If you're anything like us, the first time you pack up and head out you'll probably be tempted to take way too much stuff with you. We had to have a couple blown tires before we disciplined ourselves to pare down our go list.

The lists shown here are admittedly over excessive. Nobody's going to take all this crap; it's enough to furnish a house! The purpose isn't to suggest everything you need to take, but rather to provide a menu from which you can pick and choose. We scan it over before each trip to jog our memory about things we may have forgotten. The lists are organized by different areas of a rig, like the kitchen, bath, bedroom and so on.

Of course, different people will require different stuff. If you have kids then your lists will likely be longer than those who don't. If you are on the active side then things like beach gear, bicycles, hiking gear, inflatables and so forth may be desired.

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Unless you have a motorhome, weight will always be an issue. Those big bus tires on a 40' motorhome can take a lot of weight, say up to around 40,000 pounds. The tires on travel trailers and fifth-wheels are not generally designed to take those kinds of loads, so choose from the following lists wisely. I highly recommend that you start out with the bare minimums and then gradually add more things on each trip. And you might also want to follow the rule that if you haven't used something for a while then you probably don't need it (other than emergency gear, of course).

Living room

• Games. Some good campground games include Rumikub, Mexican Train, Farkle, Left-Right-Center (LRC), dominos, checkers, chess. Playing cards, dice and a timer (for hardcore gamers) might also be needed.
• Reading books and magazines.
• Computer stuff. Laptop, speakers, USB hub, USB drives, printer, paper, wireless, etc. Be sure to backup your computer before you go.
• Entertainment. TV, DVD player, movies, surround sound system, satellite system, cables, remotes.
• Office stuff. Writing paper, pens, paper clips, tape, hole punch, writable DVDs, manilla folders, calendar, shipping tape.
• Rugs, pillows, furniture slip covers, folding tables, serving trays.
• Hand vacuum, for the furniture.
• Tile floor cleaner.
• Copy of truck keys.
• Extra batteries.

Kitchen

• Cookware. Pots, pans, griddle.
• Utensils: knives, forks, spoons, steak knives, cleaver, kitchen scissors, spatulas, pasta rake, tongs, chopsticks, wooden spoons, deep fry dipper, skewers, potato peeler, garlic press, lemon corer, measuring spoons & cups, corkscrew, tea ball, kitchen scissors, toothpicks, egg slicer, potato masher, meat thermometer, grater, bulb baster.
• Measuring cups, drawer liners, tacky spray, ice trays, green things, corn-on-cob holders, garlic press.
• Coffee maker, filters, French press.
• Can opener.
• Bottled waters.
• Paper products.
• Garbage bags, kitchen bags, ziplocs.
• Lobster, crab steamer.
• Pizza pan, cutter.
• Rice cooker.
• Crock pot.
• Blender.
• Trivets, oven mitts.
• Toaster oven.
• Netal stack bowls, storage jars, sugar/coffee/flour jars.
• Elec hotplate, mincer.
• Cutting board.
• Egg timer.
• Funnels.
• Strainer.
• Towels & rags.
• Place mats.
• Serving trays.
• Matches.
• Toothpicks.
• Paper towels.
• Mixer.
• Dish soap.
• Deep fryer.
• Salt & pepper grinders, shakers.
• Napkins.
• Plastic storage boxes.
• Plastic grocery store bags, reusable bags.

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See here for an extensive list of food stuff from which you can pick and choose.

Bath

• Flushable toilet de-oderizer tablets.
• Laundry detergent, fabric softener, bleach, dryer softener sheets, fabric cleaners, Tilex.
• Laundry basket.
• Dental hygiene: toothbrushes, toothpaste, WaterPik, floss.
• Shaving: shave cream, razors, after shave, styptic.
• Makeup mirror, elec toothbrush, hair dryer.
• Deoderants, body cream.
• Brushes, combs, nail clips, nose clippers, scissors, tweezers.
• Shampoo, conditioner, soap.
• RV antifreeze.
• Hair dryer.
• Towels, washrags.
• Toiletries.
• Shower mat.
• Toilet brush.
• Bath clock like ours.
• Hairbrush.
• Nail clippers, nose clippers, small scissors.
• Bottle organizer, glue-on.
• Accordian makeup mirror, lighted makeup mirror.
• First aid kit.
• Towels, wash rags.
• Hair dryer.
• First-aid: Band-aids, alcohol swab preps, gauze, tape, iodine.
• Moisterizer.
• Hair brushes.
• Various makeup items.
• Soap.
• Vacuum bags.
• Antibiotic ointment.
• Drinking glass.
• Air freshener.
• Eye care. Contacts, fluids.

Meds

• [pre-order meds, take extras]
• Special needs: eyes [Phyl's eye stuff, contacts, saline solution, Clear Care, Addipak].
• Special needs: braces, cane, hearing aids, btteries, inhalers.
• Heartburn, antacid, Tums.
• Backup meds.
• Pain meds, Aspiron, Aleve, Tylenol, antibiotics.
• Itch cream, hydrocortisone.
• Allergy meds.
• Pills tower.
• Vitamins.
• Glucose meters, strips.
• BP monitor.
• Drugs [extra supply].
• Blood pressure machine.
• Hearing aids.
• Pill boxes.
• Body powder.

Bedroom

• Clothes, shoes, belts, underwear, socks, coats, sweaters, raincoats, jackets, hats, swimwear.
• Pillows, eye masks.
• Jewelry, chest.
• Clothes hangers.
• Clock with alarm.
• TB, VCR, satellite boxes.
• Elec blanket.
• Bed sheets, comforter, blanket, pillows, pillowcases.
• Clothes basket [collapsible?].
• Mattress pad.
• Candles.
• Duplicate truck keys.

Exterior

• Outdoor foot wipe mat.
• Outdoor rug 12 x 12 [available at Walmart], broom.
• Outdoor recycle bin.
• Step covers.
• Decorations: lights, flags.

Grilling and campfires

• Grills, stands, pots, pans, racks.
• Charcoal, wood chips.
• Propane.
• Grill tools.
• Aluminium foil.
• Newspapers for starting fires, kindling.
• Spits.
• Bug spray, fogger, bug zapper.

Sports and activities

• Concert chairs.
• Bicycle rack, bikes.
• Binoculars.
• Beach gear, sunblock.
• Backpacking gear.
• Bike racks, bikes.
• Scuba & snorkeling gear.
• Tennis rackets, balls, clothes, head/wrist bands, strings, socks, hats.

Tools

• Tire guage.
• Electric drill, charger.
• Misc fasteners: screws, nails, washers.
• Tire inflator.
• Multimeter, circuit tester, electrical tape.

Water

• 50' drinkable water hose (or two 25' hoses).
• Sprayer head.
• Coiled water hose for outside connection.
• 'Y' adapter for water line (so you can use a second hose without having to disconnect).
• Water filter.
• Water surge protector.
• Outside shower?

Electric

• Power cord. 20, 30 or 50 amp depending on RV type.
• Adapters; eg, 30A to 50A.
• Surge protector.
• Extension cords.
• Extra fuses.
• Generator.

Sewer

• Sewer hose, extension.
• Sewer hose supports.
• Short water hose dedicated for sewer cleaning.
• Spray disinfectant, rags.

Pets

• Dog food, water, bowls, plates, towels, leashes, harnesses, lankets, sweaters, beds, toys, treats, meds.
• Dog rabies licenses.
• Water freshener, papers, pee pads, poop bags.
• Docs: vaccinations, special meds [keep rabies docs in truck].

Emergency

• Road emergency stuff: flares, triangles, etc.
• Spare tire (on rim).

Misc

• Extra batteries and fuses.
• Rolls of quarters for laundromats and tolls.
• Flashlight.
• Roadside Assistance; eg, Good Sam, AAA.
• RainX for windshield.
• National Parks pass.
• Extra door keys.
• Dealer contact info (phone, address, website, etc).
• Cable tv wire.
• Wheel chocks.
• Bubble levels [for front and side].
• Stablizing bars.
• Quarters for laundromats, tolls.
• Passports.
• Phones, charger lines, chargers.
• Maintenance items. Roof caulk, touch-up paint, fasteners, elecrical tape, zip ties, bungee cords, extension cord, spray paint, rig washing stuff, Gorilla glue, twine.

Things to keep in tow vehicle

• Personal items. Purse, glasses, backpack, briefcase.
• Cell phones [with travel apps].
• Dogs: Rabies certificates, food, water, leash, treats.
• Flashlight.
• Walkie-talkies, for help when backing in.
• Writing pad and pen, for jotting down notes.
• Trash bag.
• Rainex for the windshield.
• Sunglasses.
• Bug spray.
• Drinks, munchies.
• Music player (eg, mp3).
• Neck pillows.
• Duplicate trailer keys.