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When you’re setting off on an extended camping trip, it can be tempting to pack everything but the kitchen sink The reality though, is you won’t use half of it, and you’ll be better off packing lighter. The lighter you pack, the more room you have in your vehicle, and the less you need to worry about unpacking and repacking each time you stop at a new location. There are a few tips that can really help you pack light when your headed off on an extended camping trip.
Bring One Week’s Worth of Clothing
All the women reading this just gasped, but it’s true. If you want to pack light, only bring a maximum of one week’s worth of outfits. Make these outfits fit the weather and environment you will be camping in the majority of the time, and bring two extra items for any other weather you feel you might encounter.
For instance, if you are traveling to the Southwest during the summer, you would bring a week’s worth of lightweight outfits made from moisture wicking material, but you might also want to pack two pairs of jeans or long pants in case of a cold spell. A jacket is always a good idea no matter what time of year you are traveling. Packing this way, a whole family can fit their clothing for an extended camping trip into one suitcase.
Downsize Your Bedding
It might be tempting to carry around a thick sleeping pad, blankets galore, sheets and extra pillows, but all of these things take up a ton of room. Instead, look for a thick sleeping bag that is rated for low temperatures if you will be camping in cold weather. This minimalizes the amount of bedding you need to take with you, but keeps you comfortable while you sleep.
Only Bring One Cooler
While it might seem wise to pack multiple coolers, they are hard, bulky and difficult to pack around. Consider packing one large cooler that can easily have things loaded on top of it instead. If you want a separate cooler for drinks, simply put a plastic bin on top of the food items in the large cooler, and you can keep drinks or ice for drinks in the food cooler without risking contamination.
Allow Each Child One Backpack
When traveling on an extended camping trip, give each child their own backpack to fill with items for the car or campground. They cannot bring anything that will not fit into the backpack, and carrying and cleaning up the contents of the backpack is their responsibility. This helps cut down on added toys, games and stuffed animals floating around the car or tent, and gives the children a sense of responsibility too.
Going on an extended camping trip is full of trials and tribulations, packing should not be one of them. Following simple tips like the ones above can help you pack light, and ensure that you still have a great time exploring the outdoors with your family. Packing light ma seem daunting but being organized and clutter free can save you time and personal space on your next camping trip.
How do you reduce your travel load when taking a family journey?
It’s so hard to think of the right things to pack, you never know what the weather is going to be like. I do try to pack for one week but always end up with slightly more than I need.
These are great tips. I always tend to overpack, you really only need the essentials though!
Sounds like an amazing time, what a great way to spend a nice quiet vacation with family!
I just a new kickstarted campaign for a cooler called Coolest. You gotta check it out. I want one and we don’t travel that much but it’s an all in one. You’d love it.
I always pack light too. It makes it so much easier to decide what to wear and no matter how I travel I don’t have lots to carry.
These are great tips! We are actually packing for a camping trip right now. We do it every year; and your tips are spot on! You definitely need to minimize the gear you take. It makes the camping experience a lot more fun if you have less stuff to haul around and set up and pack up at the end.
Thanks for the tips. We’ve been talking about doing a 3-4 week RV road trip. This will come in handy.
We definitely need a lesson in packing light. We travel every single weekend and still – I swear we take everything except the kitchen sink!
I’ve found that the backpack trick works for kids for all sorts of trips. You’ve got some great tips here!
Great tips for packing light. I could use some of these for any trip we take. Thanks for sharing.
Great advice! We’re going on a short camping trip next weekend and I can already tell I’m totally over packing for just a few nights. Time to rethink everything!