How to avoid an overloaded caravan

As a nation, nearly two thirds of us are overweight; but when it comes to caravanning, the percentage is higher. I’m not getting personal – this is about all the unnecessary stuff we take on our travels.

I’m no saint here. I can’t think of a trip I’ve done when I didn’t pack too much... just in case. But this is ‘do what I say’, not ‘do what I do’, so, if you're trying to save weight or money, or just want to pack smarter, here are some things you can try and do without on your next RV trip...

Extra large fridge/freezer

Unless you're remote area camping for a week or so with a tribe of kids, you probably don’t need one. There are supermarkets everywhere these days, so you don’t have to carry a mass of perishable food anymore.

Fresh vegetables don’t travel well anyway and get seized at border crossings; learn to use dry spices like most Middle Eastern nations do.

Also, pack a few pre-cooked meals in space-saving freezer-bags rather than bulky plastic containers and carry a litre or two of long-life milk and a few dehydrated packet meals and pasta for emergencies like floods, but otherwise a 140-litre fridge or smaller should be fine.

Home-style shower

We had an inside shower in our caravan, but a pair of bathers and an outside shower will do in fine weather. Even better, pack some thongs, or plastic footwear and enjoy the public showers in the caravan park.

Fixed toilet

We used to put a bucket with a lid inside our camper at night for those ‘wee’ hours before we had an ensuite toilet, and emptied it in the camp toilets in the morning. It worked fine, but put the container in the same place each night and don’t forget the lid (in case you kick the bucket, as a friend of ours once did)!

Grey water tank

Nice to have, but a 20-litre jerry can connected to your waste outlet will do fine!

Rooftop solar panels

A portable 80, 100 or 160 Watt panel that you can place in the sun and clean easily is probably more effective, given that most of us would rather set up camp in the shade, where rooftop panels perform worst. Fit an external Anderson or Merit plug connection to your onboard battery for easy connection.

Independent trailing arm suspension

It’s better and smoother on corrugations than leaf springs, but it depends on how far and how fast you want to travel on rough surfaces. Given enough ground clearance, most caravans will go most places if you take time and care.

A washing machine

A nappy bucket with a screw-on lid, some water and soap will do the job while you travel. Rinse out underwear and socks in the shower each day.

An iron and a wardrobe

Who are you planning to meet on your trip – Prince Harry and Meghan?! If not, all your other caravanning friends will have crumpled clothes and I’m confident your money will be accepted at most restaurants!

The secret is to fold things properly when warm and dry and stick them under your mattress overnight if they need extra pressing.

The same applies to a wardrobe - you don’t need one. Going to a ball? If so, lie your gown and dinner suit flat on the bed when travelling.

Also, pack light. Tee-shirts are worth three days’ wear before washing under the armpits unless you're seeing the same people regularly or it’s very humid and dirty. In these cases, air and re-cycle them.

Unless it's a really long trip I take three ‘Tees’, a change of underwear and socks, two pairs of easily washable shorts and/or lightweight long trousers, a waterproof jacket for chilly nights and a hat.

Slide-out BBQ

One of the best meals I ever had travelling was skewered meat cooked by the roadside in Greece on the equivalent of two bent coat hangers above some coals, so don’t over-complicate things.

We use a small gas cylinder with a screw-on gas jet and a frying pan. Does most things beautifully provided you marinate. These days one of those portable, gas canister cookers does the same job, very cheaply.

So, save the money on the whiz-bang slide out BBQ (particularly if you already have a kitchen inside the van!) and leave the cooking smells outside, not under the bed.

An extra spare wheel

A puncture repair kit is much lighter and takes up less room than a second spare wheel. If its sidewall damage and your tyres are of a common size, buy another when you get to a large town. We’ve travelled with our caravan nearly 30,000km in the past three years – one third of that off-road – without a puncture.

Speaking of tyres, big chunky mud terrain options look great but can add unnecessary weight.

A comprehensive tool kit

You only need the basics – a flat and a Phillips-head screwdriver, an adjustable shifter and a hammer. Helpful passers-by will have the rest and they'll be only too happy to test their DIY skills helping you.

If off-roading, all you need is a shovel and a long snatch strap. The shovel is for you to look like you’ve given it a go; the snatch strap is for someone else to pull you out!

Spare parts

Apart from a packet of cable ties and some gaffer tape, it might be better to invest in a 24/7 Total Care type of roadside assistance cover that will come to your aid wherever you travel.

Electric blanket

Buy two hot water bottles at K-Mart or Big W.

Extra glasses, crockery and cutlery

How many people are you planning to entertain, or impress – and why? Ask them to bring their own if you're hosting Happy Hour – they’ll have it! This includes extra chairs, wine glasses and stubby holders.

A microwave

No need. A frying pan and a gas jet will heat most things, including frozen meals, on or off the grid.

A built-in entertainment system

Your phone plays music. A Bluetooth external speaker you can take anywhere is often cheaper.

A tyre gauge

An Outback travel expert told us the secret. Drop your tyre pressures using a small stick or ball-point pen in the valve until you see the tyre sidewall start to bulge for corrugated roads; then re-inflate them when you get to the bitumen until the bulge disappears. Simple!

A reversing camera

Instead, invest in a properly-schooled co-driver who can appreciate the cost of getting it wrong!

A sat-nav

Learn how to read maps, including where the sun rises and sets. Then carry plenty of water and emergency rations if you get it wrong...

Spare hose and power lead

Just carry a hose-joiner. Someone will have another length to join to yours. Ditto a connecter that will allow your caravan lead to plug into an outlet with a smaller earth socket.