Going camping is awesome…but it’s even better when you have these simple and easy to do camping hacks!
I can’t express how much we love camping. From the outdoor adventures to the endless moments of family bonding, camping is always (ALWAYS) on our radar. Luckily, we live in an amazing state where our state parks and conservation areas are beautiful and full of amazing outdoor activities.
It’s nothing for us to load up the camper and just hit the road to get away from it all for a bit. In fact, those are some of the best camping trips ever.
We’ve met a lot of campers during our journey, and the one thing that I hear all the time is that “camping is actually quite a bit of work”. I couldn’t disagree more with that statement…Those folks just need to try a few of these camping hacks and they’ll think differently as well!
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10 Camping Hacks that are a MUST!
Before embarking on your camping journey, make certain that you do your research to get prepared.
How do you make camping easier?
Camping is actually relatively easy compared to other forms of vacation, but with camping hacks, it’ll be a breeze! Besides applying these hacks, you need to make certain that you plan ahead and book your camping reservations early. Camping is quite popular and the spots fill up rather quickly.
How can I have fun while camping?
Honestly, there is never a dull moment when camping. From hiking to biking, to fishing or just exploring out in the woods, there is literally an endless array of options that anyone can have fun doing.
What do I need for a first time camping trip?
This is where many people fall into issues. They tend to overpack for their camping trip and everything suddenly becomes more “work” and less fun. Isn’t the point of camping to get away from it all? For your first time camping trip, remember the essentials. You’ll need:
- Bedding
- Shelter (tent, etc)
- Food
- Flashlights
- Bug spray
- Change of clothes
See how minimal you can really make it? If you want to spruce it up and add more, you can – but you don’t have to!
Now that you know some basic camping info, let’s dive into these easy camping hacks!
Family Camping Hacks That Are Easy To Do
Think of these as simple camping tips for beginners!
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Understand the need to be minimal
Give each member of your family a duffle bag, and make it work. Clothes, swimming gear…you name it. If you overpack, it takes up too much space and if you’re tent camping, there isn’t a lot of room in your tent to have all your overflow.
Be smart about what you pack. In the summer, you don’t need coats and in the winter, you do. Pretty simple, right? If you aren’t going to be riding a horse, leave those cowboy boots for another day. Be practical to save space.
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Always bring reusable water bottles
Part of going camping is to enjoy the beauty of the Earth, so don’t spend your money on plastic bottles that you’re just going to use and throw away. Go green and save money by refilling plastic water bottles or use a refillable water mug. We have these that we refill and take with us on the road and love them. They are stainless steel, and they actually don’t “sweat” liquid off them. I love them so much. Plus, we use them over and over and over again.
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Pack something in addition to toilet paper
Two words: Wet wipes. I probably don’t need to explain this…but, in case you need a push in that direction..they are great for bathroom needs and also to wipe off surfaces to clean on the fly. Plus, they store great and can be left in the camper for future needs and uses! I always have these stored in our camper that way we never forget them. (just don’t flush them down your camper toilet….they aren’t made for that!)
Like these RV camping hacks? Check out these other posts as well:
- 9 Gluten-Free Camping Food Ideas Your Family Will Love
- Thinking of going camping with dogs? You need these tips!
- Family Friendly Camping Games Perfect for Every Camping Adventure
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Understand that lighting the fire with quick starters is fine
I know that everyone loves the feeling of being able to start the campfire naturally, but Campfire quick starters are a lifesaver. While we did fight this for a long time as well….we finally gave in and I’m so glad we did. Sometimes…nature happens and there are times when it rains. That then means that the wood is too wet and just won’t light…so, having easy quick starters are so nice. We use these, as they are all natural and can be cooked with, etc., We love them. Give them a try, trust me. Plus, again, they store great and I leave them in the camper for any future needs.
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Bring books for everyone in the family
I don’t know why, but the time during camping sends to slow down. And while that’s wonderful, you’ll want to have something to do during your downtime. Our go to? Library books!!!! Our reading game definitely increases even more than normal when we are camping. Before each trip, we head to the library to stock up on books. Saves money and makes an amazing rotation of new reads each and every time.
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Invest in board games that you can leave in your camper
Stock up on board games. I have learned SO many new games! Cribbage, Clumsy Thief, Chess, Lost Island...plus, we play a ton of others. In our camper, we have about 12 games stored..you never know when the urge will strike to yell YAHTZEE. And when it rains during camping? Board games are a MUST. I honestly do love to go to Amazon to look at games that are available. Their options are endless and while they do cost money, they pay for themselves tenfold in a short short period of time. (Especially when I’m winning! :-))
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Bring along a kitchen appliance or two
If you have the luxury of electricity when you’re camping, make use of it! We like to bake fresh bread while camping. Yep, this is a thing. and IT. IS. AWESOME. Imagine being outside, setting up your bread machine to make a loaf, going out and about for the day exploring, then coming back to have warm, fresh bread waiting for you. Again, I know the bread machine is a cost, but it is so inexpensive to make bread, that it takes no time to recoup that cost. And the types of bread that you can make? White. Wheat. Sweet. Cinnamon. You name it.
And while we’re talking about electricity and appliances….don’t forget about your coffee maker!
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Always have batteries available to use
This is so important. Always have rechargeable batteries on hand. For flashlights especially. Buy them, and then use them over and over again for the next year or more. They are a lifesaver….and an Earth saver too!
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Use tubs with lids for storage
Organize your packed items into tubs. Yep, simple big plastic tubs. Have one tub be an “outdoor” tub to hold games, gloves, swimming stuff, etc. Have a tub to hold “kitchen” items, etc. Your tubs can be whatever you want them to be, but trust me when I say this will save a ton of time to have items in their certain places. Plus, when they have lids, you can store them outdoors no matter what the weather.
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For items that you use a lot of, always have duplicates on hand
If possible, have duplicates of certain items that are left in your camper. Items that I would recommend to have a second set of would be:
- Sunscreen
- Bug Spray
- Salt/Pepper
- Lighter
- Pillows/Light Blankets
- Toilet Paper/Wet wipes
- Hand sanitizer/soap
- Toothbrushes/toothpaste
- Deck of cards
- Paper plates/napkins/utensils
- Trashbags/Recycle bags
- Storage containers
Having duplicates of these items saves a TON of packing time. Add other items as needed to suit the needs of your family. We camp quite a bit, so I typically leave S’mores ingredients in our camper, cereal, lifejackets/swim toys, sheets and blankets, heater/fan, dish soap, and other non-perishable food items.
and the best camping hacks food ever?
Drumroll….spreadable Hershey’s chocolate….SO. MUCH. BETTER. and easier to use with S’mores. (and the raccoon who cleaned out the entire jar with its greedy little paw the night we left it outside MUST agree. That jar was cleaned out entirely. No trace left.)
These simple camping hacks anyone can do. In no time at all, you’ll be camping experts and touring around staying at al the campgrounds!
Do you have any simple camping hacks to share?
Kristin says
Love this! We are going to try making bread in our Dutch oven (it’s the only cooking tool we have for our travels). It’s supposed to work but.. we’ll see ๐ I agree, the thought of freshly baked bread when camping, especially on some of those cold mornings, sounds just divine!
Thena says
OOOHHH, that sounds amazing! I will have to add it to my list!
Brooke says
I’m about to go camping for the first time so this post was meant for me to come across! Thanks for the tips, especially the bread, carbs are life ๐
Thena says
Awesome, have so much fun! You will love it!!!
Melissa says
Oh wow I didn’t know about the spreadable Hershey’s! That’s so much easier! I’ll definitely be doing that from now on. I like the idea of the totes to keep me organized, too!
Thena says
Totally!
moumita says
Cool. Playing cards idea is the best. It would be fun
Alli Rosenblum says
Love the tips! I didn’t know about spreadable hershey’s either! definitely going to check that out.
Thena says
It is soooooo good! ๐
Nadalie says
Great tips. Camping sounds so fun. I haven’t done it in ages and every summer that comes I say I will but never do. Really need to get on out there.
Audrey says
These are awesome tips! We are planning on taking the kids camping this Fall. I am so going to need these. I pinned it to save it for later on Pinterest.
Thena says
Thank you so much! Camping is such great family time!!
Jenny Finney says
My family and I absolutely LOVE camping! We (or I should say, I) love playing board games and cards, at night. We go as often as we can and I love a lot of your hacks!
Thena says
Awesome!!!
Jane says
We love camping! Thanks for this.
Graham says
If you run out of the fire starter cones, you can always forage for fatwood. Any wood that’s soaked in its own sap burns FOREVER. If you can find a tree stup, dig around in there for awhile and you might find some. They also sell it at most camping supply stores.
Great list, and keep up the good work.
Thena says
Awesome tips, thank you so much!!!
Graham says
Preparing meals in foil pouches is a really good way to cook around a campfire. You just combine veggies, some meat if you want, and a little bit of oil and some seasoning/spices inside a folded up pocket of foil. Keep them in a cooler, and just toss them on when you’re ready. We’ve been doing this for years and we LOVE it!
Thena says
I love that!
Yacon Root says
Amazing Site. Really enjoyed reading.
Jason says
These are some great tips! I agree 100% with the over packing. Every time we get home 1/2 of our clothes were never worn. I love the idea of baking bread, we have a bread machine at home that gets uses 1 or 2 times a year. I think it might find a new home in the camper for the summers.
This isn’t quite a hack, but our favorite camping meal is hot dogs and mac-n-cheese over the fire. We precook the noodles and use the little foil loaf pans the smoke from the fire give the mac-n-cheese the best flavor.
Thanks Thena and keep up the great work.
Thena says
Thanks!!!
Heather says
This article is awesome. It gives very good tips on how to make camping more fun when doing it with family. I am going camping with my family in the summer and these tips will be really useful. We have always played games but didn’t know any other ways to make it fun. I am definitely going to buy a bread machine.
Jennifer Berkey says
These tips are beneficial and one thing’s for sure in camping is the learning experience you gotta have to share with people. Great post!
Olivia says
Thanks for your 10 camping acks. Your all camping hack is really great. I must me apply this to my next camping. I really enjoy your blog.
Jake says
Great share! Valuable tips! Definitely I would love to apply next time! Thanks!
Marcel says
Thank you very much for sharing and well informative.I am really happy after reading you’re all article about camping. I really enjoy your blog article.It gives a very excellent idea how to make a campaign.
Thanks!!!
Marcel recently posted…HOW TO KEEP A TENT WARM IN COLD WEATHER
Michael says
Totally agree – preparation is everything. No magic. Just preparation. It took me a couple of trips to perfect everything. The great thing is that once you developed your system, your checklists, etc., you start to have fun and relaxing camping trips. Stop by to see what I recommend if you like. Camp more, worry less. ๐
Brooklyn | La Ti Do says
Great ideas! Love it!
<3 Brooklyn | latidoblog.weebly.com
Thena says
Thank you!
Michael Jones says
I love your blog post and found a lot of smart ideas, that I can believe, I didn’t think of . Especially the wipes, that should of be a no bainer, but I didn’t think of it. Thanks for opening my eyes.
Thena says
Thanks for reading! Happy Camping!
Angler Jacobs says
These are useful pieces of information. It is good to have a list/hacks like this for starters. Hope to read more like this in the future!
Ken Lloyd says
Thank you for these tips!
Heather says
Putting together bins with 2nds of common items has made camping so much easier for us too. I’m so excited to hear about SPREADABLE chocolate – that’s amazing!
Thena says
It is sooooo good. Total game changer.
Edie says
Frozen Grapes…….yup! Our kids (and us adults) like frozen grapes when camping! I wash the grapes, remove the stems, lay them on a pie pan in a single layer, freeze until solid. When youโre hot, just pop a couple in your mouth!
Another appliance that we take is a Crock Pot!
Yesbet88 Casino says
I enjoy spending time outdoors during the summer. My friends and I would take our camping gear, drive up th the foot of the nearest hiking trail, set up our tents and sleep under the stars. It’s an amazing experience.
Thena says
That’s the best feeling, ever!