So renovating a trailer while balancing other life things (margaritas and our puppy) actually takes a remarkably long time! But every step of the way is so so so rewarding and I literally am on the edge of my seat because this seat kind of sucks and is making me slouch but also because I can't wait to share with you guys the progress being made on Rosie!

She's got some dope floors; a bed frame that we actually made with our fragile, delicate bare hands; and a fresh coat of interior paint! Next week she's getting a face lift and laser lipo. What I'm trying to say is we're going to be doing some fun detail work next week. It's going to be very very very cute.

Before we get to that though, we've been getting v excited about taking her for a spin through literally every single picturesque outdoor setting, and have begun planning for the items we need to buy and pack. Some basic rules here are that space is limited and outdoor gear that is too heavy will potentially impact towing abilities and safety, as well as make it harder for Fox to help us load everything up before leaving. Thus (do people still say 'thus'?), everything listed is relatively light and more or less a necessity for any kind of casual camping (look if you're an arctic rock climber you're going to think this list is weak so step on outta here!*).

*love u

As part of our on-going partnership with eBay on this project, we've scoured their site for some items that are going to come in handy when packing up your trailer for a camping trip, or if you're leaving the trailer behind and just going camping!

Snag a Tent

Firstly, if you choose to stay in a tent (rather than your cozy lil trailer), let’s be very sure that you have your tent situation in order. Number one concern here is waterproof-ness. You do not want to wake up in a puddle of water, trust me on this. There is nothing worse, so take the opportunity to get what is basically an army grade tent like this one. Whether you are getting a sleeper tent or just a pop up one, this part of your camping essentials list is a bit pricey, but if you camp more than once or twice a year is well worth it. If you are sleeping in your travel trailer for this trip but want a big ole tent for day time hangouts and lunches, think about just getting a netted tent such as this. Just a little something something for shade and bug protection. There are some great ones with transparent ceilings so that you can watch the stars at night.

Dress for the Elements

A good follow up here, as I’ve obvi been traumatized by wet camping trips*, is outerwear. Get yourself a good pair of hiking boots. Some pairs are actually kind of cute and as we've learned you must never be wet while you’re camping! Never! A good raincoat is necessary also. You may not experience rain at all on your trip, BUT it’s good to have for warmth at the very least. Patagonia makes some great options!

*This isn't true, but it's something I'm clearly concerned about.

Lounge Gear #FTW

Don’t forget to pack your chairs! Especially for those of us who will be letting someone else handle the grunt work (cough Matt cough) - this part is very important. Either way, you definitely want to be sure to set yourself up with a nice chill spot. Insider tip: get a chair with a drink holder in the armrest, because duh / because wine / because forest margaritas. Here’s a great place to start your search for the perfect collapsible chair.

Feeling Lightheaded? :P

Headlamps!! Get it... light... headed. Great. This is the quickest way to feel like an experienced camper. Put one on and voila! You’ve been doing this for years. You need a headlamp because there is no electricity in the woods, remember? They HELP you to SEE what you’re DOING! Here is a good place to start. It’s nice to have one that you can recharge (instead of having to worry about replacing batteries).

Campfires are Iconic

Obviously you will need a campfire, because why are you camping if you don’t want s’mores? Exactly. If you're not savvy enough to build your own campfire, bring a few swedish fire logs with you. This will save you the trouble of finding wood in the wilderness and doing that whole stick-rubbing thing (is that a thing?). These Swedish fire logs also make some of the prettiest looking campfires, if you ask me. Do not, I repeat do NOT forget the marshmallows, chocolate OR graham crackers.

Picnic Blankets!

Since we’re really talking about glamping here, let’s be sure that you have a nice looking picnic blanket to lay out - mostly for Instagram photos of your #authentic life but also because no one wants to eat all the delicious picnic things while sitting on itchy grass. Never, ever bring one of those fleece-y ones, they are like velcro for leaves and other gross things. If you don’t have your great-grandmothers antique prairie quilt, that’s ok, you can still join the party. You can find some nice cotton picnic blankets here. You should also be sure to bring a cute picnic basket, because #chic. You can find some great ones that do all the organizing for you (i.e. come stocked with all of the things you would otherwise forget) AND have a place for wine storage.

You can follow along on our clamping (glamping) adventures here on the blog or on our Instagram this fall when Rosie is finally finished and we take her on a little spin through outdoor things!

Thanks so much to eBay for sponsoring this whole camper/camping project! For anything else you might think you need or just to get some camping #inspo, be sure to check out eBay's entire collection of camping and hiking equipment. <3

(Product Round-Up!) Outdoor Essentials for Your Travel Trailer