We just bought a Jayco 232 EXP and will be camping with 4 kids...17, 15, 10 and 5. I have searched and searched the Internet for organizing/packing ideas and only get general lists.

Are any of you willing to share your personal packing lists and/or pictures of your organizing techniques?

I think you will find the varies greatly and I'd say, mainly the stuff you want with you. It even depends on where we are going and how long we'll be gone as to what I load in the RV.

Short trips < 1 hour from home, I'd say the RV is pretty bare. If we are headed to the beach, beach toys, beach umbrellas and other beach related stuff. If we are going to the mountains in the winter we'd have snow gear, sleds, and stuff like that. When we go on a really long trip, cross-country, I'll try to get almost everything loaded up. I also work do all the maintenance on my unit, so I usually have all the tools I think I might need. (I've really scaled back the tools though.)

Now there is allot of stuff that remains in the RV all the time, various pots, pans, non-perishable food items, linens, toiletries, binoculars, clothes ( all season ), decorations, etc...

I looked for a list like you when we first started rving, but now I just load stuff from the shelves next to the rv based on where we are going.

Hello and welcome to our merry band of RV'ers!
Start off with a couple mini-trips...work like trial runs & helps identify what everyone likes in their personal space. Make it a game...you didn't mention if your gang of kids have ever camped before...?
Keep the basics in your RV. Makes packing for each trip easier.
Here is our check-list. Feel free to modify depending on length of trip, focus (fishing, skiing, boating...vegging) !!!

Bathroom: TP, baby-wipes, barsoap, shampoo, conditioner, lotions, razors, washcloths/towels, toothpaste/brushes, hairbrush/comb, tmpx, nail clippers, tweezers, band-aids, antibiotic ointment, alcohal, sunburn ointment, kleenex. Optional: hairdryer, make-up.

This sounds gross: but train everyone as to what goes into the RV sink/toilet and what does not.

Medicines: any Rx for your gang, good first-aid kit, mosquito repellant, aspirin/ibuprofin.

Bedroom: pillows, sleeping bags, extra blankets, favorite stuffed critter (5-year-old).

Every body: shoes, flip-flops, hiking boots, socks, jeans/shorts, t-shirts/sweatshirts, undies, swimsuit, PJ's, rain-gear, sunglasses, sunhat, good books, hand-games, cel phone.

Kitchen: figure out your meals and pack the stuff (pots, etc.) you need to prep. I organize by breakfast/dinner/supper.
Pack that fireplace lighter/matches. Paper plates/disposable glasses, cutlery, trash bags, aluminum foil, large/small freezer ziplock bags. Cutting board and all-purpose knife. Dish soap/sponge, dish-towels/paper towels. Jugs of water!! Ice chest for sodas, beer, water, whatever...keeps the RV fridge open for butter, eggs, bacon, bagels, cream cheese, milk, OJ, whatever.
Marshmellows/choc bars/grahm crackers, salt, pepper, hot-sauce, oatmeal/brkfst cereals, bread, COFFEE, sugar, ICE, trail-mix munchies.

Misc: flashlite, walking stick, daystyle back-pack, binoculars, camera, maps, all-purpose cleaner, duct tape, general purpose rope, level bubble/leveler materials, drinking water hose, black-water dump tubing, plastic bucket, disposable gloves...

Outdoors: BBQ, lawn chairs, out-door tarp/rug, firewood, newspaper...matches.

If bringing a pet: leash, food, water/food dishes, sleeping bag, couple extra towels...

Finally: sense of humor, good-will, credit card, ID, and some cash.

Have the time of your life...ok?! Cheers!

One thing I would add to the list--paper and pen to write down what you forgot and want to put in or as you run out of something, write it down so you can restock.

When we had a tent trailer, I made a list of the things we needed to take and put it in a plastic sleeve. I used that check list every time we packed up the van and tent trailer. In the motorhome I still have a list on my computer of things I don't want to forget, but I tend to take more than necessary because I have the space!

I find it helps if you can get everyone to put things back where it came from. When we don't we either buy a duplicate or we dig through everything to try to find what we are looking for.

Great list advice.

I bought some of those plastic covered wire stacking shelf thingies, you can get them at Wal-Mart or Target. They help in the cupboards, you can stack stuff up in the cupboards. Also, I bought from Wal-Mart or Target, some small storage drawers. The units are about 15 inches tall and have 3 drawers in them. Put those in the closet of your RV, you will need them to store small stuff.

I bought a Rubbermaid storage container to keep my sewer hoses in. Also, get a flat storage container for your water hose, to keep it clean and separate from sewer hose. I also bought a multitude of Rubbermaid storage containers in various sizes for various things.

JJ

With 4 kids and 2 adults, do you think you are going to room for anything else?
Looks like everyone has given you some good ideas.

Foster has a nice list, but I agree with Web about stuff remaining in the RV. Just duplicate the household items that your family would use on an everyday basis and keep in the rig. You’ll find that part of the fun of RVing is NOT in packing and unpacking the rig for trips. You can even include things like a few stamps and envelopes. Doesn’t make much sense to spend the gas to go buy a 41 cent stamp or whole box of envelopes if one or two is needed.

We don’t pack food for more meals than one full day plus the next day’s breakfast unless we know that we are not going to be near a brand name grocery store. We sorta make up the menus as we go along. And it might be something that your kids would want to do as part of the trip.

As for organizing, I’d recommend putting dry good items in baggies of the appropriate size. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how much space you can save by not leaving things in a box. When you get down to a ½ bowl of cereal and it’s still in the box, you’re taking up lotsa space in the cabinet. You might as well take it to the n.th degree…put the baggies in a baggy.

I’d suggest collapsible crate type baskets. Nice to carry things to and from the RV, doubles as a laundry basket, and easily stored.

The number of tupperware containers for left overs is an educated guess. But make sure they are square or rectangular. Round doesn’t do well in RV cabinets. If you haven’t already figured out what storage containers you need for shoes and bigger items, I’d just put them in the rig by themselves and wait a couple days. By then you will have an idea of what you need and can make a run to the dollar store. Same thought on DXSmac suggestion on shelf stackers. Load up first and then figure out which one will do best for which cabinet.

And once again on the four kids thing, earplugs might be appropriate.

Good Luck.

All of these lists and tips are great. We take everything including the kitchen sink because we want the same comforts as home. Here are a few things I thought of:

A small electric skillet. It may take up some room, but it will serve a lot of purposes.

A small toaster oven. Again it takes up room, but makes it so easy to have toast or bake a small item. It's great for doing bagels every morning.

We like smoothies so we take one of those "Magic Bullets" which is basically a very small blender.

If you have pets carry their vaccination records and a picture of each one in case one gets lost (hopefully not!). We also display a "Pet on board. Please rescue in case of emergency" sign on a window near the door.

We bought some of those "Snap Hooks" which have a suction cup on the bottom. They will attach to any smooth nonporus surface and can be removed with a flip of the hook. We have found these attach really well to a fiberglass shower wall. We then hang wet clothes or towels on them. The 3-M removable hooks are very good, too.

Do you know about the rubbery shelf liner stuff? It keeps items from slipping around in the cabinets. You can also put it between dishes, and pots, and anything else to keep them from banging together. You can get it at Camping World, Walmart, or Target, etc. It can be used for a lot of things. It even comes in a place mat size. We actually sit the toaster oven and coffee maker on a mat on a counter and they have not come off yet.

This may sound strange, but we use cardboard drink cartons (like the ones bottled Starbucks Frappuccino Coffee comes in) to store stuff. (The ones that hold soft drinks work, too.) It has four pockets and a handle and fits in our overhead cupboards and the medicine cabinet just perfectly. Then we put items like lotion, shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, etc. in the pockets. Keeps everything organized, and stuff doesn't fall out of the cabinet when you open it.

You can also cut the bottom off a small plastic milk jug and use it to hold small items. These fit well in the medicine cabinet also.

To keep the glass coffee pot from flying around I put a bungy cord through the handle and then hook it around the back of the coffee maker.

Like others have said, take a trip or two and the things you need will become very apparent.