Camping like June Cleaver

I have been told that rearranging things and obsessively cleaning things is a coping mechanism.I never understood this until Helen Zimmel told me about how she copes with missing her Mother.  She rearranges the furniture.  So it spurred me into googling that very subject.

Now at home, I thought that I obsessively keep busy, because since I am a homemaker, that is my job.... Well now, it is a coping mechanism..  So it brings me to my blog post title.  When we go camping, I work.  It brings me joy to be doing stuff to make our campsite comfortable.  Here are some of the things I do for a smooth camping experience along with some fun tips.

#1:  I pack the car in the way I will be unpacking.  Pillows and blankets in first, clothes and food second, then I pack the tent.  This way I can setup the tent without having to lay all of our stuff out on the dirt.  Then weigh the tent down with coolers and dry foods, then setup the beds and blankets without walking all over them to get the rest of the stuff in.

#2:  I keep a big stash of baby wipes.  Yep, back to the wipeys =).  These are handy in any camping situation but if you are dry camping without access to water, these babies are invaluable.  You don't want to waste drinking water on cleaning a dirty face.  You can wipe down everything with baby wipes.

#3:  Unpack all food items from their original packaging. All that excess wrappings and boxes can take up too much space.  You can fit a lot of stuff in a cooler if you take it out of the original box.  Take only what you intend to use as far as fresh foods.  Repack sandwich meat and prepare batters at home.  Cook Bacon and other meats you aren't barbecuing at home before you leave also.  Use re-usable containers that you can bring home and wash.

#4:  Pack melanine plates and cups.  Paper plates make too much waste and are usually too flimsy.  Go to your local second hand store and get some plastic dishes.  Clean your plates with baby wipes and rinse with water.It's a little extra work, but will save you cleanup from flimsy paper plates and animals getting into your garbage bag while you are sleeping.

#5:  If you are camping with access to water, bring a big tall boiler pot and use that thing for everything.  You can use it to have heated soapy water sitting out to place dishes in so after each meal your dishes have been sitting in hot soapy water by the time the meal has been cleaned up.   You can also use it to keep a soup on all day for nibblers and freedom to eat without making a big meal.  After you do breakfast dishes, rinse out the pot really good and make a soup immediately.  That way you can go and enjoy yourself with minimum upkeep and should keep everyone fed until dinnertime.

#6:  When you go shopping for your trip, get everything bagged in paper bags.  You can use those to start fires and collect bottles and cans.

#7:  Invest in a french press for coffee.  Its genius.  Grind up your coffee before you leave the house and put it in a reusable container.  Then in the morning all you have to do is boil water and make coffee.  Its done immediately and it is easy to clean and pack.

#8:  Package your own ice from your ice cube trays.  They are much more dense then the stuff at the store.  Just put them in freezer bags or better yet, vacuum seal bags.  The ice is free and lasts much longer than the stuff you have to pay for at a convenience store.  If you use freezer bags, you can empty the ice out into a jug when it melts for drinking.  It is good water!  Also you don't run the risk of drowning all of your stuff in melted ice. 

#9:  Make PBJ's in excess in advance.  These are invaluable.  When the kids are whining for a snack, just shove one of these in their faces.  They store well in a cool dark place and you can package them cut up in sandwich bags. 

#10:  Apples, Oranges, and carrots are great foods to have on hand too.  They don't spoil easy and they are good wholesome snacks.  They are also biodegradable so the kids can have some fun and fling the skins and cores into the woods.  Even have a contest on who can throw it farther. 

#11:  Go getcha some RV toilet paper.  One roll can last a long time and its breaks down easy if you have to potty in the woods. 

#12:  The dollar store is chock full of great items for camping.  Especially decor.  You don't have to feel bad if something breaks or blows away in the wind.  I buy games, coloring books, bubbles and glow sticks.  Also you can find cheap utensils and dishes and even.... baby wipes haha.

#13:  Keep a camping box in the garage.  Keep all of the old mismatched silverware and utensils you have.  You can keep an old can opener, scissors, matches, tealights, medicine, and baking soda.

#14:  Put your egg carton in a plastic bin that its just a little bigger than the carton itself.  It will keep the carton from getting soggy and you can store other sensitive items in the top space between the lid and the eggs.