Staying Organized

[Marie99]

Hi everyone I am new to the forum and am hoping for so good advise. We usually camp with an old pop up ten trailer, but this year to save on gas I think we are going to take the car and a tent.

I haven't camped in a tent for years, and was looking for any good ideas on keeping things organized. We have three kids ranging in age from 4 - 8.

[Breezy Brigade]

Re: Staying Organized

Organized? What's that?

[renodesertfox]

Re: Staying Organized

We use duffelbags, small ones, medium sized and large water-proof ones. All tent gear goes into one, all pot & pans go into another, etc. For children, toys and such give them each a small duffel, if there is room, to hold a stuffed animal, favorite book, etc. My years ago we had tried boxes but you always have to empty boxes to get at stuff, not so with a soft-sided duffel and they pack better. Lanterns, batteries, cooking utensils each have their own small duffel. Wall-mart has a great selection in the camping section and luggage section. When loading your vehicle, think in reverse order, pack first what you'll need last. Raintarps all go together in their own duffel. That's briefly how we do it. If you would like to see pics, just go to my profile page and look at my albums.

[Breezy Brigade]

Re: Staying Organized

Compressor bags might work for you too, depending on the items. How big a car are you using?

[05Kingquad700]

Re: Staying Organized

I use 3 rubber maid totes. I keep the main stuff in them, so basically it is just grab and go. It isn't the best system, but it is a pretty good one. I pack the sleeping bags, inflating mats, and tent on top of the other stuff. Make a list of stuff you need and see how much space you need for storage is a good place to start.

[Joyous56]

Re: Staying Organized

I use 3 rubber maid totes. I keep the main stuff in them, so basically it is just grab and go. It isn't the best system, but it is a pretty good one. I pack the sleeping bags, inflating mats, and tent on top of the other stuff. Make a list of stuff you need and see how much space you need for storage is a good place to start.

I use the rubbermaid totes too and keep a list inside that I update when I find myself out camping and realize there is something that would come in handy, or note if something breaks or runs out. It saves time inventorying or gathering things for the next trip.....and the grab & go thing minimizes the hassle factor.

[05Kingquad700]

Re: Staying Organized

I like the note taking. That might cut down on the prepping. If you knew you were running low on plates, it would be on your list.

[matee5]

Re: Staying Organized

Rubber Maid totes are great (what I use) only downer is you are fixed with the size. For me, I use a trailer so it makes packing the trailer super easy as it is always the same (a trailer layout diagram as well). Totes sit in racks in the garage and have dedicated stuff for camping (plates, bowls, cutlery etc) that way I dont have to steal things from the house. Also means I can be out the door in an hour or two, clothes are the most time consuming packing.

Laptop has a spreadsheet with a complete list of the stuff we take. This also includes a page for clothes and kids toys. The wife went beserk on many websites and looked at their lists, we combined and then culled using my experience and thoughts on how we would actually do things (wifey hadnt done much until she met me so she wanted to take everything including the kitchen sink which I found for $20 bucks on Craigslist!!!). The sink table thing actually works great to establish the kitchen area when we are set-up. Gives a space for the totes and smaller ones fit on the shelves.

Kids get a re-usable shopping bag each for their personal stuff (toys, books etc) if it doesnt fit it doesnt go!!! I actually use Home Depot ones as they can be locked closed at the top.

[Checkered24]

Re: Staying Organized

We use a couple rubbermaid totes too and have been very happy using them! One gets our food-stuffs, another our cooking utensils. A third gets other various items (tools, bags, stakes etc). I love them because the lids lock on, helping keep them closed. They are water tight, so stuff stays dry in the rain. They are easy to move, stack, etc.

[GlitterHiker]

Re: Staying Organized

I use 3 rubber maid totes. I keep the main stuff in them, so basically it is just grab and go. It isn't the best system, but it is a pretty good one. I pack the sleeping bags, inflating mats, and tent on top of the other stuff. Make a list of stuff you need and see how much space you need for storage is a good place to start.

This is my system too

[scott37300]

Re: Staying Organized

We use a 5x8 trailer we pull behind the car and it was the best investment we ever made. I have 4 of these, http://www.amazon.com/Stanley-037025...ds=stanley+bin. I bought them a few years back for about half that price at menards or lowes. They are great, just throw your stuff in them and load them on the trailer and off you go. We use some smaller containers to keep stuff organized in the larger bins. They are water tight and lock. We use one for the tents and screen house and other stuff that fits. One for sleeping bags and pillows and what not. One for the stove, lanterns, fuels and propane, tripod, and other "dirty" stuff. Then one for food. We take a couple of 7 gallon water jugs and a 5 gallon sports water cooler. Then have one of these, http://www.amazon.com/Stanley-020800...ds=stanley+bin. I keep tools and site setup stuff in that. It's smaller but really holds a lot and keeps everything organized. We also have two coolers, one for food and one for drinks.

That is our way of staying organized. It took about three years to get it this way and every trip we add a little more and organize a little better. Going on a week trip next week and added a new tent for the kids and two new air mattresses that we will have to find a spot for in the bins. This works for us but may not work for anyone else. Everyone has to come up with what works best for them depending on if they have a car, truck, trailer, and depending on how many people and what gear you take with you. There are TONS of options for staying organized and you just have to find what works for you.

[chromatica]

Re: Staying Organized

You might consider using plastic crates with fold-lock tops. Leaving them packed with your gear on shelves in the garage is a good way to reduce the time it takes to get away. They nest easily when they are empty. You can buy these at the big box home stores or at Costco for about $6-7 each. You don't have to keep track of the lids because they are attached with hinges.

[FireBug]

Re: Staying Organized

I also use the rubber maid system. I have a laminated list of what goes in them that works as a dry erase board for contents. One is all kitchen gear, one is misc such as rope, batteries, lamps, sunblock etc and the last one contains citronella stuffs,lighters and fire starters for around the campfire. Sometimes we add a fourth containing food supplies depending how many days and how many people attending. Cuts down on critters who help them selves. I have surfed the internet for other peoples camping list and have also added as the years have gone by as to what we use or need most. I also have a master camping list I use for packing the truck, that way we do not forget any of the most basic esential, like swim shoes! It gets checked off every trip we take. I am most unorganized in my normal life but my camping life is super detailed! We also plan out exact menus so we get everything at the store the first time. And enough for the whole crowd. Our big family campout begins with a few mid week and a group by the weekend so this keep our supplies exact.

[sunnymw]

Re: Staying Organized

The OP probably has it figured out since that was over a year ago, but for searching purposes I can chime in.

We keep all of our camping gear in one spot in the garage. We have one bin for cooking supplies (it always contains lamps, propane, camping dishware--and we add spatula, tongs, and cast iron right before we leave). Two coolers (one for food, one for water/beer/drinks), and one dry goods bin (a large tote that we store the tent in during off season, this is for crackers, chips, buns, sugar, you get the picture. It's the largest bin we have). So, we have 4 large plastic containers total, plus 1 big tent, 1 small tent, 1 large bag for adult clothes, and one smaller one for 3 kids' clothes.

Here is our load for camping WITH kids. When we go alone, we can fit into my Accord easily. With kids? No way!!

[RJ Cooper]

Re: Staying Organized

Brute tuff totes. My situation for the next year is quite different than most weekenders. I placed tape on the floor of my dining room to the dimensions of my truck bed. (love 8' beds) I also measure the height to the top of the bed. Now I took my list of essentials and start packing in to bins (three different sizes). Arranged them like this:

1) First thing out, Tent and Canopy
2) Kitchen and Food
3) Camp essentials
4) Hobby stuff
5) Games and misc gear.

Granted I am on a long vacation of tent camping (one year is my goal). So I have thought this through with what I need and what I want. Two entirely different things. I have one bin with just cast iron gear. Do I need it? No, but I want it. For your soft stuff, IE sleep bags, tents that never fit back into the bag, etc. Go to a army surplus store and look at all the bags the military has to offer. Great tough bags, for 10% of what a compression bag costs. These things go on top of the bins or the roof. I have a cap on the truck so they go on top of the bins. All safe and secure and out of the sun/rain.

Think tough and long term and you will be money ahead and with less headaches.