Your First Night in a Campervan: A Checklist

Your first night in a campervan should be memorable for the right reasons. The buyers we speak to remember one thing most about that first trip: the small thing they forgot — usually water or a torch. Run through this checklist before you leave and the first night becomes genuinely relaxing.

Before you drive

• Check the gas bottle is full and the locker is turned on (turn it off again when you stop).
• Fill the fresh water tank and carry a spare 5 litre bottle.
• Check the leisure battery charge and the hook-up cable if you are on a serviced site.
• Level the van when you arrive using ramps or a spirit level on the worktop.

Water, gas and power

Most first-night hiccups are utilities. Test the taps and the toilet flush before you set off — a water pump that fails on night one is a miserable start. Know how the heating works and set it before bed, not at midnight. If you are off-grid, work out your battery monitor's numbers in daylight, not in the dark.

Setting up your bed

• Build the bed once in daylight and time it — it gets harder at 10pm.
• Air the bedding before you leave home; duvets smell of damp van fast.
• Keep the covers arranged so the bed is ready to fall into.
• Put a torch and a bottle of water beside the bed before you sleep.

The evening routine

1. Fill the kettle and check the fridge is running.
2. Cook early — a full meal on a two-burner takes longer than a home kitchen.
3. Do the washing up before bed; a dirty van is a damp van.
4. Crack a roof vent for ventilation and wipe the windows before bed.
5. Lay out tomorrow's clothes so the morning is calm.

The safety quick-checks

• Carbon monoxide and smoke alarms working — test both before night one.
• Know where the gas shut-off is and turn it off at night if you prefer.
• Fire blanket near the hob and a torch where you can find it in the dark.
• Tell someone your site name and pitch number for the first few trips.

What to accept on night one

Not everything will be perfect. The water pump will gurgle, the bed will be firmer than home and the 6am birds will be loud. That is the deal — and most people find it delightful. Take the checklist seriously, relax, and enjoy your first of many nights under the roof of a van.

Expect the small stuff to go slightly wrong and none of it will. For your first trip consider a site with electric hook-up and facilities — search campervans for sale to plan your next van, or browse site facilities before you book.