Camping out in our Prius on our road trip across the U.S. has been an amazing experience. Along the way, we learned what the true essentials are versus unnecessary gadgets. There are so many packing lists out there, we’re going to share our list based on what we actually used. One of the most important lessons we learned is that in most cases, you don’t need to go out and buy fancy gadgets. The things you have at home are just fine. Save your money for things you actually need or experiences on the road. Hopefully, our experience will help you come up with your own list!
Electronics
Goal Zero 1000Core Portable Power Station
This is arguably our most essential item besides the Prius itself. This power station is able to power our 1000-watt microwave, our portable mini fridge, charge our phones and laptops, and basically any other power needs we have. After doing hours of research, this power station seemed to fit our needs the best.
ICECO GO20 Dual Zone Portable Refrigerator
Our next most essential item is our powered refrigerator. This fridge fits perfectly behind the passenger seat of the car and is always plugged into the power station. Even though the fridge comes with an interior separator that allows different temperature zones, we removed it and just use it as a fridge and not a freezer as well. This fridge is perfectly sized to fit enough food for two people. We also purchased the insulative cover for the fridge to help keep it cooler and protect the exterior from scratches.
One surprisingly useful item is a rechargeable fan. We bought this fan from Amazon and it is well worth the money. We hang it from the grab handle on the interior roof of the car at night to increase airflow. This helps prevent condensation in the car, which can lead to mold. It’s also handy when the temperature is hot, but we don’t want to use AC. This particular fan has three intensity levels, which is nice. One annoying thing is that sometimes when it’s dark out, we accidentally push the LED button, which turns on the light inside the fan and it’s very bright. To recharge it, we just plug the USB cable into our power station.
A few other useful electronics include:
Smart Phone
Laptops
Head Phones/Ear Buds
Kitchen
700 Watt Microwave
This is a luxury item that we found extremely useful. If you have a power station that can support a microwave and you have the room for it, we definitely recommend bringing one. We use the one we had before our trip. Make sure to check your microwave’s required watts to ensure your power station can support it. Our microwave saves us so much time and money. We don’t have to set up our stove to heat food up and we can easily reheat leftovers.
This is an item we were glad to purchase. When we first started out on our road trip, we brought along a small, foldable one-burner mini camping stove that we got from my parents. While it worked well and was functional, I don’t think it was intended to make whole meals on. It definitely wouldn’t be able to hold the cast iron skillet. The first meal we cooked on the road was pasta and it took a very long time to boil water on the mini stove. Purchasing our two-burner stove saved so much time and frustration. This one is also very thin and doesn’t take up too much space. It also uses standard 1 lb propane tanks easily found at Walmart or camping stores.
Collapsible Electric Tea Kettle
This will definitely depend on your needs, but I use this on a daily basis to make tea in the morning. We also use it to make oatmeal occasionally. This tea kettle is made of silicone and collapses down, making it easy to store. It boils water faster than our microwave and is very easy to use.
We use this multiple times every day. This tray easily attaches to the steering wheel. We use it to eat meals and also to hold our laptops. Without it, eating in the car would be a lot more difficult.
Basic Spices and Oils
We have salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, Italian spices, cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper, olive oil, and vegetable oil. We keep these next to the microwave in a small plastic basket. These satisfy most of our cooking needs.
We also brought along various items we already had such as:
Metal Spoons, Forks, and Butter Knives
You really don’t need to buy camping-specific silverware, unless you’re really tight on space. We find standard silverware works just fine.
Set of 4 kitchen knives of different sizes
We kept the knives in their wood knife block, but now wish we hadn’t. It takes up a decent amount of space we could have saved.
Can Opener
This is really essential. You don’t want to buy a bunch of canned foods only to find out you can’t open them.
Foldable Table
We use our table pretty often for cooking meals. Picnic tables often have bugs on them, so it’s nice to have a clean surface for prepping food. It also folds down nicely and doesn’t take up a ton of space. If you plan on sticking to mainly campsites, you can probably skip this.
We use these water bottles all the time. We don’t like buying water, so these are perfect for us.
Two Dish Towels
We keep one in our microwave to keep the microwave plate from rattling around and also to wipe the interior down after we use it.
Cast Iron Skillet
Even though this is heavy and bulky, we find it useful enough to justify it.
Saucepan
We brought along a ceramic pot we already had. It’s useful for much more than just sauce!
Nonstick Frying Pan
Again, we brought one we already had.
Glass Dishes
We already had these. We brought one rectangular dish, one bowl with a lid, and an even smaller bowl with a lid. These are good for leftovers and are microwaveable. We did end up buying a larger glass bowl later on since our bowl was a little small.
Small Plastic Containers with Lids
We use these to store leftovers.
Water Jug
This is a pretty important item. We use our jug mainly for holding water we plan to cook with. Our jug is actually a repurposed plastic snack bin. It doesn’t need to be anything fancy.
2 28 Quart Storage Bins for Kitchen Supplies
We used plastic Sterilite bins we already had. These hold all of our kitchen supplies. The bins slide neatly under our bed platform.
Storage Bins for Food
We use a small blue plastic crate for holding fresh fruit and some breakfast items. This sits on top of our fridge. We also use a large fabric-covered bin for larger items that don’t need to be refrigerated. This also sits on the fridge. For food items we don’t use often, we have another small plastic container that sits on its side behind the power station under the bed platform.
I love my Grayl water bottle. I bought it a couple of years ago for a trip that involved Southeast Asia, where it’s recommended not to drink tap water. The Grayl water bottle filtered the tap water and I never had an issue. I love that it saved both money and plastic. It came in handy a few times on our road trip as well when going on long hikes. I was able to filter and drink stream water. We also have a Sawyer Squeeze Water Filtration System as a backup. We haven’t had a chance to use it yet, but it’s nice to know we have it.
Travel Coffee Mug
A Lighter
A Set of Two Microwaveable Plates and Bowls
Plastic Cutting Board
Wet Wipes
Sandwich and Freezer Bags
Aluminum Foil
Dish Soap
Paper Towels
Tongs
2 metal marshmallow skewers
Large Plastic Spoon
Plastic Spatula
Oven Mitt
Looking for meal ideas? Read about easy meal ideas to make while living in your car here.
Safety
Bear Spray (Pepper Spray)
Fortunately, we haven’t needed to use this yet, but we definitely don’t want to be without this if we do need it. Many popular hiking trails in national parks highly recommend having bear spray handy.
Flashlight
Any small flashlight will do.
AAA Membership (or similar roadside assistance)
We don’t carry a spare tire with us to save space, so having a AAA membership gives us peace of mind that if we do break down, we won’t have to pay for an expensive tow. Make sure to choose the membership level right for you. We have the premium member because of the longer tow distance.
First Aid Kit
It’s always good to have basic first aid items on hand.
We keep a paper road map on hand just in case of emergency. You never know.
Insect Repellent
We like DEET.
Umbrella
Useful for both harsh sunlight and rain.
Since we sleep in our car, it is very important for us to be aware of carbon monoxide.
Hygiene
Shower Shoes/Flip Flops
I use a cheap pair of black flip-flops when I take showers. These are nice because I can wear them outside as well.
I use a mesh shower bag to keep my various soaps organized.
Bathroom Duffel Bag
I keep my change of clothes and my mesh shower bag, along with my towel and makeup in a duffel bag. This makes it easy to just grab my bag and go take a shower. I have a separate duffel bag just for all my clean clothes.
I keep larger bottles of shampoo and conditioner in the car and refill smaller bottles as needed. This makes them easier to carry around.
A quick dry towel is definitely worth purchasing. They dry much faster than normal towels, which helps prevent the car from getting humid and moldy.
Comb/Hairbrush
Razor and Shaving Cream
Cosmetics
Lip Balm
Sunscreen
Toothbrush with Cover
Toothpaste
Deodorant
Hand Sanitizer
Shampoo and Conditioner
Body and Face Wash
Sanitary Products
Tissues
Roll of Toilet Paper
Medications
Laundry
Laundry Soap Pods
We like to use Tide Pods to wash our clothes instead of liquid soap. With pods, we don’t have to worry about soap spilling everywhere and we also don’t have to buy soap at every laundromat we go to.
Shoe Box
We use a shoe box to store all of our laundry supplies.
Dirty Laundry Bag
I use a small fabric bag to hold my dirty laundry. The fabric is very thin and doesn’t take up any space. I can also just throw it into the washer with my clothes to easily clean it. It helps keep my clothes organized and it makes it easy to bring my clothes into a laundromat.
Dryer Sheets
Sleeping
We like our customized WeatherTech window covers. The covers fit nearly perfectly in our windows, blocking out almost all light. The black side is very discreet and barely noticeable unless looked at closely. We use the shiny side during the day to block the sun and keep the car cooler. The covers were expensive, but worth it since we use them every day.
We both window screens, or socks, over the back doors. Since the screens keep out bugs, we can keep the windows open anywhere. We’re thinking about buying a set for our front doors since they work so well.
Pillows
We both brought our favorite pillow from home. We had the room for them and this was one comfort we didn’t want to compromise on. If you have limited space, there are smaller camping pillows available. This one looks pretty cozy!
Blankets and Sheets
We use one main large fleece blanket as our comforter. For extra cold weather, we also both brought our own smaller fleece blankets. We have one set of microfiber sheets that fit over our mattress.
Curtain
We made our own curtain divider to separate the back of the car from the front seats. We didn’t want to use the WeatherTech window cover for the windshield or front seat windows. This would be less stealthy and require a lot more work than just putting the back covers in. We bought black blackout curtains and cut them to the correct length, so they wouldn’t be too long. To hang them up, we bent the ends of a thin aluminum rod so they could slide into the plastic frame of the car where the seatbelt is connected near the roof. The rod is slightly bent due to the pressure and fits alongside the roof of the car. This design worked well for us. If you don’t want to make your own curtain rod, there are pre-made ones available.
Clothes
Our main priority for clothes was comfort. We tried to choose clothes that are comfortable, easy to wash, and interchangeable. We do laundry once a week, so we made sure that we had enough clothes and some extra to last a whole week.
Shelby’s Clothes
2 dresses
4 pairs of Shorts
2 pairs of black yoga capris
1 pair of sweatpants
2 tank tops
1 skirt
1 pair of jeans
1 pair of comfy pajama pants
1 sleeping t-shirt
2 t-shirts
3 long sleeve shirts
1 light rain jacket
1 sweatshirt
10 pairs of underwear
8 pairs of socks
1 bathing suit
1 comfy bra
1 pair of hiking shoes with new inserts
1 pair of comfortable slip-on walking shoes
1 pair of flip-flops that double as shower shoes
2 pairs of sunglasses
1 baseball hat
Spencer’s Clothes
1 pair of travel khakis
1 pair of jeans
2 pairs of shorts
2 pairs of convertible pants/shorts
3 cotton t-shirts for work and relaxing
3 polyester t-shirts for hiking/working out
2 graphic t-shirts for relaxing, sleeping, and working out
2 button down long sleeve shirts
2 button down short sleeve shirts
3 gym/sleep shorts
1 tank top
3 base layer quarter zip jackets (1 light, 1 medium, and 1 heavy/for Shelby)
1 outer jacket with hood for wind and rain
1 hoodie with work logo
8 boxer briefs
9 pairs of socks
3 pairs of sunglasses
Duffel Bag
We both keep a dedicated duffel bag for our clean clothes.
I like these packing cubes. They keep my clothes organized, so I can very quickly pick out my outfit for the next day.
Cold Weather Items
Heated Blanket
Surprisingly, our power station is able to run our small heated blanket. This was really nice to use in May at the beginning of our trip when it was still very cold out. We used the blanket to warm up the bed and then turned it off to save power.
Winter Coat
Warm Hat
Gloves
Misc. Items
We both have our own day bags we take on hikes. I like this one because it is really compressible and light.
America the Beautiful Interagency Pass
If you plan on going to at least 3 national parks, definitely purchase the America the Beautiful pass. It works for much more than just national parks – it also covers national monuments, national forests and grasslands, and much more! This pass literally saved us hundreds of dollars on entrance fees.
Small Garbage Bin
One often overlooked item in road trip packing lists is a place to put your garbage. We keep a very small plastic garbage bin right behind the center console in the car. For garbage bags, we reuse plastic shopping bags we get while grocery shopping.
Reusable Grocery Bag
Some states, like New York, no longer allow grocery stores to use plastic grocery bags. If you’re planning on going to these states, a reusable grocery bag can save you money since you won’t have to purchase paper bags.
We use these to hold our water jug in place, but they also have many more applications. It can’t hurt to keep some on hand.
You never know when you might need to use the bathroom outside.
These rain guards are custom to fit our car. They are really nice because they allow us to crack the windows when it’s raining and they’ll block any water from coming in. We highly recommend these.
Monocular
Passport/ID
Cash and Credit/Debit Cards
Insurance Cards
Trying to come up with a budget for your road trip? In this article, we go into detail about how much money we spent living in our car.
Optional Items
Here are a few items we found useful, but can be skipped to save room.
We brought along two foldable outdoor chairs similar to these. We use them frequently.
We taped these string lights to the wood beams of our bed platform to light up the area and help us see things better. They also make the car look cozier!
Beach Towel
It’s always good to have a spare towel. I don’t want to have to use the towel I use in the shower to also sit on the beach.
We brought along this two-person hammock for when we want to relax outside. It is pretty comfortable, but we haven’t used it too much.
DSLR Camera
I love my Nikon D5500 DSLR camera. It takes high-quality pictures I know can be printed out and still look good.
We hung up this storage net underneath our bed platform. It gives us a little extra space to store small items.
A Tent and Sleeping Bags
This depends on your needs for your trip. If you intend on sleeping in your car the entire time, you probably don’t need a tent. We did bring a small two-person tent we got from my parents, but we haven’t used it yet. We find sleeping on our soft memory foam mattress in the car more appealing than sleeping in a tent. Just in case, we also brought two sleeping bags.
Game/Xbox Controllers
We like to play video games occasionally, so we brought Bluetooth Xbox controllers to use with our laptops.
Small Entertainment Items
We brought along a Frisbee and some playing cards.
Things to Skip
When we were planning out what to bring on our trip, we consulted countless other checklists online. From our experience, many of these items were unnecessary. To save you some time and money, here is a list of things we brought but we wish we hadn’t!
Convertible Cutting Board/Wash Basin
This cutting board that converts to a wash basin is a great concept. But many of our meals tend to be quick and in the car, so we don’t want to use a whole wash basin to wash a few forks. Instead, we ended up using a spray bottle with a dish soap and water mixture to spray a paper towel and wipe the silverware down. This is much easier and faster.
For larger meals like dinner, we try to find a park with a bathroom so we can wash dishes in a sink. Otherwise, we use the spray bottle and paper towel method. We also tried using just the cutting board, but found that food got stuck in crevices and was a pain to clean. We ended up buying a cheap plastic cutting board that is much easier to clean. The cutting board/wash basin would be better for a short camping trip, in my opinion.
Expensive Solar Panels
Before we started our road trip, we considered purchasing solar panels to help charge our power station. So far, we haven’t had issues with running out of power. When the battery does get a little low, we just run the car for a bit. Maybe a solar panel would help, but with the amount of space even foldable panels would take up, we don’t think it would be worth it.
Camping Shower
Depending on your needs, you may or may not want a camping shower. Since we have black card memberships with Planet Fitness, we decided to skip getting a portable camping shower. With our Planet Fitness memberships, we can take showers in most cities around the U.S. When we’re not near a Planet Fitness (often near national parks), we can find a business or campsite in the area that offers pay showers.
Most Kitchen Gadgets
This includes our metal strainer, soup thermos, coffee mug, wood knife block (for storing our kitchen knives), silicone microwave popcorn maker, plastic cups (we just use our normal water bottles), and my metal insulated water bottle.
Yoga Mats/Sleeping Cushions
We brought along our exercise mats to provide extra cushion for under our foam mattress and also when tent camping, but they just get in the way and we haven’t used them.
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