HandiWorld’s Top 10 Tips for First Time Caravan Adventurers!

Whether you are a seasoned caravanner or just about to embrace your first caravanning journey, there’s no mistaking there is some hard work involved. But it also goes without saying that the rewards are absolutely worth it.

We’ve collected together some top tips for that very first caravan adventure in your new mobile home from home. Before we jump into it, there’s the really important stuff that is essential before hitting the road.

There are the legalities of towing, what you can tow, what weight you & your vehicle can tow, information on tow bars, number plates, towing mirrors and insurance. Here is a useful page on towing rules here: Towing with a car. Also, an invaluable resource for every caravanner comes from The Caravan & Camping Club’s website: Advice & Training.

Once you’ve got to know your caravan; as in what the different buttons do, how the heating works and how to switch the hot water on (and much more) it’s time to book your exciting first getaway.

First-time caravanning top tips!

1. Check your service history, a qualified/certified caravan engineer can ensure your gas pipes are safe and your heating works. Depending on how new your van is, your warranty may specify that servicing needs to be annual, always best to check.

2. Know the age & pressure your tyres should be. It’s critical not to overlook the condition of your caravan tyres, getting to your destination and home again relies on them!

3. Before you go away, practice your towing. If you have never towed before, it can be a daunting experience. Reversing with a caravan can be an art form. There are towing courses for those who want to build their confidence before you go.

4. Consider a short break, close by first. This will give you the chance to perfect your set-up and pack-up routine, learn exactly what you need and don’t need. This is important as weight matters when it comes to knowing what to pack. And, if you forget anything, it’s not far to travel to return home. You’ll also likely be familiar with the roads, which can reduce any first-time towing nerves.

5. No matter how organised you might be, it’s inevitable when packing for a caravan trip that there’s going to be lots of things you need to take with you. There’s no mistaking that careful organisation can make a world of difference to your adventures. As you set-up and pack away this first time, write a checklist that you can follow every time. Once you’ve followed this a few times, you’ll fast become an expert.

6. While you absolutely can go off grid in your caravan, if you are at a site with a great shower block and washing up facilities, using them can save your water and give you a little more space. Just don’t forget some loose change in case there is a charge for the showers on site.

7. Some of our customers say they like to take solar lights with them to put up around their pitch & awning, to light the way for those nights when you don’t return until after dark.

8. Planning the route well, is something that can be really helpful. Your sat nav may take you the quickest way, but there may be a more towing friendly route that could save on towing stress. Whilst the countryside can be breathtakingly beautiful, we’ve all found ourselves down roads that weren’t designed for cars to pass each other.

9. Keeping wet items out of the caravan is helpful when you’re trying to keep the inside dry. One of our customers shared the image above with us of how they use our HandiHoldall roof bag to help on caravan journeys; carrying damp objects like the waste water container and drainage and water fill pipes.

10. Lastly, taking the awning down the afternoon before you are due to pack up can be really useful. Often (even in the summer) the mornings can be misty and dewy. To prevent packing away a damp awning on departure morning, pack it away early to keep it dry.

If you need extra roof space to help with transporting your belongings our HandiRack inflatable roof rack can be ideal for additional luggage. You can read more about it here: The HandiRack – the inflatable roof rack for your car.

There really is so much to learn before setting off on your caravan adventures, but once learned, never forgotten! The most important thing of course, is to remember to savour and enjoy all that caravan life has to offer. Please do share your caravan tips with us over on our social channels.

Happy Adventuring!