A while back I did a post about nine RV gadgets under $10. But in that post, I highlighted RV gadgets that were in continuous use (such as bed sheet suspenders) or frequently used (such as spray bottles). After completing that post, I still had a list of items under $10 that I loved. However, they didn’t fit in the frequently-used category. So, today seemed like a good day to continue the conversation and share more RV gadgets under $10. These may or may not be frequently-used, but they are good gadgets to have on hand.

Sun Shades

Living in Alaska for 24 years prior to full-time RV life, I rarely gave thought to sun damage. But hours of driving with the sun beating down combined with the memory of a skincare person telling me most people have more sun damage on the left side of their face (from driving) caused me to start thinking about the sun and UV rays.

Now, on drive days or when I’m in sunny locations, I apply sunscreen to my face/neck and arms/hands. But as added help, I got sun shades for the driver’s side window.

The hardest part is remembering to take the suction cup and screen off when rolling the window down. I’ve lost a couple suction cups in the door panel. These are sold in two-packs for $11, making each one individually $5.50. Some brands promise UV protection as well.

Milk Crates

You might think milk crates are a terrible idea for the simple fact that they don’t have lids. You’d be right. And you’d be wrong.

I never considered milk crates because my whole life is in my small trailer and van. Getting the most use of the small space is important so traditional storage bins work great. With lids, I pile them three or four high (depending on the bin size) in my van then bungee them to the wall of the van so they don’t tip while in motion.

But recently I spoke with a fellow RVer about how and why he uses milk crates. I immediately understood his point and, soon after, I bought four for myself.

In the trailer’s basement, I store my hook-up items including leveling blocks, tire chalks, sewer hose support, extra sewer hose sections and connectors, various cords and adapters (as described in Making RV Reservations) and other miscellaneous items.

Previously, I kept the water hose, 30 amp cord and extra feet of sewer tank hose in garbage bags and everything else in small storage bins. But I ran into moisture issues.

Enter: milk crates. With their holes and open top, they are perfect. They allow air flow and make is super easy for me to see what’s inside. The water and sewer hose, I still keep in the trash bag to prevent the water and gunk from dripping inside the basement but I keep the top open for air flow. Also, I like the milk crates because it gives the items form so the items don’t flop around so much.

Plus, I find a milk crate quite handy for carting around my 30-pound propane bottles as well. When it comes time to refill them, they are easier to carry in a milk crate than on their own..

You can pick them up individually at Home Depot, Lowe’s and other box stores. Or you can order them in sets of two from Amazon. So far, all the places I’ve seen them they are $8 to $9 each. And, even though they don’t have lids, they do stack nicely.

Ball Bungee Cords

I have regular bungee cords. We all do. But I recently found these little ball bungee cords and love them for controlling cords and hoses. Best of all a packet of 25 is less than $10.

I wrap them around my coiled water hose to help keep its form. That, in turn, helps it stay in the milk crate during storage. Likewise, it makes the hookup area next to my trailer neater. And, as someone who previously tripped on her own water hose, take it from me a neat well-maintained area around the trailer is important. Not only do you want to avoid the face-plant, but you don’t want to damage your rig which can potentially happen if you trip on a cord and it really yanks from the rig.

I also use them inside the rig to control appliance cords as well as electronic cords.

Heavy Duty Scrub Brush

I included this one because I discovered an awesome, albeit non-scrub, use for it. When I spent two months my first winter on the road in Walla Walla, Washington, there was a bad ice storm. As careful as I tried to be, Solstice fell down the trailer’s metal steps twice and I slipped once.

I solved the problem by carpeting the steps. The carpet I chose wasn’t flat. Deep and thick ridges help get sand, dirt, grass, pine needles, etc. from the bottoms of pet paws and shoes. But, I discovered those same ridges hard to clean. They held the sand, dirt, grass, pine needles, etc. And a broom wasn’t tough enough for the job.

I searched for a handheld broom with stiff bristles. It seemed like such an easy thing but all the little brooms that I found had flimsy bristles. At Bed Bath & Beyond, I found the handheld brooms next to scrub brushes.

I had an “aha” moment. Scrub brushes have tough stiff bristles. I wasn’t sure if it would do the trick, but for just a few bucks I thought it was worth trying.

And it worked—and continues to work—perfectly. During setup at a new location, I put the brush on the edge of the trailer’s top step and it stays there the entire time. I put it just inside the door on travel days.

The bonus use is to brush dirt and sand from the foot wells and steps into the van. It’s so much easier and faster than using a wet paper towel.

Rubber Mallet

Many years ago I bought a rubber mallet for my camping bin. The intended use was to stake my tent. Turns out, I never staked my tent, so never used the mallet. Logic says I should’ve downsized it. And I cannot say why I didn’t. But I didn’t.

Good thing because now I use it regularly for hitching my van to the trailer as well as unhitching it. A few tasks, I find hard to do with my bare hands. And the mallet works perfectly to pound out a pin, to pound in a pin and to get the lever on my bull hitch opened or closed.

A hammer would also work but the risk is damaging or denting one of the metal pieces. Not to mention, metal on metal is much louder than rubber on metal.

Hot Cold Bags

You might also find these called Insulated Bags or Thermal Bags. They go by many names and come in a variety of sizes, from lunch-size to cooler-like. I have one small and one large one. I keep them in my bag of reusable grocery bags in the van for shopping days. They’ll help keep frozen foods frozen, refrigerator items cold and vegetables from wilting.

Like the mallet, I had the small one in my sticks-and-bricks life but never used it. I don’t use them often in RV life but they sure are nice when you do need one.

And when do you need one? First, when you are in extreme heat. In that case, it can be good to put a couple of ice packs (or a small bag of ice) into the bag to help keep things cold longer.

Second, when you are camped a long way from town or you have other errands to run. Basically, they come in handy when you have a lot of time between your purchase and getting back to the rig.

So far I’ve only used them for grocery shopping. But they work for both cold and hot. So, third, if you decided to carry take-out back to your rig, you could use the bag to keep dinner nice and warm.

Grabber Thing

The final RV gadget I am happy to have is a grabber thing. I purchased this gadget based on a reader’s suggestion (thanks, Trish). In the detailed post where I introduced the Oliver Trailer, I explained my basement and how it spans the width of the trailer. However, access is only on one side. Arms aren’t long enough to reach all the way in and the opening is too small to lean your body in.

The grabber thing is a perfect solution. And since the milk crates have both holes and handles, it’s easy to grab them.

Grabbers vary in length and styles. Most are in the $20 range. But look around and you should be able to find one under $10. The one I linked to is under $10 though not the same as the one I purchased. The one I purchased is now $14 and can be found here.

Gadget for Those with Pets

During my stay in Tennessee, I found ticks on both Solstice and myself. In Alaska, this is yet another thing we do not have to worry about. So I didn’t have any specific tools for dealing with this.

Then I learned of a little plastic tool specifically for extricating latched on ticks without leaving the head under the skin. A tick picker. They are small and easy to lose so make sure to keep several on hand.

One place I stash one is in the poop bag holder on Solstice’s leash. Because of her black hair, I’m not going to see a tick on her when we are out walking, but she steps on those tiny sticker balls. Sorry, not sure what they are called. They are sharp and I found they pierced my skin (and drew blood) when I tried to pull them out with my fingers. The tick picker is fantastic for getting those nasty burrs from a dog’s paws and coat.

So, there you have it. More RV gadgets I love that are easy on the bank account. Do you have any must-have, low-cost RV items you’d add to the list?

Links to Referenced SSL Blog Posts Above:

• 9 Most Used RV Gadgets Under $10
• Making RV Park Reservations
• Hack: Adding Carpet to RV Steps
• Oliver Travel Trailer Legacy Elite II

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