If you want to make your camping adventure fun, you should definitely incorporate the best ideas and hacks out there. But how can you make your trip less messy and efficient? For that, prepare well beforehand.
You need to understand that a poorly organized camp gear will deteriorate and eventually become unusable after a certain time. To prevent this from happening, you will not only need to take care of your gear but store it properly as well.
If you think about it, leaving your camping gear unorganized will only create more work, which is why here are 7 ideas to organize your camping gear to prevent this from happening ever again.
1. Pack Items to save Time and Space
When camping, space is a luxury you cannot afford to abuse. For this reason, it is important for you to be careful about the stuff you take along. The idea here is to ensure you are comfortable when camping, so avoid taking bulky items and excess clothing you may not necessarily use.
2. Use Ziplocs
Believe it or not, Ziplock bags can be your greatest ally. Since they are available in a myriad of sizes with waterproofing, make the most of them.
You can store a lot of stuff in Ziplock bags and never have to worry about them being ruined by the weather.
On the other hand, whatever stuff you pack in Ziplock bags, make sure you label them. The purpose of doing so is so that when the time comes to pack everything back again, you can easily do so by reusing the labeled bags. Basically, the labeled bags will serve as a placeholder for stuff that ought to be repacked when it is time to leave the campsite.
3. Keep Clear Storage Bins Handy
On your camping trip, you will be awfully tempted to throw everything into a disposable bag to save time. What you do not realize is you are doing more harm than good.
If you have enough space, pack all your camping gear in clear storage bins. Plastic bins are durable and weather resistant, thus making it easier for you to organize things without breaking a sweat.
It may seem like a hassle at first, but clear storage bins can do wonders for you to store things where they should be, which eliminate the chances of you losing your belongings.
4. Organize the Camp Kitchen
You can save yourself from a lot of trouble if you organize the camp kitchen from the get-go. This means you will need to determine a spot for stuff related to the kitchen. But that is not enough; you need to make sure everyone knows ‘what’ goes where.
Considering the fact that the camp kitchen is the most difficult of areas to organize at a campsite, you need to give it the utmost importance for your sanity to remain intact.
To make the food preparation process simpler, here are a couple of ideas for your consideration:
- Have separate coolers for drinks and food.
- In the food cooler, create a division between food relying on cooling racks and melting ice. This can be accomplished by packing ice at the bottom of the cooler, with the cooling racks placed directly on top.
- Use a fabric tool belt or plastic shoe organizer to store dish rags, utensils and other stuff required when preparing meals.
5. Store Camping Items in a Cool and Dry Place
One of the best things you can do is to store your camping items in one spot. However, your job does not end there. You have to find a spot that is cool and dry to prevent them from getting damaged.
Once your trip comes to an end, even then, it is necessary for you to store your camping gear in a cool and dry place. If not for your home due to a lack of space, store them in a self-storage unit. The self-storage unit does not have to be big, as even a small one will do wonders for protecting your gear.
6. Remove Batteries from Electronics
No matter what electronics you are taking along with you, remove the batteries when not in use. It may seem silly, and a hassle even, but it will prevent your electronics from breaking down due to battery leakage or corrosion. The same also goes for after you are done with your camping adventure.
Store your electronics separately from the batteries, which should, in fact, be placed in sealed plastic bags. By keeping all the batteries in one place, they will also be easier to find.
7. Wash and then Air Out Sleeping Bags
Do not make do with your sleeping bags as they are. If you won’t treat them right, they will smell horrible.
When you are done with your sleeping bags for the day, or otherwise, shake them until you get rid of all loose items hidden therein. Once that is taken care of, air out each and every sleeping bag individually, either by laying them flat or placing them on a hanger. Avoid placing them in direct sunlight though as the UV rays damage the nylon.
Back at home, if you have a front-load machine, only then consider machine-washing your sleeping bags. But if drying them is a problem, then place two tennis balls and terry-cloth towels in the dryer. Well, the tennis balls and cloth will fluff the fill and minimize static electricity for decreased drying time, respectively. Now that your sleeping bags are dry and packed, do not forget about them. Take them out from time to time to keep their insulation intact.
In conclusion, you are now fully equipped to ensure a highly organized camping expedition. Rest assured, you will hence have all the time in the world to enjoy the great outdoors like never before!
This blog post was first published on our website https://whiteduckoutdoors.com/blogs/blog/7-ideas-for-organizing-camping-gear
This blog post was first published on our website https://whiteduckoutdoors.com/blogs/blog/7-ideas-for-organizing-camping-gear
