Owning a campervan is one of the best lifestyle choices you can make. Travelling around with complete freedom in what is essentially a tiny home is enough to make any curious wandered cheer with joy.
Once you’ve bought, or built, your van though, it’s time to make it feel a bit more homely, and add some campervan accessories to make your journey a bit more comfortable (and convenient).
Having lived in a number of vans over the years, and currently exploring Australia in our own beautiful tiny home on wheels, we’re well on our way to figuring out what exactly the best accessories for motorhomes are, from campervan gadgets to fun toys to have.
Living in a small space means you don’t have the luxury of bringing everything you could ever want with you, so it’s our hope that this list will help you choose what camper gear and camper van supplies you need.
READ MORE: Check out our ultimate guide on how to live in a van!
The Best Campervan Accessories for Every #VanLifer
Without further ado, let’s dive into motorhome accessories that you just can’t live without!
Only interested in the best of the best? Here are our top 3 products!
Our Expert Choice
12v Diffuser | AeroPress | Inverter |
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A Laundry Bag and Rope Clothesline
Yep, we’re just going to kick things off right away by saying that no list of top camping van accessories would be complete without talking about having clean clothes.
Because honestly, nobody likes hanging out with stinky people, and paying for laundry can get expensive!
We recommend getting the Scrubba Travel Washing Machine, which is essentially just a dry bag with rubber ribs on the inside.
You throw your clothes in there with some detergent and water, scrub hard for a minute or two, drain and rinse a few times, then hang your clothes out to dry.
It really is as simple as that! Best part of all is the Scrubba bag packs away to almost nothing, so it won’t take up any valuable space in your van.
If you want something a bit more high-tech, check out our list of the top campervan washing machines for our recommendations.
EXCLUSIVE – Use the Code “vanlifetheory” at checkout to get 10% off your Scrubba Washbag!
Bicycles
Owning bicycles will seriously open up a whole new world of freedom when living out of a van. When we got ours it seriously became a game-changer.
Picture this. You arrive to an epic campsite, set up like it’s going to be home for a while, then realise you need to go back into town to buy a bottle of wine. The problem is town is 10km away.
Do you repack everything so you can drive your van back down to town? Hell no! Just grab your bikes and peddle into town, leaving your van behind.
Besides giving you more freedom, riding bikes is good for your fitness, and chances are you’ll find bike paths everywhere to enjoy. Make sure you get a good RV bike rack to go with it, like the Fiamma 200DJ if you have a Sprinter van.
Quick-Dry Towels
Normal towels are fine, but can get musty if they don’t dry properly. And if you’re living in a van without much ventilation, or can’t hang your towels outside, guess what – they’re going to get musty.
Enter quick-dry towels! These microfibre towels will absorb all the water off your body, and then do exactly what their name implies and dry in no time!
Hang it up in the van when you’re driving, or stick it outside in the sun for 30 minutes, and you won’t have to worry about that musty smell again.
Camping Chairs and Table
Chairs are a truly essential camper accessory for van life. Because nobody wants to spend their whole life sitting inside, or on the ground, right?
Go out and buy a couple of foldable camping chairs and a folding table so that you can move your living space outside.
For a bit more detail on this fantastic must-have, check out our dedicated ‘camping chairs‘ post.
Nothing beats kicking back enjoying a beer beneath the stars or coffee with epic ocean views.
Speaking of coffee…
Aeropress Coffee Maker
This is perhaps the top of our list of main camper accessories that we cannot live without. If you love coffee as much as we do, then you need an Aeropress.
An Aeropress makes delicious espresso coffees in a matter of minutes
It takes up hardly any room at all, so no worries about storage, and being made of plastic, there are no breakages over the van floor.
We literally travel the world with an Aeropress all the time, so putting it in the van was a no brainer, and we use it every morning.
Making a cup of delicious espresso only takes a few minutes, and you can find coffee beans from plenty of great coffee roasters and cafes.
By far our most-loved bit of kit out of all our camper supplies. If you want something a bit fancier though, check out this ultimate buyer’s guide for campervan coffee makers we recently put together.
Don’t forget to follow us on social media, where we share the real story of what it’s like travelling and living in a van full-time!
Flip Flops (Thongs)
If you’re not travelling without thongs (flip flops for you non-Aussies), then you’re doing it all wrong.
Having a pair is pretty much essential on this list of accessories for campervan life, and ours get more use than even our Aeropress!
Whether you need to step outside real quick to check something, go for a wander to the beach, or even wear them in a public shower or restroom, they will keep your feet clean and dry.
I’ll mention the shower/restroom thing again. I cannot stress this enough – when using a public restroom or shower, wear your flip flops!
Who knows who has been in there before you, and whether they had any, umm, spillages.
We personally love and use Havaianas as they last forever and are comfortable.
A Solar Panel
Next on our list of essential campervan accessories is a solar panel. Even if you’re not carrying tonnes of tech in your van, having a solar panel to keep your battery system topped up will let you keep even the most minor things like a phone charged on the go.
Depending on your van’s electrical system, you may already have a solar panel mounted to the roof, or you might decide to pick up a portable, foldable solar panel that you can move around, depending on where you’ll get the most sun.
This post isn’t about campervan electronics and how you should have your auxiliary battery set up, but regardless of how you want to build your van conversions, having a solar panel is perfect for camper life.
If you can’t afford a huge solar setup, or just don’t need a lot of power, then get yourself a Goal Zero panel that is mobile, lightweight and can fit in your glove box.
Going for something larger though? We personally love Renogy solar panels. Find out more about them on our dedicated solar panels blog post.
SPECIAL RENOGY DISCOUNT DEAL: CLICK our link below FOR YOUR PURCHASE and Don’t forget to use “VanLifeTheory” at checkout for 10% off all Renogy Products, AN EXCLUSIVE DEAL WE’VE NEGOTIATED JUST FOR VAN LIFE THEORY READERS!
Collapsible Containers
Storage space is always a major issue when it comes to living out of a camper van, but if you’re following our list of top campervan accessories diligently, we’re going to help you out with this a lot.
One of our favourite campers supplies we bought for full-time van life is collapsible containers.
These are often made of hard silicon and have soft parts in the build that allow them to fold down on themselves, minimising space.
We have managed to save so much cupboard space thanks to these. And to make things even better, they come in a variety of different sizes and styles.
The best thing is that they can pop down bit by bit too, so if you only have a few things in a large container, you can collapse it down to occupy less space.
Here are the few types we highly recommend for accessories for motorhome living:
Collapsible Bowls
Bowls take up the most space inside a camper van by far, so when we found Sea to Summit collapsible bowls we were stoked.
We use them as salad bowls, for rinsing vegetables and as a mixing bowl. To store it away, they fold into themselves to become 1/4 of their size.
These really are camper van essentials in our opinion, and if you want to make the most of space in your tiny home on wheels, make sure you get some.
Collapsible Strainer/Steamer
I have surprisingly used this so much. As it says in the description, I use this little item as a strainer or a steamer.
We have this one and it has a space-saving collapsible design which is constructed from food-grade silicone that is BPA Free, dishwasher safe and heat resistant to 240C.
I love it because it has so many uses, and it gets regular use in our kitchen.
Hammock
Van life is all about kicking back in beautiful places and admiring this incredible world, so why not get one of the most important accessories for a camper van, a hammock?
You can get an excellent lightweight hammock that packs down to nothing, along with rigging, for under $100, and it’s guaranteed to make your camper life so much more enjoyable.
We really love the Ticket to the Moon brand.
All you need to do is find two trees to hang it up, or if you’re really savvy, you can install a mounting point to the outside of your van.
Levelling Blocks
The chances of always finding a nice, perfectly level campsite is pretty slim, and there’s nothing worse than trying to cook and sleep on a crazy angle.
Pick yourself up two caravan levelling blocks or ramps so that you can drive the wheels up balance out your campervan no matter where you are.
It’s a simple item that most van lifers overlook, but trust us, you’ll love having them. You can also use them as chocks if you’re parking on a weird angle so you don’t roll away.
For more info check out our latest info guide on choosing the best RV leveling blocks.
Fire Extinguisher and Fire Blanket
While these may not be the most fun items on our list of campervan accessories, taking safety seriously is something you absolutely need to do.
When planning out your camper van accessories, make sure you get a good fire extinguisher and fire blanket, and know how (and when) to use them.
This could literally save your van and life, so buy them before you hit the road, learn how they work and mount them somewhere quick and easy to access.
Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm
Following on from our fire safety accessories for campervans, the other important item you need to have installed is a smoke and carbon monoxide alarm, especially if you have a kitchen in the van.
If a fire starts while you’re asleep, or there’s an exhaust leak coming up into the cab, you need to know about it immediately to have a chance of surviving what could be a potentially deadly situation.
You can get great smoke and carbon monoxide alarm that are combined so you don’t need to buy two different products.
These are especially important if you are using any kind of campervan heater in the winter.
Handheld Broom
No matter how clean you think you are, you’re going to be blown away at just how dirty the floor in your van gets all the time.
Even if you’re like us and take your shoes off before you step into the van, you still manage to drag in grass, dirt, mud and random stuff all the time.
Plus you’ll constantly end up with tiny food scraps, hair and dust falling on the floor.
Buy a small handheld broom, keep it next to your door, and make it a habit to sweep out the floor every day. It may just be the most used camper van supplies in your home.
Head Torches
Whether you’re standing outside cooking dinner, running off to the bathroom in the middle of the night or need to look into the engine bay or under the chassis at dusk, having a headlamp is one of the most useful accessories for camper van living that you could ever have.
Keep it handy by attaching it to the back of your headrest or hanging from a hook by your main door.
These ones that charge via USB are great for obvious reasons (not needing to buy batteries), but they don’t last very long or are as bright as normal ones.
That won’t be an issue though if you’re not planning on going on any long hikes or anything.
Portable Bluetooth Speakers
When we bought Marlee, I was adamant that I was going to install the most badass surround sound speaker system imaginable.
But in the meantime, I had a small Bluetooth speaker that would have to do until I got around to putting a proper system in.
And you know what? After a few weeks I started to realise that the benefits of having a good quality Bluetooth speaker far outweighed having a high-end setup.
First of all, it’s way cheaper. Second, it’s really handy being able to move your music with you from inside to outside of your van.
Plus with modern advances in technology, these little speakers have surprisingly good sound quality.
We recommend the UE Boom speakers, as they instantly connect to your phone when you turn it on, are waterproof and drop-proof, and if you get multiple sets you can pair them so you can put them in different places around your camp.
USB Diffuser
Have you ever popped your head into someone’s van and instantly got a musty or BO smell? That’s not necessarily because the owner has poor hygiene or is dirty (although sometimes that’s the case). It’s because living in a small space tends to have that effect.
Don’t make your van smell like that by doing a few things.
The first is to keep your van as clean as possible, and not leave food around.
The second is to always have good ventilation flowing through the van by opening windows.
Third is to not keep wet things inside the van.
And finally, get yourself a USB diffuser.
These plug directly into a USB outlet (or powerbank if you don’t have USB outlets installed in your van) and burn essential oils to keep your van smelling fresh and lovely.
And if you’re the kind of person who’s into the medical and psychological benefits of burning essential oils, like Alesha, you’re going to love having a variety of oils to burn depending on your mood.
Black Out Curtains
Whether you’re trying to stealth camp, get a bit of privacy, or just keep your van as dark as possible when sleeping, investing in good quality black out curtains for your vehicle is another amazing addition to this list of campervan accessories.
You can stick these around each window with magnets sewed into the edge of the fabric, or by using velcro.
Good black out curtains don’t come cheap, but they’re worth their weight in gold.
Power Inverter
If you have any larger electronics to charge, like a laptop or camera gear, you’re going to need a 110v/240v power inverter to convert your 12v battery power to the right voltage.
As with anything to do with power, you can go cheap on your camper supply, but we recommend spending as much as you can afford to make sure you get something that will last and provide ample electricity.
Figure out how much wattage you’ll be running simultaneously and get the right inverter that will go over this.
If you want to be powering additional items like a blender, toaster, etc, you’re going to need to get a larger inverter and a dedicated auxiliary battery to run it all.
We personally recommend the Renogy brand of inverters.
Fairy Lights
If you’re thinking the only reason to have fairy lights is to get likes on Instagram, guess again! (Although Instagram does love fairy lights and van life.)
Fairy lights as accessories for camper vans really create a beautiful ambience if strung out in the right places.
As part of van conversions, people love to stick fairy lights around the doors, bed and dining area, and even outside.
Make sure you buy the ones with a warmer (orange) hue, so they can be used as bed lights as well without over-stimulating the eyes.
Because we have really bright LEDs as our campervan lighting, having these on at night is like being in the middle of the day.
Instead we turn on our fairy lights around the bed before heading off to sleep.
That’s it for our list of the best campervan accessories that you absolutely need to buy! Did we miss anything? Leave a comment below and let us know!
This post may contain affiliate links. That means if you make a purchase a product we recommend using the links in this article, we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. We promise to use this pocket money to buy lots of coffee and fuel for the campervan to keep us enjoying #VanLife for just a little longer. We appreciate your support, and only recommend products we know and trust. Thank you friends!
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Oh do we have to tag people everyday?
Be sensible Lyndia. Honestly.
About the towels. There is no way they dry in 10min and they very quickly smell like a marsh. Sorry no Amazon link to bring in cash with this tip but a good old pareo ( natural fibers like rayon, no poly) . They dry you, they dry in 10 min even without sun, as long as there is a bit of wind, they double as a beach towel, house coat, they are big and fit in a ziploc… forget about those micro fiber towels, they need chemicals not to stink and after a while, they do… cheers