We prioritized picked an RV that was ready to go. We still have so many house projects to complete, we didn’t want to add more to our plates by purchasing an RV that required a ton of work to be able to use. However, we do want to add our own style and personality to the RV.

As we are working on cleaning it and replacing the mattresses, I’ve been writing a list of things we need to change out or want to improve. I’m breaking this list into two categories: our must-haves before our first trip and upgrade in time.

Must-Haves Before Our First Trip:

• roller blinds – The blinds in the RV are all bent, missing, or just not as functional as they could be. We want to make them a little cleaner and easier to maintain.
• new bunk mattresses – It’s a little gross to sleep on used bedding, especially once we pulled off the sheets. The queen was in great condition, but the bunk mattresses were a little gross and thin. We ordered these mattresses and I’m really hoping they work out. They had a bunch of reviews.
• mattress protectors – We put mattress protectors on all our mattresses and pillows, so it will be the same for the RV. I got waterproof protectors for all beds, just in case of drink spills or potty accidents.
• new RV propane detector – I don’t know how old the one is in the RV, but it looks old. It says on it to replace it within a certain time frame and I’m pretty sure that ever happened. We will also make sure there is a carbon monoxide detector as well.
• cast iron pans – I LOVE our cast iron pans. We use them daily in our house, so I think it will just be easier to get new pans for the RV. Since we love them already, I know I want this classic pan and this flat pan in the RV. I might want a bigger one for the campfire and a dutch oven too.
• water filter – whether we pick a water dispenser type filter or a smaller refrigerator filter, I think it would be really handy to have one on the RV. We don’t drink bottled water (other than very occasional gallon sized bottles), so it would be better to just have a filter on board.

Future Upgrades:

• Beddy’s RV bedding sets – I have had my eye on these for years. Even just owning the RV for two days, I can already tell that these sheet sets would make a huge difference. The comforters and sheets are already dangling all over the place. They are a bit expensive, but I think they will be worth it!
• nice coffee maker – We love our espresso machine at home and we are going to want that same comfort during our travels. Maybe even more! It’s so relaxing to enjoy a nice cup of coffee in the morning at a beautiful campsite. I’ll probably want a traditional espresso machine instead of pods (it’s easier to get more coffee and less wasteful), but I’m not sure what machine I want yet.
• Crow Canyon dishes – My sister got me one of these bowls for Christmas and I’m obsessed with it. I want all of their products for the camper. It’s definitely going to be one of those things that I start asking for pieces at birthdays or holidays to collect!
• organic pillows – I love our pillows that we have in the house. We will probably just haul a lot of the house stuff to the RV for a while. If we are serious about it and do it regularly, it would be nice to have some of that stuff stocked and ready.
• TV – We probably are going to add this before our first trip, but it felt unnecessary to add it to the must-haves. The TV would be fun, but the point of camping is to get away from all of that. It also strange to look at an empty entertainment unit, so maybe we could come up with a creative idea.
• painting – It’s good as it is, but we have talked about painting and renovating slightly after we use it a bit.
• reupholstering the couch – The fake leather material on the couch is peeling. We can cover it for now, but I’ll want to redo it someday.

Obviously, we need to make sure we have all the important stuff too: extra keys, all the hoses, etc. The man that sold it to us gave us a bunch of that stuff, including the anti-sway hitch. We will have to sort through all the utensils, hoses, cables, etc. before a trip. But this list has been a helpful starting point!