Tag Archives: camping checklist

Miscellaneous Camper Comforts

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This blog should wrap things up. It’s everything that didn’t fit under any specific category or that I forgot to include elsewhere –like forgetting to mention that it’s a good idea to have skid-proof liners on the bottom of yer cupboards and closets so stuff doesn’t slide around as much.

For the camper:

Fold-up table –we put this outside the camper so that we can keep things like moist wipes, beach towels, foot towel, 20 litre water container, drinking cups, sunscreen, and bug spray handy.

Large, flat, plastic washbasin–big enough for you to stand in. I fill it with soap and water and put it outside the camper, on a mat, with a towel nearby. Anyone with dirty feet washes and dries them before entering the camper.

Shoe mat –we always have runners as well as crocs or sandals and they all usually have some degree of sand or dirt on the soles. The shoe mat collects this so I don’t have to spend all my time sweeping out the camper. After all, I hate sleeping with sand in my sheets.

Flashlight and extra batteries –I have extra batteries for everything in the camper that uses them.

Maps –while technology is great, a good old-fashioned map is great to have on hand just in case technology fails you.

Citronella candles, wasp traps, fly swatter etc.

Solar lights and lanterns

For the campers:

Earplugs and sleep mask–it can be noisy with a bunch of snoring guys at close quarters. It can also get light out pretty early. These ensure I get my beauty rest.

Glow sticks –these are not only fun for kids to wear at night, they allow you to keep track of yer kidlets in the dark.

Extra clothes –I’ve found that it’s good to have a few extras of the essentials on hand (yes even for Dad) as sometimes the boys forget to pack these things. When I can I like to stock the stuff that’s too old, ripped or stained to allow out in public but that is still functional enough to “do the job” camping.

These items include an extra pair of pants (I like to pack yoga pants for comfy evenings by the fire but jeans, sweats or khakis work too), shorts, t-shirt, warm sweater or hoodie, socks, underwear and pj bottoms (for the boys –I never forget my pjs…).

Swimsuits –it’s disappointing to find you’ve forgotten yours. Even if you remembered to pack one, an extra swimsuit never hurts.

Sunglasses, hats, sandals, runners

 Small sewing kit –make sure it includes needles, thread, extra buttons and safety pins.

You’ll also need some basic tools just in case. My husband insists on being responsible for this as well as any of the maintenance items we need so I can’t provide you with a trusted list here. Instead, I’ve included the following website link: RV STUFF

Whew! I think we’re done…now we can concentrate on entertainment… Hope you enjoy camping this summer! :)

~ Trina

P.S. If you would like this list on paper and in your hot little hands please click the little share box below to print off this post! Oh and don’t forget to check out all my previous camping posts > CAMPER COMFORTS!

Camp Organizer

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My camper’s a good size for a family of four. It fits in our driveway with room for our van, doesn’t require an extra large campsite to accommodate it and it’s not a big deal trying to pass someone on the highway.

There are a few downsides to its size however; eventually the boys will get too tall for the table and couch beds and there’s the issue of storage. When the boys get too tall we’ll stick them in the tent at night. And here’s how I deal with the storage challenge:

I have one closet and four drawers in the entryway of the camper. Aside from kitchen drawers and cupboards I also have a small bathroom cabinet. As you will have read in my Camper Comfort Linens post, I also have the top bunk (a double bed over the camper’s cab) where I keep foamies and bedding.

To maximize the space I have, I’ve invested in the organizers listed below. They’ve probably tripled my storage capacity and make it easy to find things. You can purchase these pretty much anywhere. I got mine on sale at Canadian Tire.

Hanging drawers –for the closet; one large, one small set. They organize clothes, towels, toiletries etc. and I still have room on the coat rod to hang a few hoodies and my laundry hamper.  I also have space on the bottom of my closet to store towels, a washbasin, fly swatter, kitchen stool, and other miscellaneous items.

Hanging laundry hamper –great for shorter camping trips. Longer trips demand a large black garbage (laundry) bag as well. I store this in the space between the driver and passenger seat in the cab of the camper.

Over the door organizer –we hang this on the “kitchen side” of the bathroom door and it’s invaluable. This has five “pockets” that store everything from hats and sunglasses to sunscreen, ear plugs, notepads, batteries, ipods etc.

Shower rack –I don’t store shampoo and soap on this except when showering but I find it’s a handy little “hanger” for wet bathing suits. (Wet towels are usually dried on the arms of our awning.) I’ve thought of buying a portable clothesline but haven’t really had the need yet. Depending on yer own needs, it may be something you’ll want to consider.

Toothbrush and glass holder –bolted to the wall in the bathroom, it frees up my limited counter space.

Kitchen stool –I’m only 5’ 3’’ so this is a must for me. It’s small and it folds up, storing neatly against the wall of my little closet. I also have a taller one in my kitchen at home. At my age it’s embarrassing to hop up on your counters to get a casserole dish down for dinner –even when I’m the only one home.

Great ideas here for keeping things “slip” proof & clean: RV Organization >The Container Store

I’d love to hear any neat tricks you use to maximize the space in your camper, RV or even yer tent. In the meantime, check out these cool sites on organizers.

Cheers,

Trina

And this one for storing spices –brilliant! Also check out her camping essentials list and check out some older blogs –I really liked this blog site: Repurposed TicTac Boxes for Travel Spices > Skruben

Camper Comforts

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About four years ago my Dad sold my husband and I his camper for a screamin’ deal. Our good friends, the Halls, are our camping buddies and Sheila Hall is my camping Guru. You see, prior to investing in a camper I hadn’t done much camping as an adult so I didn’t really know how to stock my new camping digs.

My Camper. :)

As kids my sisters and I beached and camped it up in our tricked out school bus. Bright yellow, it’s back windows covered in tinfoil (for insulation against heat and cold), my dad had converted the old bus into a camper complete with kitchen (the table converted into a double bed), living room (well, a bench that doubled as a single bed), bathroom and a large “back bedroom”.

I loved that back bedroom; my sisters and I used to lie on our stomachs on the bed facing the window of the emergency exit door and make peace signs to the occupants of cars unfortunate enough to be driving behind us. Of course this was before seatbelt laws so we felt perfectly safe –and perfectly cool every time someone “peaced” us back.

As a kid I never really paid much attention to the planning that went into ensuring we had everything we needed. Kudos to mom –or dad—because we always did. Beach towels, Frisbees, band-aides and always, always a couple decks of cards for those rainy days. And music. My dad had an old (well, new at the time) eight-track installed in the bus and had a hip selection of Beach Boys and Billy Joel. I’m sure he had more (maybe) but these are the guys I remember.

Anyway, my point is that I have some rockin’ childhood memories of the old yellow school bus but as an adult I realize that these memories took planning on the part of my folks. That’s where my friend Sheila comes in; as a newb camper-owner I didn’t really think about the essentials I’d need to have on hand every time we took the camper out. Sheila provided me with a starter list and I’ve expanded it somewhat since then.

Over the next half-dozen or so of my posts I’m going to share what I’ve learned about how to stock a camper, room by room. I’ll include some items you may not have thought of and will give you the lowdown on why you need them. I’ll take you  “room-by-room” through my own camper and you’ll get to see how I’ve organized things, courtesy of Mich and her photographic talents.

So, stay tuned and happy camping! In the meantime, check out these cool bus-to-camper sites. :)

- Urban Gypsies – Wild & Wacky House Buses

- Bus Conversion how-to

Trina