Road trippers and van lifers, listen up. Aldi is launching a new Special Buys range this week dedicated to caravans and camping, which will take your set-up from “woah” to “go” in a flash.

The range, in stores from Saturday, May 21, won’t just solve those niggling issues you’ve been meaning to get to. It will take your set-up to an entirely new level. Best of all, the sale will provide some much-needed retail therapy after you brave the gauntlet of party fanatics at your local polling booth.

So where should we start? If you’re looking to maximise your outdoor space, it’s impossible to go past the front and side privacy screens (ranging from $29.99-$49.99) which connect to your caravan’s annex and almost double your sheltered footprint. They’re perfect for beach holidays and river stays, because you can strip off and leave wet/sandy clothing outside without frightening any of the neighbours.

While we’re talking all things annex, there are also great prices on floor mats ($29.99), the aluminium steps you’ve needed for months but haven’t bought ($39.99), and some nifty tensioners ($24.99).

And since you now have an outdoor space worthy of a winter escape to Queensland or a slow meander up the Western Australian coastline, it’s time to consider upgrading your food and beverage situation. Caravan storage bags will change your life – particularly if you’re the kind of person who enjoys a dry white on a hot day. Everything tastes better in real glass, so you can ditch your dinged-up plastic glasses and safely store some real ones in a designated wine glass bag ($19.99).

You can also replace shabby old cookware that looks runover for a new six-piece compact-cookware set made from diecast aluminium with non-stick coating ($59.99), or pick up a very cool collapsible 240V kettle to save space ($24.99).

When you’re tight on space, everything is better in a collapsible version. It’s not just practical, it’s strangely addictive to pop up and squash down over and over again. (Did someone say cheap fun for the littlies?) The Aldi sale includes large collapsible accessories such as a 19-litre oval tub, laundry basket, dish drainer, or 40-litre bucket ($19.99 each), as well as small collapsible kit such as a 10-litre bucket, 7-litre tub, wash pan, or packet of ice cube trays ($12.99 each). There are food containers in round, rectangular, or square packs, to ensure leftover cheese is always ready for the next day’s grazing board ($14.99 each).

If your van has been in storage for a while, you’re absolutely going to need to do a full maintenance check before you take it adventuring again. Drinking and sullage hoses can age in the sun and become a breeding ground for all kinds of gunk. If you’re in doubt, there’s no question you should throw them out (or at least relocate them to your garden) and pick up bacteria-free new ones from Aldi ($24.99 each).

While you’re here, you might as well update a bunch of essentials, such as a new levelling ramp and chock set ($19.99), as well as invest in fresh jack pads, sky hooks, and tie-down straps ($9.99 each).

If your caravan cover has had it after two winters parked at home, you can get a new one ($99.99) … or you can check the tyre pressure, move in, and just slip into nomadic life for the foreseeable future.

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And finally, you can treat yourselves to new compact director’s chairs ($49.99 each). If you’re hitting the road and heading north this winter, you’re going to need something comfy for those afternoon G&Ts.

If you want to know exactly when the deals arrive at your local store, click here.

This story was first published on Escape and is reproduced here with permission

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