Winter is my least favorite season. I’m just not a fan of the cold and the snow. I know, I live in the wrong area of the country to feel that way, right? My husband and kids like the snow, though, and since he grew up outside Pittsburgh, he is more accustomed to larger amounts of it than this Eastern PA girl is, I guess.

Someday we may want to take the camper and head out during the winter, so I’ve been doing some research in preparation for that day. In addition to just regular overall winterization methods, below you can find the top 8 tips I think are most important if you plan to go camping in the winter.

1. Find a campsite that is out in the open so the warmth of the sun during the day will help to warm up your camper.
2. Keep the cabinet doors open where the water lines are. This will allow the heat from your camper to help keep them from freezing.
3. Purchase vent covers to help insulate the vents on the top of your camper, keeping the warmth inside.
4. Bring an electric space heater with you. It will warm up your camper faster than your furnace, and then you can save your precious propane for other things… like cooking!
5. Bring an extension cord (or a couple) to be able to plug your space heater into the main electrical box, to avoid potentially blowing a fuse. You can fish the extension cord through the slideouts and into your camper.
6. Packing an electric blanket will help you to stay warm while sleeping on cold nights.
7. When you have low temperatures, lithium batteries work better than alkaline ones. So make sure to stock up on some before heading out on your trip.
8. Pack plenty of clothes, and when you have plenty, pack some more. You want to make sure that the clothes you are wearing are staying dry, so changing a few times a day is not uncommon.

You’ll definitely find me keeping warm in whatever way possible when we head out with our camper for our first winter camping trip. Now I feel like I am more prepared for when that day arrives.