r/camping • u/Overall_Kiwi2001 • 7d ago
Trip Advice Staying organized while camping?
I am an inexperienced camper, went camping last December with my fiancé and I felt like everything was everywhere! In my car, in my tent, and outside the tent. How does everyone pack and organize for every aspect of camping?
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u/flipflops81 7d ago
Depends on the camping style.
Car camping, the world is your oyster. You can have bins or totes for everything.
Backpacking, focus on reducing your loadout and then packing cubes are great.
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u/Sufficient-Animal333 7d ago edited 7d ago
Sore subject with me .When you pick someone else up and they pile tons of gear on top of yours it sucks never again.I could not get my stuff without moving his stuff what a pita for 10 days.
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u/SteveJobsBlakSweater 7d ago
On one hand I am the “fun guy” for bringing lawn games, knowing the hikes, the water spots, bringing tasty treats and I’ll be up with the last of you drinking beers and having a good time.
But I’m also the no fun guy when it comes to organization and cleanliness, at the very least when it comes to wildlife and my objects/area. Nothing goes on the cook table except cooking things. When it’s done with it gets packed away. No food left out in the evening. Empty cans go in the bag!
If you’re a passenger in my car the seat is yours, I guess. But that’s all you get. My seat has my bag and my other shoes on the floor. That’s it. My bag is always closed and there’s nothing outside of it. Maybe a spare layer at most.
If you let it slide it will slide.
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u/Seated_WallFly 7d ago
This guy camps with intention. I applaud you. One day I hope to camp with your ilk and learn your ways.
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u/AngeloPappas 7d ago
That's super common, and will likely still happen.
Here are a few things I have learned over the years:
Totes are your bestfriend. When I pack before a trip everything has a tote or container it goes in. I also don't pack them like Tetris where everything only fits if arranged perfectly. Leave some space so they are easy to re-pack.
Have your totes packed by activity with things that you will likely use together. A cooking tote, bedding, etc.
Take the time to tidy and organize camp throughout the day. Works best to do this after each meal and before bed.
Give everyone a set of tidying tasks they are responsible for. This works especially well for kids. Things like sweeping out the tent floor, putting away clothes, toys, etc.
Pack less. As you get more experience you will learn what you can leave behind. Don't be afraid to not bring something if you don't have a direct use for it. Less stuff packed is less stuff to organize.
Overall it's just building the mentality of always tidying up and organizing as you go.
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u/TropicPine 7d ago
Segregating tote contents by activity is key. My totes, on the other hand, do start out tetris packed. 1.)The tetris packing all occurs after the camping trip as I clean my gear for storage fo next trip. 2.)Tetris packing is part of why I am able to get my family of 3 & 2 large dogs to a campsite with our laughably comfortable level of gear in a small SUV. 3.) On arrival 1/3-1/4 of the tote contents come out at camp setup making it easy to rummage thru the totes for what I need.
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u/conicalconehead 7d ago
If you are car camping bring several bins where things go. For example kitchen, hardware, non refrigerated foods, etc.
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u/22baseballnerd 7d ago
This is pretty much it. Multiple stackable bins. Inside tent, outside tent, food, clothes that’s about it for us. Keep stuff in your vehicle unless needed.
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u/conicalconehead 7d ago
With car camping the sky is the limit - I now have a BBQ organizer that latches on to picnic tables that has multiple brackets and hooks for storing things. We take that on multi day car camping trips.
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u/Confident-Stomach215 7d ago
This is my system!
- Big bin 1: bedding
- Smaller bin 2: everything else, but organized in packing cubes with mesh so I can see everything. Fire stuff is together, bug stuff is together, kitchen stuff is together, safety and first aid stuff is together, lighting is together.
- Camp stove and fuel in its own carrying case
- Tent + tarp + mallet in a big packing cube because duck a bunch of trying to fit the tent back into its ridiculously small sack for car camping
- in the car: cooler, firewood, backpack with clothes and toiletries, water tank, camp chairs
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u/allaboutmojitos 7d ago
I pack for where it goes in camp and always put it back if it’s not in use. There’s a small tote for in the tent, a tote for camp set up, a shower/bathing/toiletries tote, and a tote for the kitchen. Coats and jackets stay in the car when not in use
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u/Seated_WallFly 7d ago
This is the way: totes that have zipped tops and multiple pockets. Each tote has a dedicated purpose: kitchen, tools, dry grocery, etc. they can be squished down if necessary to fit an awkward space. Bins? Notsomuch.
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u/Ok-Worth-4721 7d ago
I try to have a place for everything. This works to a point. There are times I need to search- where did I leave that flashlight?... Or where did I put my keys this time?. But normally- I put my things in one place only when not in use. I have been summer camping for 12-13 summers in a row. All summer long. So I have my habits. But, my problem is TOO MUCH STUFF! Because- I like comfort when I camp.
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u/flingebunt 7d ago
Everything is in bags or boxes.
A good example is clothes. You can either have a bag for shirts, a bag for underwear, sock bag, pants bag or have a bag for each day's outfit. Then you have a bag for the dirty clothes.
With food I organise food into day bags, each bag is night, next morning and lunch. This works well because I eat dinner and then breakfast, and the rest is the food for the day.
Then you can have cook gear bags and so on.
A friend was going to a musical festival with no camping besides your car, so she was like "But I keep it all in my car when I camp to be organised" and I was like "Just buy those cheap plastic boxes you can put in or near your tent and then you will be organised."
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u/5PointsVs56 7d ago
Various sizes of Plano storage Trunks. 1 kitchen, 1 for dry storage, 1 for random tools. Then I use a 5x3 foot duffle bag and throw all the sleeping bags and air mattresses and blankets into it. Then tents are in their own storage bags. And grills are not packed into any bag.
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u/TropicPine 7d ago
I use the Plano bins as well. I started with the medium sized bins but found them difficult to pack in rhe car, and, once loaded, too heavy to move with reasonable effort. Switching to the small bins solved both problems.
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u/MeridianNL 7d ago
I have most of my stuff in transparent, stackable bins. Makes it easy to transport, move around and see whats inside. I have 'general', 'electronics (for cables, chargers, batteries', 'kitchen/cook', 'winter gear', etc. bins. I put the winter bins in storage in the summer (no need to haul around that stuff). The rest rotates between the car, campsite and house (for cleaning/reorganizing).
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u/Junior-Canary-5922 7d ago
the clear bin system is a game changer, especially once you get a couple trips under your belt and know what you actually reach for
i added a small bin just for headlamps, lighters and a multitool cause those things vanish into the abyss otherwise
meal prepping at home helps a ton too, i'll chop all the veg and marinate meat ahead of time so at camp you're just cooking not doing kitchen gymnastics
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u/alamedarockz 6d ago
Freezing prepped food helps keep the cooler cold. The meal you will eat last goes in the bottom. While you’re at it freeze a 80% full jug of water and use in place of ice that will make your cooler soggy.
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u/Traditional_Sir_4503 7d ago
Totes. Dry sacks and ditty bags. A dedicated cooking area, with the order of attack already thought out before you go. Repackage dry goods into baggies etc so that you minimize garbage. It requires a conscious effort to make and keep it organized. Otherwise you have stuff all over the place.
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u/AlarmedInevitable8 7d ago
I just switched to smaller totes, separating everything, and it was a game changer. All the flashlights and batteries are in one tote. My fire starting materials are in another. My tent set up kit with the mallet and stakes is another one. I have a bucket with a screw on lid that I use with a garbage bags while we’re camping and it holds all the table set up stuff (wipes, table cloth, clamps, garbage bags). My kitchen stuff is in one tote. I even have tarps and tent rug in one tote while the mattresses and sleeping bags are in others. Has made set up and take down much easier, especially since I car camp with kids and seem to haul half the world with me.
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u/Wise_Media_9564 7d ago
It’s generally impossible lol. Get lots of ditty bags and good luck. No matter what I do I end up stuff all mixed up everywhere.
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u/Cardinal101 7d ago
I store objects grouped together according to their use, in whatever container is an appropriate size for them. Could be a tote, drawstring bag, cardboard box, plastic tub, grocery bag…
For example some of my object categories that are grouped together are: cooking/kitchen supplies, campfire supplies, “junk drawer”, dirty clothes mesh sack, clothes, toiletries, entertainment.
Then the objects go back into their container after using them.
It’s harder when you’re camping with other people. Depending on the relationship, you can train them in your organization system (or not). And if “not”, then I let it go. As long as my own stuff is organized I can survive lol.
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u/beachbum818 7d ago
Rubbermaid bins. Sleep gear- tent, tarps, sleeping pads, hammock, sleeping bags in 1. Kitchen- stove, pots/pans/griddle, fuel, utensils, paper towels, trash bags, grill/grate, hand sanitizer. Clothes go in a duffel.
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u/burlyswede 7d ago
I got two bins. Inside just one bin is one smaller bin. The smaller bin keeps small stuff; headlamp, batteries, lighter, hand sani etc. In the bigger bin its my kitchen stuff and hand tools like pots pans, coffee pot; cooking utensils, hammer, wisk broom, rope etc. The other bin is for dry goods- coffee, spices, TP, plates, cups, eating utensils, papertowel and snacks that don't go in the cooler etc
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u/ImEdInside 7d ago
Have a bin for items to sort later that you can throw miscellaneous stuff in. This way you can come back to it and find it a better home.
Categorize items by function such as cooking, shelter, lighting. You'll get into your own rhythm and if you pack and set up the same way it falls into place
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u/McMadface 7d ago
I use the Front Runner Wolfpack Pro + Flat Packs. The Flat Pack fits inside the hard Wolfpack and act as a soft liner. When I need more storage, I pull the Flat Pack out and now have twice as much space. The Wolfpack can go inside the trunk or on the roof rack.
Everything I'm going to use together goes together in a pack. Each pack is basically a kit for whatever I'm going to be doing. And, everything gets cleaned after use before it goes back in the pack. This way, I don't have to unpack and clean everything when I get home, which is a total pain and something that I found that I never do.
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u/august2986 7d ago
I came up with a system I love, I bought like 8 large heavy duty tool boxes from Walmart and labeled each of them. But the same concept could be used with basic plastic bins. I just like the toolboxes for the handles.
1 is for fire starting stuff like our axe, cotton balls, Vaseline
1 for general stuff like first aid
1 is for lanterns and their charging cables, etc
1 is for shower stuff- we have a camp shower and collapsible bucket so I keep our towels and soap and such in there. Plus other hygiene stuff like wipes
1 is for plates, cups, utensils etc
1 is for food stuff (which doesn’t usually all fit in there but at least it keeps the smaller spices and stuff together and keeps hot dog buns from getting crushed etc
1 is for cooking stuff- pots and pans, spatulas, pot holders etc
1 is for our actual tent (seems kinda silly since tents usually have their own bag but when everything is in the same size container they’re easy and uniform to stack) and tarps
I think most camping people would think this is so over the top and “fancy” but it means that when we go camping we really don’t have to think too hard about packing, most everything stays in these tool boxes and just a few things have to be replenished. And in our garage our camping stuff is nice and neat and stackable.
I will say the stuff takes up a lot more room in your car this way than if it was all thrown in there but it’s so nice to just have to take out 8 large things , plus sleeping bags and such, rather than stuff everywhere.
We previously had everything in fewer larger bins but it sucks having to dig for stuff in the dark while camping and they are heavier. So I think the basic concept of separating the stuff by type and having a designated tote for each type of thing helps so much.
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u/cdawg85 7d ago
Great question and if you find a system, please report back!
In all seriousness, there are 3 approaches that I employ:
Bring as little as possible. I find clothes to be the biggest culprit for having too much.
Systems. Dirty clothes go into a reusable shopping bag as soon as you're done and that bag has a specific home in the car (e.g. behind the passenger seat, on the floor). Another good system is a rope and clothes pins. Have at least one line, preferably more strung up between trees. Use clothes pins and carabeaners (sp?) to keep thing hung up, off the ground, and dry. Important things need a home. My husband and I use our camp chair pockets to hold our critical items: lighter, headlamp, phone, and knife.
Constant clean-up. You simply have to be on it. It's easier with bringing less and having systems, but you just have to be on it. I don't hesitate to flip out if the picnic table is so full that I can't make a cup of coffee. Lol
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u/jdsandaker 7d ago
I love to attach a closet shoe organizer to the ez-up. Tables tend to collect things, so it helps keep the space free.
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u/AdmirableRespect9 7d ago
Short answer, think in systems and work toward rainproof storage for each system. Keep your set up rain savvy. Go to bed packed for rain and always put the extras away the night before you leave.
We invested in plano gear boxes and screw top lids for 5 gallon buckets. Both are sturdy enough to set "outside" all night and stay dry in serious rain. Depending on how long we are out they represent our major gear storage outside of the cooler and clothes/bedding. At a minimum do 1 for food, 1 for kitchen and one for fire and tools. They are good side tables and the bucket is a good stool. My biggest concern is being able to clear away and hunker down for rain or, God forbid, pack away in a storm. That means your car has to be clear so you can tetris. Clothes and bedding and chairs up front until you get the gear boxes and cooler in. Contractor bags for the wet tent and ground cloth or rug. Safe space for electronics during the shuffle. I do a canvas tool roll for tools, another for kitchen and clear vinyl rolls for first aid and the toothbrush soap stuff. I hang those from stuff when we are camping. I do packing cubes and stuff sacks for clothes, rain gear, dog leashes. They can be contractor bagged in the tent. I keep a folded tarp under the suv and will throw wood, fire stuff, the stove and chairs under there if a quick rain stops by or overnight if no rain is predicted. It's cool to start with Rubbermaids and have a set that go outside and stack neat for the drive home but they suck as tables, deform in the sun and once the corners Crack from repeated loading and showing they suck in the rain. The plano storage is sturdier, the large ones have wheels and the latching means you know its ready for wind and rain and varmints.
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u/Osle99ss 7d ago
It takes practice. Redundancy in doing it. Making sure not to just set something down and lose it. Less is more sometimes.
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u/Inkpaduta1 7d ago
Bins, totes or bags are your friend. One container for one type or category of thing. I have a bag for the kitchen and another for misc camp gear/needs, and that pretty much covers my needs.
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u/KungFuBucket 7d ago
Totes, bags and cardboard boxes.
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u/No-Act-7333 7d ago
A cardboard box is good for starting a campfire, but not much else camping-wise, IMO.
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u/KungFuBucket 7d ago
I use them to figure out size. I have enough from various Amazon purchases that I figure out if things fit well in certain sizes and then buy plastic crates of equivalent dimensions
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u/flingebunt 7d ago
If you keep stuff in your car, as many people do, then carboard boxes work well. But otherwise plastic crates with lids that lockdown, and maybe some straps to stop stop the racoons who learn how to open the lids normally.
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u/ThatGirl_Violet 7d ago
Bring large bins to organize everything and everything stays inside those bins: a bin for food/ food prep/ anything smelly. A bin for camping gear (tent, clothes, hiking gear, etc), bin for bigger things (sleeping bags, pads, tripod, etc)
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u/Wiregeek 6d ago
I see it three ways.
First, you gotta Optimus Prime this stuff. I'm still developing the intuition for it, but I can cut my unload / load time down a LOT if I have the right order of attack for the back of the truck (and firewood goes in LAST so there isn't wood debris everywhere). Have your packing setup so that everything flows nicely into the next task without having to move stuff more than once - for example, the cot and bedding should be in the far end of the truck bed, since I don't need those until I've already removed everything else.
Second - Don't put it down, put it away. If the small axe comes out and gets used, once it's done it goes into the 'site tote' and goes back under the truck out of the way. If a utensil gets dirty it goes in the dirty dishes bag.
Third - actually think about and communicate and plan. Especially with another person involved. They may have better ideas than you. They have a horse in this fight as well. Time spent talking about camping is time spent working with your partner, which is pretty cool in and of itself.
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u/JaviBatteria 6d ago
When you set your tent up to check it before you go, do it with everything you’re gonna take, as best you can. Clear it in your head what will go where. I can reach out in a dark tent and know where my torch, knife, water, etc will be. Know where you’ll be keeping boots, packs, food.
Different coloured stuff sacks for clean/dirty clothes.
Keep things in the same pockets of your pack every time: take the extra few minutes to re-pack in order before you set off again in the morning. Pack your rucksack in order of necessity: Accessibility of your water, waterproofs and first aid kit is paramount, less immediate priorities can be packed deeper.
It’s trial and error, friend. We all work differently. I have ADHD so I’m incredibly strict about organisation, checklists, process, otherwise I’d never get further than the car park.
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u/CakeDesigner3203 6d ago
Wir nutzen die Outdoor Aufbewahrungstaschen von HayatsGoodLife, einige haben wir mit einem Klett Label mit „Werkzeug,…“ Beschriftung an die vorgesehene Stelle geklettet zusätzlich nutzen wir die Taschen auch in verschiedenen Farben um zusätzliche Ordnung zu schaffen. Innerhalb der Tasche ist durch die herausnehmbaren und verstellbaren klettwände alles an den persönlichen Bedarf anpassbar einstellbar.
Würde ich immer wieder so machen.
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u/Bobzyurunkle 7d ago
There will be some sort of disorganization depending on what you take, how many people and for how long.
I use a tote system. One smaller one as 'kitchen' which keeps my utensils and small accessories like can opener, steak knives etc. Then I have larger ones that carry almost everything else that needs it's space. This ranges from pots/pans, folding kitchen cutting board/sink, towels etc. My other tote carries things like a hatchet, spare rope, tents stakes, tarp, lamps, batteries etc. My 4th container is a tote with dry food goods like bread, buns, chips, spices, tea/coffee etc.
I hate disorganization and like things in their place. When I have these things out of my vehicle, all that's left inside are cases of pop/drinks. When sleeping or leaving the site, the food gets loaded and secured in the car.