How to Live in a Pull-behind Camper

Living in a pull-behind camper is not for everyone -- the space is small, so you must be able to get along with each other and you have to be able to make good use of what room there is. You also need a camper that is self-contained if you are not going to stay at parks with hook-ups. A self-contained camper has septic and fresh-water holding tanks. A non-self-contained camper may have facilities, but it must be hooked up to septic and electric -- and in some, fresh water -- for you to be able to live in it, as it does not have the tanks.

Instructions

    • 1

      Look carefully at the cabinet space, especially the space for clothing. Keep enough clothing with you so that you are not going to the laundry every day, but not so much that it doesn't fit into the space you have. You can pack clothing in suitcases. Some campers have a small space under the beds where you can store a suitcase with clothes.

    • 2

      Pack enough bathroom supplies, but make sure everything fits in the storage in the bathroom. You might like to have seven towels, but you may not have space for them. Bring what you can reasonably fit into the space. Stock up on camper toilet tissue and the chemicals for the toilet. You cannot use regular toilet paper on the camper toilets, as it will clog the septic or lines. Camper toilet paper is made to disintegrate quickly. The chemicals are used to help break down waste and to deodorize the septic holding tank.

    • 3

      Check to see whether your refrigerator runs on gas, electric or both. You may have to use a cooler if you are going to be traveling. Then, when you get to your destination, you can plug in or turn on the gas.

    • 4

      Maximize space by stacking canned goods in the cabinets. The freezer is very small, so you may not be able to use a lot of frozen vegetables, especially if you keep meat that needs to be frozen.

    • 5

      Purchase wicker plate holders for paper plates. Using paper plates and cups saves on using water if you are living where there are no hookups and you need to haul water.

    • 6

      Purchase a broom and a small vacuum. Because the space is small, it gets dirty fast. You won't have space for a regular-sized vacuum, but you will need a small one. Keep a throw rug just inside the door to help trap dirt and mud from your feet, which helps keep the camper cleaner.