and worth the cost, but in many cases there are inexpensive alternatives that will work just as well.

You could call me cheap, but I'm not. I will spend the money for a quality product if it's on sale. I prefer the term frugal, because I don't see the need to spend more than necessary. I don't see why you should either. It's easy to get caught up in the excitement of buying and outfitting your RV. The lure of the specialty products can be hard to resist. I won't lie, I indulged at first, but soon realized that many were over priced gimmicks. I did buy nesting pots with folding handles, nesting kitchen utensils, nesting measuring cups with snap on caps...seeing a theme here?...a broom with a collapsible handle, an adjustable cutlery tray and a dish drying mat (the RV dish drains don't hold much and take up storage space. The mat is machine washable and can be folded and stored in a draw). I am pleased with all of them, but my favorites are the nesting bowls...there it is again...which includes a strainer, sieve and measuring spoons, and my ceramic knife set.

We also bought an ordinary cutting board, toaster, tea kettle, blender, small bath mat and bowl brush, pillows and bedding at a discount store. We use inexpensive covered wastebaskets for the garbage and recycling. We found lots of useful things at the dollar store, including silverware. We made use of extras we already had at home. Those towels that no longer match our remodeled bathroom now reside in the RV. That second microwave pasta cooker I got for Christmas now has a new home. My massive collection of food storage containers (a bone of contention between Bill and I) has been cut in half. I shop at one of those big box stores and pulled from that; sponges, paper towels and plates, plastic cups, shampoo and conditioner, soap, toothpaste, etc. Not only did I outfit the RV, but I uncluttered my house. Win, win.

Of course, your needs will be dictated by the size and storage space of your RV, but there is no need to break the bank. Splurge on the useful things, but buy quality (on sale, of course). Amazon and Walmart offer RV specific items at competitive prices. For the rest, discount and big box stores are a great resource.

-Diane