Your friends call and invite you out for a weekend of camping. Your house is a mess and you were supposed to spend the weekend getting “caught up.” You quickly decide that the household responsibilities can wait and announce to your family,
“We’re going camping!”
You have one hour until you need to be on the road. It feels like an overwhelming feat, but yet you’re up for the challenge. Here’s a quick, step by step guide on how to pack for a last minute camping trip!
Get Your Checklist
Go to www.adventureawaits.ca and join our mailing list. You will instantly be sent an “Ultimate Camping Checklist” that will guide you through the camping packing process.
Hunt and Gather
Get the family together and assign each person with an item that they need to fetch. As they bring it back make a pile of all of your items (and keep assigning tasks until you have everything you need off your list!).
Trust Your Kids
Get your kids to pack their own bag. This is a really great opportunity for them to develop an understanding of how they can take care of themselves and what they need to be prepared. I give my daughter who can read a written out list of what to pack, and I draw pictures for my son.
They hit their rooms with their bags and fill them with what they think they need. This doesn’t always work perfectly, but when they come down 70% of their packing is done and I just need to review and make some tweaks. Saves time and builds confidence!
Group Items in Categories
Group your sleeping gear together, kitchen gear, personal items, into piles. Use large duffel bags, back packs, Rubbermaid bins, and smaller mesh bags to organize and pack your items. I use the term “pack” loosely as I wouldn’t recommend spending a lot of time strategizing and folding. Get it in the general vicinity of where it needs to go and then throw it in a bag!
Don’t Forget the Essentials
I have an “essentials” kit that always is ready to roll. It includes important things like first aid items, bug spray, biodegradable soap, and a nightlight. It’s a grab and go item that is always ready to be packed.
Throw it all by the Door
Have one parent throw all the bags by the door and the other load the car. If you have a truck throw a tarp over everything and a net over top to control the tarp and keep it from flapping.
Grab and Go
Stop at the grocery store and get the essentials… spaghetti and caesar salad for dinner, hot dogs for lunch, bacon and eggs for breakfast. Stop at the Gas Station for gas and some snacks and you’re on your way! Reward your family for helping you get on the road!
Have a Great Trip!
We don’t have enough days of camping in our lives so never turn down a trip because it seems like too much work. It’s always well worth the effort! After all, campfires are the original “social networking site.”
Now that you know how to pack for a last minute camping trip, we challenge you and your family to get camping this weekend! Check out my blog post: Top 5 Long Weekend Escapes for some ideas of where your next adventure could take you!