How to pack for camping and have everything organized?

July 17, 2010 by admin · 3 Comments
Filed under: Camping 
camping
rocio asked:

we enjoy the outdoors and camping, we have bought many items during the years and now we have many things, and they get everywhere in the car during the trip. How do you pack kitchen items: paper plates, utensils, paper towel? bed items (they are bulky)? mosquito repellent bottles ( they love me )I usually put kitchen stuff in a plastic container, but to reach the bottom I have to take everything on top. Any creative ideas? tips? I may buy a space saver bag for the bedding, has anybody tried that.

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3 Responses to “How to pack for camping and have everything organized?”
  1. casey says:
    July 20, 2010 at 12:52 pm

    We use old plastic milk crates to carry most of our kitchen stuff. They are strong, not so large as to be hard to handle, and when turned over make great end tables. We have one wooden box that carries the toxic stuff, lighter fluid, insect repellent, and etc. Use stuff bags for the bedding. Try to keep everything together that is used together, keep the pump for inflating the mattress in the same box/bag as the mattress, saves time searching different places for items. casey

  2. chris w says:
    July 22, 2010 at 4:24 am

    I too use rubbermaid containers with the contents written on the lid and sides. I can store these in the garage when not in use and if I need something for a day trip the labels help me find exactly what I need with out having to go through each box. Also packing up I know where to keep stuff together and when I yell go get me the can opener whoever is fetching it for me is quicker to find it as well. The space saver bag only works on the way there unless you brought your vacume with you for the trip back. I use Zip lock freezer bags for stuff that might leak. chris w

  3. Mark M says:
    July 22, 2010 at 10:59 am

    For car-camping I use a medium-size Rubbermaid Action Packer bin with sheets of plastic (lexan? stuff from Home Depot) cut into 11″ tall dividers and duct-taped into place for my kitchen box. There’s room in the box for my pots and pans, three propane canisters, plastic plates and bowels, napkins, trash bags and space for most of my dry foods. On the very top I lay my large griddle, cutting board, campfire grate, collapsible sink, axe, folding saw and 1/2 rolls of paper towels. I have a mesh organizer I made myself and screwed to the inside of the bin’s lid to hold my cooking and eating utensils.

    I can then strap my Coleman stove and el-cheapo propane grill on top of this. When I get to camp, all the stuff on the top of the bin comes out and generally stays out until it’s time to pack-up and go, and the stuff underneath is stored vertically instead of flat, so there’s no digging for buried items. The lid, with the utensils attached, also comes out and stays on the mesh shelf under my camp kitchen unit (small folding table with grill shelf).

    Generally speaking, each person — child or adult — is responsible for carrying their own clothing and sleeping kit. All our sleeping bags compress well into their stuff sacks, and we use self-inflating mattresses that also roll-up tight. The sleeping bags go inside each person’s duffel bag or backpack on top of their clothing and personal items, and the mattress gets strapped outside to the top or side. Clothing is organized into dry bags to protect from any weather or mishaps, and for organization. We also use one of the drybags full of clothes with a pillow case instead of a pillow. Each person is also responsible for their own toiletries, which go in a small nylon bag stored the outside pocket of the duffel bag or backpack, along with sun block, insect repellent, flashlight or headlight with extra batteries.

    If you are using regular bedding you’ll find that sleeping bags will take a lot less space and weight, particularly if you use a compression bag (just remember to loosen the compression bag during storage at home so the insulation doesn’t go flat). Our bags compress down to about 9×12″. As mentioned above, we put a pillow case over our clothing’s dry bags to use as a pillow, or you can get inflatable pillows. Also, camp towels or large “Sham Wow” type towels take up much less room than regular household towels but work just as well, and dry more quickly.

    The tent, 2 LED lanterns, 2 bag chairs, roll-up table, dining tarp with poles go into one large duffel. This sometimes leaves one or two loose chairs to sling over your shoulder.

    If necessary, I can stack the two coolers, Rubbermaid bin, stove and grill onto a folding luggage cart and drag it to the campsite on one trip, then return and strap the water container, large duffel, and camp kitchen to the cart for my second trip. Mark M

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