Slimming down/organizing

[RebeccaG]

I have slowly been replacing my camp equipment to ensure less space is taken. I am now using collapsible bowls, folding tv trays for our cpaps, I am thinking of making a camp box from a plastic tub that I saw on youtube. Any other suggestions?tfr

[NYCgrrl]

Re: Slimming down/organizing

My Summers and the Things I Sucked it Up and am Leaving Behind this Year.

I car camp and have decided to give up some of the following:

patio sized Weber. It was a nice fantasy while it lasted but just took up too much space in the car and storage rm. Now using a tabletop square Weber, Coleman stove and a Snowpeak grill. The Snowpeak doubles as a firepit so it'll always come. Last year I found that by throwing the metal grill from the portable Weber atop the SnowPeak, I could cook breakfast and roast say a foil wrapped chicken from the night before's embers. There are times when I have up to 15 people visiting my site (I do a 4th of July and Bastille Day party every year) and more cooking space will be needed. So much easier to have a guest drag the 22" grill up and back for that and not be bothered with it the rest of the trip.

Coffeemaker of any sort is a no for my 2 week trip. Too much time shepherding kiddos and not enough free time for me= buy from Dunkin Donuts. I enjoy the solitary walk. The French press will return when it's adults only and I already sold the Coleman coffee machine. The Coleman made a decent cup of coffee but also was cumbersome.

[coolmom42]

Re: Slimming down/organizing

Every trip you will find you take items you don't use and need a few things you don't have. Keep a notepad handy for writing those down, both categories.

Hard to say what you can leave or take, it all depends on your needs and priorities. But you can get more organized.

I camp in a minivan as a tent substitute, and keep all my gear in tubs that I just slide in. They are modular of different shapes and sizes but all stack together. (Sterilite from Walmart.) Each bin is labelled with the category of its contents. Inside each bin I have a checklist of what goes in it. Some items stay there permanently and are used only for camping. Some items are returned to the house after each trip, and when I pack for a trip, I put them back in the bins according to their checklist. Makes for fast packing. I also have a checklist for things that go outside the bins in the van.

Getting organized is the key.

I plan very simple meals and take a lot of things frozen & pre-made--they will last in the cooler for a long time. Beef stew, chili, one-dish skillet meals, spaghetti sauce.... all are great for camping. This cuts down on cooking and cleanup time while camping and minimizes the equipment you need to take.