LED strip lights under cabinets inside the RV

Bright Ideas: Easy Light Upgrades for the RV

Sometimes the lights in your camper aren’t quite where you need them to be. Maybe you want more lights or different-colored lights. Occasionally, it can be nice to have a slightly dimmer light instead of bright overhead lights. We were able to achieve all of the above by adding some easy RV light upgrades to our camper.

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LED Strip Lights

These LED come in two 6.5 ft rolls. They’re battery powered, which is great if you’re dry camping and trying to save your RV battery. The lights are cuttable, so you can trim them down to the length you need. (Note that you can only cut in specific locations.) They come with two remotes that allow you to dim them and change the color of the lights. We like to use the red lights if we’re just popping inside to grab something and heading back outside. Red light helps to preserve night vision after your eyes have adjusted to the darkness.

LED strip lights under cabinets in an RV - Easy RV light upgrades
LED strip lights under the cabinets on the red color setting

Although the light strips come with an adhesive side, we used Command strips to attach them underneath our cabinets. We like that Command strips are removable in case we decide to move the lights later on.

LED Strip Lights (Amazon link)

Command Strips (Amazon link)

Mini Touch Lights

LED touch light under the cabinet in the RV
Mini-Touch light under the cabinet

We noticed that there was no light to turn on/off near the bed in our camper. When we’d turn off the main light, we’d use our phone flashlights to navigate our way to bed. Then I found these battery-powered stick-on mini touch lights. I really like that they are dimmable and have a remote that controls both of them (in addition to the option to push them to turn them on and off). We stuck them under the cabinets on either side of the bed, so we both have our own lights. After months of use, we did notice that the lights fell off a couple times. We replaced the adhesive with a Command strip and haven’t had any issues since.

Command Strips (Amazon link)

Motion Sensor Lights

Stick-on motion sensor light in the bathroom - easy RV light upgrades
Motion sensor light in the bathroom

We got this stick-on motion sensor light for our bathroom. The built-in bathroom light is very bright. It really wakes you up if you have to use the restroom in the middle of the night. It also shines a lot of light into the rest of the camper. The stick-on light is dimmer and had more of a yellow tint instead of bright white.

Motion Sensor Light (Amazon link)

Outside the Camper

Headlamps

Headlamps are great to have with you at any time in case of an emergency, but they’re especially useful when you’re camping. We try to arrive at campsites before dark, so we can set up before dark. Sometimes we get delayed and arrive after dark. When we’re trying to unhook our travel trailer and get set up in the dark, it’s great to have headlamps. They create portable, hands-free light. I’ll often pack them on long hikes just in case something unexpected happens and we’re out after dark.

Wide beam headlamp on a table
Wide beam headlamp

We have two different types of headlamps: a wide beam motion sensor and a more focused beam with a red light option. Both have rechargeable batteries via USB cables. The wide beam option is great for lighting up a big space. These are nice for setting up camp. You can wave your hand next to the headlamp to turn on and off the light. The more focused beam headlamp has a red light option that provides just a little bit of light but still preserves your night vision.

Light Up Dog Collar

A dog outside on a lead
Bailey outside with her red light-up collar (not turned on for this picture)

This one isn’t related to lighting up your camper or the area around it, but it is helpful for camping. We usually walk our dog around the campground one last time before going to bed. This is often after dark and even though people generally tend to drive pretty slowly through campgrounds, it sometimes worries me that people may not be able to see her. We put on our headlamps or bring a lantern to walk, but she’s lower to the ground and not as easily seen. I did some searching and found this handy light-up collar. It is rechargeable, so no need to worry about messing with tiny batteries.

Light Up Dog Collar (Amazon link)

To read tips and tricks for bringing pets along on outdoor adventures, check out this post: Travel Tips and Tricks: Outdoor Adventures with Dogs – Miles of Yellow Lines