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Thursday, August 9, 2012

Family Camping-Packing Lists & Organization

Camping can be a great way to have quality family time and not spend your college savings! Camping can also be a great way to drive mom crazy and dad crazy with all the packing and meals you have to prepare.  The way we enjoy family camping is to be as organized as possible. Organization also saves us money on last minute items we forgot.

We use the Tub System to streamline the packing and unpacking process. I was sick of packing the same thing over and over every year, just to forget one important item that I could get from the dollar store, but now have to play inflated prices at the Camp Store. 

TUB SYSTEM 
We use 20- gallon CLEAR tubs from Walmart.  With my list (below) I bought and packed items from the dollar store or garage sales that STAY in the tub all year long. 

These tubs contain NO FOOD so they can be put under the table each night and no raccoons would get into them.


 CAMP KITCHEN TUB
For Menus see my post on Family Friendly 4 Day Camping Meal Plan, with Grocery Lists
TIP- Buy items from dollar store, and after each trip replenish items you used (trash bags, alum foil) so next time you can just pull out tubs and be ready to go.

___Canteen/water bottle/coffee pot
filters/purification treatment               
__Thermos
__Stove with fuel/propane
__Matches/lighter
__Charcoal/firewood/buddy burner
__Portable Gas Grill
__Fire starters/newspaper
__Tablecloth/thumb tacks/table clips
__Plates & bowls/paper plates & bowls
__ Real Coffee Mugs (silver ones too hot for us)
__Silverware/plastic silverware
__Measuring cups
__Heavy-duty aluminum foil
__Paper towels and wet wipes
__ MORE wet wipes (you can't have too many of these) 
__Trash bags
__Dish soap
__Clothes pins
__Cooking oil/Pam spray
__Containers for food storage
__Potholders/oven mitts/fire resistant gloves to hold pie irons
__Pots and frying pans with lids
__Cook utensils-spatula, knife, spoon
__Tongs
__Skewers/grill forks
__Can opener/bottle opener
__Folding table
__Dutch oven
__Pie irons
__Mugs/paper cups
__Mixing bowl
__Cutting board
__Ziplock bags-gallon and quart sizes)
__Napkins/paper towels
__Dish pan
__Dish rags/towels
__ two five gallon buckets for washing and rinsing
__ Biodegradable dish detergent
__Scrub pad/brillo
__Seasonings/sugar/condiments (keep in cooler with food, far away from site)
__Potato peeler
__Cutting knife

CAMP SITE TUB
List for a Modern bathroom campground, plan accordingly if camping at  primitive campground.  
Some of the items listed are bigger than the tub, but they need to be on a checklist somewhere. 

__Reservations info./confirmation
___ Tent & Tent polls
__ Tarps-enough tarps to set under each tent to keep dampness out & rain cover
__old door mat to use at tent entrance
__small broom to sweep tents etc
___fire starter/matches
__ firewood/kindling
__Work gloves/heat resistant for working with fire
__ flashlights (bring one for each of your kids, it cuts down on arguments, trust me)
__Extra batteries/bulbs
___tarps
___first aid-kit
__Hand wipes (you can never have enough hand wipes when camping)
__Small sewing kit
 __Small shovel
__Safety pins
___bug-spray
__Thermacell Mosquito Repeller Lantern & Refills  (We seriously LOVE our thermacell Lantern!!!)
__Compass
__Backpack for hiking or bike riding
__Camp chairs
__Saw/axe
__Rope or twine/clothes line
__Tent Fan (we bougth this one that hangs from the ceiling with the light, it is a great nightlight for as the kids go to sleep, we turn the light off once we go to sleep ourselves)
__Extension cords if electrical site
__Kleenex
__ 2 rolls of toilet paper (camp bathrooms always run out!)
__Radio
__Bungi cords/straps
__Duct tape/electrical tape/masking tape
__Notepad/pen
__Whistle
__Extra Rope
 __Pocket knife
__Umbrella
 __Scissors
__Watch
__Plastic grocery bags (for soiled clothes)
 __ Pop up laundry basket- get one from dollar store, great for kids because they can throw dirty clothes in easier than having to find a bag.

ENTERTAINMENT TUB 
See post on Camping with Kids for more Info about keeping kids entertained while camping.
__Books/magazines 
__ Book light (for reading in tent and not waking anyone else up)
__Maps/directions
__ Games/Playing Cards (include direction for any card games you might need)
__Hobby related activities (sketch book, knitting, whittling ) 
__Park map/guidebooks/trail maps
__Binoculars
__ playdough for kids
__ Toys for kids (stay away from plush anything, needs to be easily washed
__radios/walkie talkies
__Bikes/helmets

BEDDING
Some of these can go into camp site tub if room.  I tend to put it in my big suitcase.

__Sleeping bag

__Sheets/blankets
__Pillow
__Air mattress/sleeping pad/cot
__Air pump
__Repair kit for air mattress

SUITCASES or CLOTHING TUBS-Clothes for each person

__Shoes
__Sandals
 __Shower shoes/flip flops 
__Play/Mud shoes for kids and hiking 
__Jeans/pants/belt
__Shorts
__T-shirts
__Socks/tall socks for hiking
__Hat
__Bandana
__Sweatshirt/jacket
__Underwear
__Sleep clothes
__Rain gear
__Swim suit/towels/washcloths

PERSONAL

__Towels/washcloth
__Soap in plastic case/shampoo
__Tooth brush/tooth paste
__Deodorant
__Comb/brush
__Razor
__Feminine products
__Other personal items
__Personal medications
__Sunglasses
__Sunscreen/ aloe vera
__ chapstick/
__ Cell phone/charger
 __Camera/battery/memory card
 __Money/ID/credit card/quarter




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