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We asked you a question that haunts every RVer at some point in their journey. The topic of today’s discussion is the frustrating phenomenon of buying the same item over and over again. This is a special kind of purgatory reserved for those of us living the rolling dream. We launched this poll in our weekly newsletter to uncover the truth behind our duplicate purchases.
The results are in, and they tell a hilarious and relatable story of spatial amnesia. Make sure you’re subscribed and voting in our future polls so your voice can be part of the findings!
Here is a breakdown of how you, our readers, responded.
| Item | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Cleaning Supplies | 48% |
| Tools | 0% |
| Kitchen Gadgets | 43% |
| Clothing | 9% |
The Great Cleaning Supply Conspiracy
Nearly half of you are locked in a relentless battle with grime and your own memory. It appears a secret black hole exists solely for spray bottles and scrub brushes in every RV. You buy a new all-purpose cleaner, only to find the old one later hiding behind the toilet paper stash.
This creates a domino effect of cleaning products. Soon, you have enough microfiber cloths to wash every rig in the campground. We are basically mobile janitorial supply stores on wheels. The dream is freedom, but the reality is a cabinet full of duplicate Windex.
A Shocking Lack of Tool Duplication
Look at that beautiful zero. Not a single respondent admitted to buying tools twice. This is the most fantastical, unbelievable result of the entire poll. It suggests a level of organization and reverence for tools that borders on mythical.
We suspect this is because the RV toolbox is treated with the sanctity of a royal scepter. Or perhaps, we just accept we can’t find the 10mm socket and learn to live without it. This result is either a triumph of human ingenuity or a collective case of selective amnesia.
The Kitchen Gadget Vortex
A very close second, kitchen gadgets are a siren song for the culinary RVer. That avocado slicer seemed so essential at the camp store. But then it vanishes into the abyss the moment you need it for taco night.
We are all guilty of buying a third vegetable peeler because the first two are on a permanent vacation. They are likely sharing a lounge chair with all the missing socks from home. Our drawers become a graveyard for duplicate garlic presses and miniature whisks.
The Verdict: Why We Buy Double
We believe the results clearly show a pattern of “out of sight, out of mind” panic. Cleaning supplies and kitchen tools are used constantly but stashed in awkward, overstuffed compartments. The moment you can’t instantly put your hand on the glass cleaner, a low-grade panic sets in and a replacement is purchased.
The zero for tools is the ultimate outlier. It likely stems from the fact that a broken tool can mean a real problem on the road. Therefore, they are stored in one dedicated, sacred place. Kitchen gadgets and cleaning supplies, however, are the foot soldiers of RV life—easily misplaced and quickly replaced so the fun doesn’t stop. It seems we are all willing to admit to a little clutter, but we draw the line at slandering our own tool-organizing skills
