As a child, my parents would take my siblings, friends and I camping at least once a year. I grew up in a large city so it was always a treat to get away and spend some time in nature; getting dirty, fishing and generally exploring the great outdoors.
That being said, we were “glampers” – a term of endearment for those who like to camp but have all of the comforts of home with them. For example, one time my family and I camped at a local campground and it was close enough to a Tim Horton’s that we got up in the morning and drove to get everyone coffee and bagels. I know, you’re rolling your eyes right now.
Over the years, after moving to B.C. and camping on my own, I’ve developed my own ways of getting the most out of camping; being efficient without being too high maintenance. I’m generally a very organized person so this comes naturally for me, but for those who have a lot of gear and have little organizing skills it may be more of a challenge.
There’s nothing worse than packing for a camping trip and having your camping gear scattered around the house, or setting up camp and realizing you’ve forgotten something important at home.
My first rule of thumb; when I get home from a camping trip I clean and re-organize all of my supplies. This way, I am ready to go for the next adventure. All I need to do is pack my clothes and get some groceries.
My second rule of thumb; make a list. Everything you need from toiletries to sleeping bags and groceries. I usually don’t even need to refer to said list, just writing it down is enough.
My third rule of thumb; prep meals. If I have time I will chop vegetables, make muffins, put eggs into a water bottle, anything I can do to make cooking easier at camp.
If you’re camping with a vehicle, I recommend keeping most of your supplies in two, locking bins; one bin for kitchen items and dry goods, while the other bin houses a first aid kit, rope, headlamps, matches, etc. I also keep a third bin for fishing gear, but this is not always necessary.
With regards to wildlife, this storage method allows you to simply pack everything away at the end of the day and tuck it away in a locked vehicle.
Bin number one includes, but is not limited to, the following items:
French press, water purifier, plates, bowls, mugs, utensils such as forks and knives, can opener etc., cutting board, a set of knives for chopping, pots and pans, dog food bowls, biodegradable soap, a wash cloth, cooking oil, salt and pepper, packets of ketchup and mustard, and any other items as required.
Bin number two includes, but is not limited to, the following items:
Toiletries, flashlight and headlamps, first aid kit, rope, beach blanket, towel, hammock, solar-powered speaker, camera, hatchet, matches, BC Kootenays Backroads map, sleeping bags housed in compression sacks and any other items as required.
All clothes go into a pack; I find that rolling each item of clothing saves a great deal of space. You can also roll outfits inside of sweatshirts (see photo) to save space and have an outfit ready to go at any time.
In terms of food, I believe that anyone can cook just as well when camping as they do at home. Having the right gear helps, but prepping can allow you to spend less time cooking and more time exploring. Make a list of everything you will need. For example, if you are staying for two nights, you will need breakfast, lunch and dinner for two days. Decide ahead of time what meals you will make, get the groceries, and prep anything from chopping vegetables to making rice or baking muffins.
If you don’t have that kind of time, you can always purchase pre-made salads, muffins, fruit and vegetable trays, trail mix and other healthy things which require little prep and are ready-to-eat. Keep anything that needs to be refrigerated in a cooler on ice, and all dry goods go into the locking bins mentioned above.
Finally, when arriving home from a camping trip, take all of your supplies out of the bins and clean anything that has gotten dirty. Replenish supplies you may have used a lot of such as cooking oil, coffee or first aid. This will ensure that you are organized and ready to go for the next adventure.
For other interesting ideas, check out these awesome camping hacks:
https://www.buzzfeed.com/peggy/camping-hacks-that-are-borderline-genius?utm_term=.um5Ezw8Nz#.pxwaKBnxK
http://www.countryliving.com/life/travel/g3362/camping-hacks/
http://www.diyncrafts.com/18753/lifehacks/55-essential-camping-hacks-tricks-will-make-camping-pro
http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/30-brilliant-camping-hacks-wish-knew-earlier.html
