New caravan, novice caravanners - now what?

Apart from the likes of pots and pans, leads hoses etc, the following will help you to learn without stress:

• Remember, we all had to learn.
• A good sense of humour will help.
• The confidence and humility to ask other campers if you need help or advice. Wardens/site managers are usually helpful and knowledgeable, too.
• Pick a site near home so you can fetch what you forgot to load.
• A list of dealers/accessory suppliers near to your chosen site.
• A basic tool kit so that you can re fix the bits that fall off or come loose - and they will!
• Unbreakable crockery etc. (eg melamine or similar).
• Remember that if an item looks like a must have essential it probably isn’t!😀

How about a windbreak, just a cheap seaside type, might give you somewhere to sit outside with a bit of shelter if needed. Don't forget a mallet! 🌞

We live on a busy road and god forbid we hold up any one from getting into the queue at the MacDonald's drive in down the road so we  use the mover to run it on to the drive and for security the A frame facing away from the road 

Hi Steve & Rach...  welcome to Club Together.  Just take things slowly.... don't buy too much stuff yet... (as Jill said in her post)..... also, probably worth checking your 'user payload' on the caravan, to see how much extra weight your caravan can take.  Overloading the van can result in problems that may void your warranty if you subsequently have a problem caused by overloading.

We carry so much stuff in the car these days, mainly to avoid overloading, but also because we have a large car and prefer to carry all outside stuff in the car...

If you are after weight and space saving products, it may be worth checking out the products sold by Colapz.... 

 https://colapz.co.uk/

Before buying an aquaroll or wastemaster, work out how you want to use the caravan.  These days we use mainly serviced pitches with water hook-up and waste water on the pitch.  We've only used our aquaroll and wastemaster once in the last 12 months (and we go out in the caravan at least once or twice a month, plus an extended summer break).  If you intend using water hook up, Colapz do a unit called a Fresh Mini and Flexi Waste pipes - check their website.  Colapz also intend bringing out an Aquaroll and Wastemaster equivalent sometime this year - this will essentially consist of 2 x 20 litre containers which will fold flat (to save on space) and weight, so may just be worthwhile holding back on the aquaroll and wastemaster until you've checked these out.... (P.S. I've no specific connection with Colapz, by the way... I just like their products)

Just take things slowly... and look at all the options...

David

Good, point Tinwheeler makes.....  choose a site close to home for your first outing so you can pop home for anything you have forgotten and need.

Does the caravan have a motor mover?  You may want to consider one...

Don't forget to check to make sure your car is OK/legal for towing the caravan...

Make lists of all equipment you take and analyse them later...  i.e. when you get home, workout the stuff you didn't use/ unlikely to use, so you don't take it with you next time - then add things you forgot/need.  We find it much easier to have specific caravan stuff rather than to take stuff from the kitchen/or elsewhere, and then have to bring it back later...

We've been caravanning for years (and tenting/ trailer tenting before that), and I still rely on copious lists.... 😀   however, I am a bit OCD about these things.... 🤣🤣

David

being new to caravanning myself< i would advise getting a stabiliser BULLDOG is a very good make, this will greatly reduce any sway  while towing the caravan. As loads of caravans dont have a spare wheel the instant tyre repair/inflate are handy, also a small caravan level (2 bubbles) for levelling the caravan so water runs away properly from sink etc. Fire extinguisher/blanket and first aid kit, A carbon monoxide and smoke detectors. make sure you have the correct connection for the type of gas you will use as propane is for all year and butane is more for spring/summer use and both have a different connection to the gas bottle . Toilet additives. Check it it come with the pump for pumping the water into the caravan from your container, they also sell one to connect straight to a hose pipe, Power lead and a hose pipe . a small pair of steps is also handy. 4 pads for lowering the caravan supports on to on soft ground (just plastic ones are good) I would also suggest checking  all  electrics, gas, fridge, heaters etc work  before going away 

All good points.... but you may not need a seperate spring stabiliser.  These days, many of the caravan have a built-in stabiliser at the hitch with friction pads which work on the towball. (Something like an Alko 3400 hitch).

For 'toilet chemicals', these days we tend to use AquaKem Sachets... a bit more expensive than the fluid, but no danger of spillage and lighter to carry.... just our preference - I know many prefer the 'fluid'...

David

Oh wow, thank you so much for all your suggestions and advice. I've just come in from work and really didn't expect so many comments. My husband own a car transporting business so is used to towing a trailer, so he will be driving for the foreseeable. We tried to get a starter pack from the dealer, but he wouldn't bite, although got deals with other stuff. We're getting motor movers on one axle, ATC (?) and upgraded weight plate (?). I'm quite nervous about it all, but also really excited and looking forward to many weekends away. Fortunately both myself & hubby have no problem asking for help & we are blown away by the vanning community. I'm sure we will be on here a lot after we pick her up. 

What everyone else has said, and (apologies if someone has already mentioned) perhaps wheel chocks for extra security when pitched up. Spare batteries for the motor mover remote, as if they go you are literally stuck but you can use the ones from the smoke detector like we did

I assume you've checked your insurance and have any necessary items like a wheel clamp and hitch lock?  

A piece of pipe about a metre long with a piece of string? thread through the top. This will enable you to hook it over the water tap and put the other end into your aquaroll and you can stand and chat without the annoyance of a hose flirting off the tap. A simple but very useful item of equipment that ensures a job is done without fuss!!! (Hopefully someone might give a better technical desc ription)