In this post, you’ll find all the campervan accessories that we have in our van conversion. It includes must-haves for your van kitchen, bedroom, bathroom and working online.
I’ve also included items I wish we had before hitting the road to help you prepare better. And some of my favourites.
This post will be especially useful if you are preparing for the big move into your new home on wheels (yay) and looking for ideas.
DisclaimerSome of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you make a purchase. Thank you in advance!
Campervan Accessories I Wish We Had Before Hitting the Road
My first advice to you is to get as many items as you need before hitting the road. Especially if you can get them on Amazon.
Otherwise, it can be a hassle to ship the items once you are on the road. Besides, prices in specialised campervan shops are much higher. We experienced this first hand in France.
Excited to start our campervan adventure, we completely forgot to buy LPG gas adaptors. There are different adaptors for France, Spain and the rest of Europe. Crazy, I know.
Not only it took us all day of driving to find the right adaptor. We ended up paying twice as much for the items compared to what we would have paid in the UK. Very upsetting.
Get them online, while you can.
LPG Gas Adapters
As I’ve mentioned above, buying three adaptors for France, Spain and the rest of Europe, cost us €100.
So that was a lot of money considering we could have gotten them half price on Amazon.
Please don’t waste your time and money, get them online before you leave and keep them safe.
Levelling Blocks
Not having the levelling blocks was our second biggest fail. We realised early on in our van life journey that we desperately need them.
Sleeping and cooking when tilting to the sides, up or down, isn’t much fun. We’ve learned it the hard way. Duh.
Insulation Blinds
Another thing we completely missed out from our campervan accessories list was insulation blinds. Big fail.
What I like the most about these padded blinds, is the privacy that they provide.
Since we removed the bulkhead, our home on wheels is one open space. Therefore, when I sit on the front swivel seat, working, anyone can peek into the van.
But you can only learn by doing things, don’t you? Now I can’t imagine not having the blinds. They are super practical and versatile.
When it’s cold outside, they keep the van warm, and when it’s warm – they keep it cool.
To start with, we had (still have) the blackout curtains, but once drawn, they limit the space inside. And space is everything when you live and travel in a van.
Now, I just pop the insulation blinds on and work away without being exposed to the outside world.
Revolut Card
This is one of those campervan accessories you don’t normally think of. Because it’s not directly an accessory. But, trust me, it’s one of the van life must-haves if you are working online.
I wish I opened an account sooner.
The best thing about Revolut is it can deal with multiple currencies. Getting paid in € and £ can quickly get messy. But having Revolut saves a lot of conversion hassle.
Plus, the account is completely mobile-customised, easy to open and safe to use. Perfect for the road.
We were also impressed with their service when we ordered the card to be sent and collected from a post office in France. All we did was look up an address of a post office in the city we planned to visit. We picked it up 5 days later. No hassle.
Have a go and open your account within minutes, it doesn’t cost anything.
Laptop Sleeves
If you are going to work online and want to keep your laptop easily accessible and well protected, you need a padded laptop sleeve.
We simply slip our laptops into the stylish sleeves and pop them into the carpeted compartment above the front seats. Easy and practical.
4G Antenna – Wifi Booster
Wifi booster is a handy van life gadget. It does what it says – boosts the wifi signal.
When we did the North Coast 500 route in Scotland – while still working – we often strayed away from the main route into more remote areas. And having a wifi booster would have helped us stay connected better.
Now we have it and it works just fine.
Van Life Safety Must-Haves
Reverse Camera
When it comes to van life gear, a reverse camera is a nifty van live must-have for safe driving. Reversing in parking lots and narrow streets can get tricky for anyone.
Make your van life easier.
Carbon Monoxide Monitor
Staying safe in a campervan is as essential as staying safe in a house. And I highly recommend getting the carbon monoxide monitor installed in your van.
It’s a small gadget that you should stick as high as possible in your van. Once activated, it will be able to detect any gas leak in your van.
We have one. It flashes at night but that doesn’t bother us at all.
Fire Extinguisher
The fire extinguisher is another safety gadget you should have in your van conversion. Things happen and it’s better to have one than not. For your peace of mind.
Campervan Accessories You’ll Need for Making Money on the Road
Aside from nice coffee/tea, I’ve listed the three main things you’ll need to have in your van for making money on the road.
MacBook Pro
No laptop, no online work. Simple as that.
If you are already working online, you probably have one. But if you are looking to upgrade, invest in a MacBook.
MacBook Pro is the sturdiest laptop I’ve ever owned. It’s light, smooth and stylish.
Plus, it’s great for editing photos and videos.
Wifi + Wifi Booster
If your idea of van life is saving money and not spending them on expensive Starbucks coffee, then invest in 4G wireless router.
Starbucks coffee isn’t that great, anyway.
Teltonika RUT240 4G LTE Router, for example, is a great investment. It costs just under £120.
Made in (my home country) Lithuania, it’s robust and powerful enough to withstand long days of freelance work.
Headphones
Sometimes, working from a van can be distracting. We’ve parked near children’s playgrounds before or loud French fisherman next to a beautiful lake.
Headphones help to detach yourself from all the outside noise and distractions. I like listening to some chill music like Cafe del Mar, or podcasts while working. It helps me concentrate. Or ASMR (let me know in the comments if you also love ASMR or if you’ve never heard of it before).
Campervan Kitchen Essentials
There are only so many kitchen items you’ll need for your van conversion (or a campervan). While the below must-haves list seems long, these are small things. And they don’t take up that much space.
Portable Espresso Machine
If you are planning to wild camp a lot, consider getting a portable espresso machine.
I keep eyeing it online and might get myself one as a Christmas stocking filler.
The amazing thing about this stylish coffee machine is that you don’t need electricity or gas to make a cup of espresso.
Sounds ideal. Looks pretty slick too.
French Press
Like I said earlier, to save money, get everything you can online. I found a lot of stuff to be more expensive in the shops.
I’ve got both, a coffee maker and a French press. But lately, I’ve been using the latter all the time. If you too like a big mug of coffee in the morning, I recommend the French press.
Cutlery
Well, this is a given. Just like with anything van life, get quality stuff that lasts. Get a set of 4 if you are travelling with your partner or even less if you are a solo van lifer.
Glassware
Ditch plastic cups. They are terrible for the environment and your van life.
When we rented a van conversion in Sicily, we had a box full of plastic stuff. Plastic plates, plastic cups, plastic everything. Yuck.
Now imagine drinking coffee or wine out of a plastic mug. That’s a no from me. Wine, however expensive, doesn’t taste good from anything plastic.
Gift yourself a couple of nice glasses for water/wine. Don’t worry, they won’t break if you place them safely in a drawer. Cover them with non-slip mats and they will last.
Bamboo Crockery
We love our bamboo mugs, plates and bowls in our van conversion.
They are lightweight, wash well, look and feel like real crockery. Plus, they are biodegradable. A nice addition to your campervan kitchen accessories collection.
Non-stick Pots
You don’t need many pots and pans. Just get a saucepan, a bigger pot and a pan if you like your eggs in the morning.
Over time, you too will learn to cook one-pot meals in your van. It’s easier than you think, plus less washing up. Works for me.
Ridgemonkey Grill
Out of all the campervan accessories, a ridge monkey must be one of the best.
Especially if you love cooking/baking.
It’s perfect for making omelettes, cheese toasties or tasty Sunday treats like waffles. Hmm, I can smell those waffles already.
It’s non-stick, easy to use and clean. Great van life kitchen accessory.
Little Knick-Knacks
Van life kitchen items like chopping board (we have a flexible board from IKEA), peeler, grater, scissors, can openers, wine and bottle openers are also essential, just like in any home.
Kettle
I know you won’t but just in case, don’t forget the kettle. Living a van life and working online requires a certain level of caffeine in your bloodstream.
Even if you don’t drink hot drinks, it’s handy for boiling water for your van spa day, dishes etc. It’s a handy little thing.
Collapsible Stuff
I love my collapsibles. They are great space savers, wash well and come in nice colours. These are my favourites:
Collapsible Containers
I was doing my extensive research on campervan accessories when I stumbled upon these beauties.
To think I nearly bought a bunch of regular containers!
I use them everyday for storing leftover food or chopped up carrots for the road.
Collapsible Colander
This van life item is the coolest. I don’t know why I never used it in the house. Colanders are usually enormous and take up so much space.
But this bad boy is amazing for draining pasta or canned chickpeas. I highly recommend it as one of the must-have items for your van life.
Collapsible Washing-up Bowl
I have a slight obsession with collapsible stuff. I just can’t believe I haven’t considered this stuff earlier. And a collapsible washing up bowl is one of the most useful campervan kitchen accessories.
Non-slip Mats
These will be uber useful for your van life kitchen.
Lining your drawers and cupboards with non-slip mats will help you massively to keep your kitchen accessories in place when driving.
It proved to be a very useful little trick in our van.
One thing you’ll need to do though is to glue the edges of the non-slip mat to the bottom of your drawer. That will prevent them from ruffling up.
And, if you are going to have a cutlery drawer, remember to line it too.
Van Life Bedroom Accessories
You’ve got to make this part of your van as cosy as possible. Whatever you like, goes. Experiment and have fun, you are the designer here.
But don’t forget the functionality. It’s important for you to feel comfortable in your van conversion. Substance over style.
Comfortable Bedding
Even if you are not going to live in a campervan full time, get good quality bedding set. It’s so important to feel comfortable. Don’t compromise on this van life item.
Get your favourite pillows and a quilt that’s suitable for the season/climate you are going to travel in. Check what’s the average temperature at night in the countries of your choice. Some warmer countries can still have cooler nights even in the summer.
At IKEA, for example, you can get quilts of different thickens. And if it’s too hot, you can always take off the quilt cover and sleep under it. Speaking of which, that’s the next van life must-have item.
Quality Linen
What kind of bed do you have in your van conversion? Is it fixed or foldable? Either way, having nice linen makes van life so much more enjoyable. You wouldn’t want to sleep with any old bedsheets in your home. So why do it in a van?
Get linen set that will make you happy each time you look at it. Especially so if your bed is fixed. It will be in your face all day every day. And anyway, it’s all about being comfortable and happy in a small space.
Soft Cushions + Funky Covers
Ahh, cosy cushions. My hubby thinks we have too many.
Maybe it’s true.
We keep moving them around whenever we have to make our bed (it’s not fixed). But I still love them. They make the van look homely.
Cosy Throws
Seriously, a nice throw, whatever the weather, should be on your van life essentials list. I never had a cosy blanket in our conventional home but now I can’t imagine our van conversion without it. It’s such a hygge thing to have in a campervan.
A Brush and Dustbin
Not a very glamorous, but very useful item for a quick clean up. If you don’t want too much dust in your campervan, get a vacuum.
As well as a brush & dustbin, we occasionally use this rechargeable vacuum to keep the van clean.
Van Life Bathroom Essentials
Microfibre Towels
These towels might feel weird at the start. They aren’t fluffy, but still, feel soft.
The best thing about microfibre towels is that they are lightweight, don’t take up any space and dry quickly.
Exactly what you need for your campervan.
Plus, they are kinder to your hair. When you wash your hair and wrap them in a heavy fluffy towel, they tug, damage and weaken your hair. But these towels are the opposite. They don’t weight down your hair.
I also recommend getting them in different sizes. You’ll find that they are also low maintenance, and therefore very versatile. Use them as a shower mat, floor mop, dishcloth etc.
Non-glass Mirror
Non-glass mirror sheets, just like the microfibre towels, make it a great van life item. They are lightweight and easy to adhere to any surface. And you don’t want heavy glass in your campervan.
Portable Shower
Even if you are not going to have a bathroom in your van conversion, get this water recycling shower anyway. It works great. Even for my hair. And I have a lot of it.
It’s rechargeable and has a built-in mechanism which recycles the same water. And, as you already know, water is precious in a campervan.
If you are (will be) travelling in sun-soaked countries, it will make a great outdoor shower. Just stick a shower curtain on the back door.
Van life at its best.
Washbag
Cute and colourful wash bags makes it a little more fun to go to a public shower.
During our travels, we’ve been to many.
Some were elaborate and super fancy with hairdryers and all. We also came across a shower in a shed.
And that’s when you need your trusted wash bag. To hang all your toiletries on one and only hook in the cabin.
My Favourite Van Life Accessories
Audible Subscription
Audible adds a whole new level to the way we experience books.
The best thing about audiobooks is that you can listen to them while you work out, walk around a lake or need to do those boring mundane tasks.
I listened to so many audiobooks while doing some Pinterest admin for a job. I felt like I was winning in life. Earning money while enjoying a good book.
If you want to give it a go, grab a free 30-day trial + get 2 free audiobooks to keep (you can cancel anytime).
Kindle Reader
If you love reading, get a Kindle. It’s the best thing you can gift yourself.
Sometimes I feel bad about neglecting the real books.
But, I have a very eclectic taste in books and I just can’t come across the books I want to read that easily.
With Kindle though, I can start reading almost anything I want within seconds.
It’s such a treat.
And honestly, I read way more these days too.
Bamboo Mugs
The bamboo mug is one of my favourite campervan accessories. It’s so versatile. And because it’s heat resistant, you can use it for any hot drink. It’s such a great item for the road.
Just fill it up, put the lid on and off you go exploring.
Sentimental Items
You don’t have to give up everything when moving into a van full time. Some things are just too sentimental to put in storage or chuck them away. Put them in your van conversion to give it more character.
Have I missed anything? Here’s an even bigger list of campervan accessories. It includes items you’ll need for driving a UK vehicle in Europe and other useful van life must-haves.
What campervan accessories do you have in your van that we don’t? Let me know in the comments below.
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