What are your best camping tips and tricks?

[Mike Magee]

Why do they call it 'poo powder' if it's meant for pee? Strange!

[Donna D.]

What do I take along every trip? A sense of humor! Oh my stars. My soon-to-be-91-y/o mother has told me numerous times, you'll remember the memories of trips that didn't work out perfectly far longer than the ones that everything worked as expected. I've found that to be true. As long as a camping trip doesn't include a visit to the Emergency Room, I really do remember the ones that didn't turn out perfect... like the time I forgot my toothbrush.

[Boler Babe]

Lots of ideas to be shared - here are some of my best:
- we use paper plates and plastic utensils - much easier than washing dishes although it's a no-no for environmentalists, but let's face it I cook and clean the other 50 weeks of the year and I think it's a well deserved break
- we have a Hot Water on Demand system installed under the sink. Don't need a kettle and no need to heat water on the stove to wash pots and pans. It's made by insinkerator. Marvellous invention and very small so it fits under the sink in our 13 foot Boler. If you are interested PM me and I will send you a photo.
- we don't have a microwave but have something better - an under the counter toaster oven made by black and decker. In BC they are available at London Drugs. I can make a cake or pan of brownies (in a square pan), make toast, heat a casserole and so much more. Like it better than a microwave as things get crispy and not soggy. Cannot imagine camping without it and hope it never ever breaks!!

[TimR]

We found a great benefit to help with things "flying around" in our cupboards was to put in a liner similar to mac-tac (sp?) It is a foam material that you can cut or pull apart to size and is made of 1/8th inch foam. it helps items like cups and cookware to not slide around. I think it maybe absorbs some of the bumps a bit as well. I have thought of putting in something a bit thicker too but so far the product we have is working well. Hope that helps!

[Dextersp1]

Walmart! If you forget something, go shopping.

Frozen 2 liter water bottle in refrigerator. Use a couple to cool down the refrigerator the night before your trip. Use a one or two frozen bottles in the refrigerator when traveling to help keep things cold. I'm amazed how long ice stays in the bottle.

[summersucks]

guys, this is GOLD. I have so many ideas and am so excited to get things ready! I feel much better prepared having read all these awesome tips.

And Donna, I totally agree about the trip being more memorable when things don't go perfectly.

Boler_babe, pm'ing you.

[Hazel in Sk]

I have a packing list on my computer with everything I can think of on it. Some things get crossed out right away (if we aren't taking a canoe this time we obviously don't need paddles etc).


The list is vaguely organised into 'things that live in the camper, things to prepare meals, clothes, camping extras like chairs and so on. I just print out a new copy each time. Oh yeah - I keep it with us in the camper and wrote down the things we realise aren't yet on the list!! makes it simple to keep the list up to date.

[Gilda]

I second (and third) the idea to keep like items in plastic containers. I find plastic shoe boxes, and 1/2 boxes, work well for me. With lids they stack, they fit on shelves as well as in the under-seat bins. My P-Touch labelmaker is my new "best friend" as I label all these boxes. Try to sort the boxes making them into "kits". I have a picnic table kit (salt and pepper shakers, citronella candle, flashlight, napkins, etc.), first aid kit, repair kit (duct tape, Gorilla glue, Velcro, etc.)...you get the idea.

I rather like my 4-piece canister set in which I keep coffee, cereal, trail mix and cookies.

[Tammie]

A roll of quarters fits perfectly in a M&Ms Minis plastic tube. It has an attached snap-on cap and disguises all the $ inside. We keep one in the car console for tolls, vending, etc. and one in the laundry bag.

Liquid laundry detergent travels compactly in a recycled plastic soda bottle. A 12 or 16 oz bottle holds 3 or 4 measured capfuls of detergent, each level marked on the bottle with a sharpie pen.

[emij]

We have a packing list as well, and like Hazel in SK, keep it handy to update the things I realize we need or to cross off stuff we never use.

We just took our first camping trip in our Scamp this past weekend (after almost 20 years of tent camping) and while I came up with a couple of things I'll modify, I'm pretty happy with our storage situation. We are also heading out for a two week trip this summer, so I'm working on lists for that and organizing things in my head right now.

I will jump on the boxes and bins bandwagon as they are perfect ways to contain things in the cupboards. We bought a four piece organizer from the Container store that fits perfectly in the closet, so each of us gets a shelf for clothing. I discovered that it will keep about 5 days worth of clothing for each of us. When we go on our longer trip, I'll either schedule some laundry stops or pack a suitcase in the car with remaining clothes and trade them out midway through. I hung command hooks on the inside of the door for jackets and hats. I like cooking outside, so other than my coffee pot, I have a bag with the grill and all cooking essentials that goes in the car. It's left over from our tent camping days, but it's so easy to grab and set up on the end of the picnic table and them I'm out where the family is. It will also be easy to grab and bring into the camper should the weather not cooperate and I need to cook inside.

My favorite thing ever in camping with small kids (and even still) are baby wipes. We use them for EVERYTHING.

[Uplander]

One item that I keep in my Tow vehicle is a backpack with one of those 12volt rechargeable battery jump-start devices along with a small 12volt air compressor and flat tire repair kit for tubeless tires plus a compact bottle Jack.
That takes care of flat tires in the middle of nowhere (that is the only time I get a flat...in nowhere!). The 12volt battery also can be used as emergency power for the travel trailer if needed....add a survival knife and LED flashlight and the emergency kit is complete. These items are available at most Walmart's, auto supply stores and farm supply stores. The back-pack is mounted behind my driver's seat all the time. I charge the battery pack every month or so.
Note: it is possible to plug most tubeless tire flats while they are still on the vehicle!

[Bob Miller]

Some thoughts on earlier posts:


I don't think that Cast Iron pans really save much, if any, LP as it takes more BTU's to heat them up in the first place. We use all aluminum pots and pans to save weight and get fast heating, but do get quality pans, with the heavier bottoms, to avoid hot spots. Can't say that I have ever seen any "Black Stuff" come off of an aluminum pan.


I installed a small "Safe", bolted down solidly, in a hidden area, to store my important papers, check book, passports and a portable hard drive with almost any documents stored on it that I might need while travelling. As most break-ins are of the grab and run variety, it doesn't have to be very fancy to do the job.


Tire plugs are great for emergency repairs BUT:
They have to be inserted in exactly the same path as the original nail, or whatever made the puncture, or you will have two holes in the casing that can leak. In short, if the nail is missing, be very careful before pushing in a plug and consider getting an inside patch added at first opportunity. Better yet, always carry a good spare.


And I always stop within a few miles after starting out to check everything inside and outside for security.

There seems to often be a Gremlin that sneaks around opening locks that you just know that you had locked, especially the one on the refrigerator door !!!

[Uplander]

I thought only my rig was visited by the RV Gremlins!
Having a spare is fine but only too often flats come in pairs and in places far from towns and service facilities. I once lost 3 trailer tires in the western deserts while on a 6 week tour of National Parks....Irish saying: " Bad stuff comes in threes".

[Bob Miller]

Better American saying, "Tire all age out at the same time" .... LOL
I have seen that happen numerous times on RV's with dual rear tires.


This last week I was driving from Sedona to Riverside and, at 117 degrees, I was happy that my trailer tires were just a year old and the TV's were only three months old. Had I made that trip on the older tires (5+ years) I had on last year, I doubt if they would have withstood the temps.

[CampyTime]

My favorite little thing I did so far is to make a wooden pull out "drawer" for my porta Pottie. Put 2-1/2" furniture glides on the bottom and now it slides in and out of the storage area under the bunks, smooth as butter. And when friends come over, they see my nice scamp inside, sans toilet! Much nicer view than walking in to a Pottie! So convenient!


Sent from my iPhone using Fiberglass RV

[theresa p]

One of the little things I've added ---but one that has turned out to be surprisingly helpful---is a cloth holder I made and velcroed to the inside of our door, to hold BBQ stuff---a spatula, lighter, tongs etc. When the door is open (we have a screen door), it allows hubby to bbq without having to go inside the trailer for "stuff". I made it to suit us and our needs. I can remove it, being on velcro, at any time. It also holds the strap we use to keep the door open and secured (from wind)....just little things that make life easier.

Another tip I can offer is to purchase from Lee Valley Tools, their tablecloth clips. These babies are supreme---they have held firm in wicked windstorms. Love 'em....
I ordered extra sets and used them as gifts, with a new tablecloth, for our camping friends.

http://www.leevalley.com/en/garden/p...=2,40733,40996

Happy camping!

[Gilda]

Those table clips are awesome in that they are adjustable! We often find the campground picnic tables can be 3 or more inches thick! My solution to keep the tablecloth from flying is to hammer 3-4 (1/2") grommets, evenly spaced on each side. Then I connect them by lacing a cord under the table and through the grommets. I'm thinking of using 3-4 bungy cords to connect directly across the grommets but I think it will create too much tension, thereby pulling out the grommets.

[Jon in AZ]

I'll second the usefulness of baby wipes.

Also, I've developed the habit of doing a 360-degree walk-around before the trailer moves. Inspect tires, wheels, windows, doors (give the latch a twist and a tug), vents, hatch openings, ground under and around the trailer, and, most important, hitch connections.

I do it every single time: when leaving camp, after gas stops and rest stops, any time I leave the driver's seat, even if briefly.

[CampyTime]

Agreed Jon. There are no shortcuts to safety. I do the same.


Sent from my iPhone using Fiberglass RV

[Timber Wolf]

Originally Posted by Gilda

Those table clips are awesome in that they are adjustable! We often find the campground picnic tables can be 3 or more inches thick! My solution to keep the tablecloth from flying is to hammer 3-4 (1/2") grommets, evenly spaced on each side. Then I connect them by lacing a cord under the table and through the grommets. I'm thinking of using 3-4 bungy cords to connect directly across the grommets but I think it will create too much tension, thereby pulling out the grommets.

Hook cords end to end and wrap all the way around table. Hurricane proof table cloth! Unless the whole table blows away, and then you may have bigger problems than worrying about the pick-a-nick table.

And plus 100 on the walk-around before leaving and every chance you get, inlcuding a glance at the top for secure roof hatches.