Teardrop Gear: Throw Pillow

There are several items that we have come to depend on when teardrop camping. Our trusty Coleman stove/grill, our Luci light and even our trailer levelers come out on top, but I never thought that one of the most useful camping items would be my sunflower throw pillow.

I only bought the pillow because it had a sunflower on it, but after camping with it for several years I realized it's a handy (and comfy) tool to have in the teardrop.

1. It's perfect for reading
A throw pillow gives you an extra bit of comfort for your head while lying down in a teardrop bed to read or watch a movie.

2. Use it as a hiding place
I've used the pillow cover to stash a book or my iPad or phone.

3. Picnic benches are hard
The throw pillow comes in handy when sitting for hours at a campground picnic table. It's also nice to have it for your camp chair.

4. No teddy bear needed
When sleeping in the trailer, it helps to have something to hug. The pillow works in lieu of a teddy bear...or a spouse.

5. Minimal decor
Right away most people get the theme of my trailer from just glancing at the pillow. I don't have to hit them over the head with sunflower decor.

Friday Teardrop Photo

Vintage salt and pepper shaker in the teardrop galley of Bob and Lynn's Midget Trailer. You can sometimes find these cute shakers on Etsy or eBay.

Top 10 Teardrop Themes

Why do many teardrop trailers have a theme? Why turn one teardrop into an Area 51 spaceship and another into a Hawaiian Tiki bar? The answer might lie in the history of the teardrop as well as what it represents today — a form of rebellion.

The original teardrop trailers were built at home, rather than by a manufacturer, so the builder had carte blanche on what they could do with their own trailer. This still applies today. With their small size and simple lines, builders can create a themed trailer or even take a plain teardrop, add some creative decor, and turn it into whatever their fantasy might be.

Themes can be reflected in the drapes and bedding, the paint job or exterior siding, the hatch art and the various decor that owners choose. It's also fairly inexpensive to do. If you were to "trick out" a large 5th wheel, that could cost a lot of money. Tricking out a teardrop can be done on a shoestring.

Themed teardrops have a sense of humor as well. It's hard to be serious about a tiny, round trailer bopping down the road. It's even more fun if the tiny, round trailer is painted to look like a toaster or a ladybug. Personally, I knew right away what the theme of my trailer would be. When I saw the yellow and black colors I had to give it a happy sunflower theme that would always make people smile.

What are the top 10 themes I've run into over the years? 

 

1. Vintage or retro style (Elvis, 1950s, chrome, vintage camping gear)  
2. 1970s (hippie, tie-dye, Bob Marley or psychedelic)
3. Nature (flowers, wood, natural decor and colors)

 

4. National or regional pride (Union Jack, Switzerland, USA, Confederate South, Australia)
5. Hunting or fishing (Smokey the Bear, vintage fishing gear)

 

6. Humorous (pirate ship, UFO, submarine)
7. Wine and beer

8. Western themes with cowboy or cowgirl motifs
9. Travel (Route 66, map designs, tropical) 
10. Cartoons or characters (Hello Kitty, Barbie, Sock Monkey, bugs)