Introduction

Three years of caravanning has taught us a lot. Some lessons were expensive. Some were embarrassing. All of them were useful. Here are the ten hacks that have made the biggest difference to our trips.

The Hacks

1. Permanent kitchen kit — buy a second set of kitchen basics that live in the caravan permanently. You will never forget the knives again.

2. Magnetic knife strip — keeps knives accessible and safe without taking up drawer space.

3. Blackout blind clips — most caravan blinds let in light at the edges. Binder clips from a stationery shop solve this for pennies.

4. Cable tidy — a velcro cable tidy keeps the EHU cable organised and prevents it getting tangled.

5. Doorstep light — a solar-powered LED step light means you can find the caravan door in the dark without waking everyone up.

6. Suction hooks — IKEA KLÄMMIG hooks attach to the bathroom tiles without drilling and hold towels, bags, and robes.

7. Collapsible washing-up bowl — saves significant space in the kitchen cupboard.

8. Pitch rug — a flat-weave outdoor rug outside the door keeps mud and grass out of the caravan.

9. Arrival box — a dedicated box in the car with everything you need in the first 30 minutes (kettle, mugs, coffee, EHU cable). Never search for anything on arrival again.

10. Laminated packing checklist — laminate it and keep it in the caravan. Tick it off before every departure.

[PERSONALISE: Add any hacks specific to your setup]