The top 30 tips and tricks to know when camping to simplify your life

If you boil water or use it for something else, collect it and use it to wash your hands.

If you need light in your tent and are afraid of starting a fire, a simple headlamp and water jug can quickly become the perfect night light to keep you company.

Small tic tac containers can easily become the perfect container for spices to bring when you go camping. These jars will not absorb moisture, so your spices will stay perfectly fresh!

Your water jug can be turned into a portable shower if you feel the need to wash while camping.

If you don’t have a shoe rack in your tent, then you don’t know anything about staying organized. With velcros, this small shoe holder hangs wherever you want!

Once again, this shoe rack quickly saves the weekend when it comes to a well-organized tent. You can hang several things up and, thus, avoid anything from getting wet or dirty on the ground.

We know, a tent under the sun can quickly give the effect of sleeping in a sauna. With a simple bin, some ice and a fan, you can easily ventilate and cool your tent so you can sleep better.

Save on kindling with two things you have at home: dryer lint and toilet paper rolls. Put the lint in the rolls and quickly light a fire.

A little bit of light on your property could save you a lot of trouble in the middle of the night.

• Make a 3-inch hole in the arm of a chair with a hole saw.
• Take two short straps (available in camping stores), use glue and attach them under the arms of the chair.

A plastic snow sleigh is also useful during the summer season. Use it to carry garden debris, concrete bags, camping equipment and plants. The sled slides on grass, sand and gravel with ease.

To transport your kitchen knives safely during picnics and camping trips, make knife containers from PVC pipes and caps.

• Select a sheltered campsite and ventilate your tent well.
• Set up your tent on the valley ground and off other low areas where cold air sets in. A good rule is to be about 50 feet above the valley level.
• Set up your tent in a place sheltered from the wind. This will help you when night comes.

• Make sure you have a good quality sleeping bag at nominal temperature.
• You can also add a lining to your sleeping bag to increase its warmth.
• Eliminate moist air from your bag every morning when you get up, then let it open until it cools the air temperature.

Use a space blanket to reflect heat back to you. Most people just think about these emergency covers. Simply attach it to the ceiling of your tent with tape to reflect much of the heat inside the tent.

This portable lantern can add light during your night walk or dining table when you eat under the stars. The Luau portable lamp is a rechargeable LED lamp that lasts 6 to 10 hours on a charge.

• Use a good insulated cushion between you and the floor. Studies have shown that what you have under you is more important to keep you warm than what was above you.
• Sleep cushions provide more insulation than air mattresses, which are filled with cold air on cold nights. An air mattress offers no insulation between you and the cold air inside it.
• If you want more comfort and warmth, you can put safety cushions on an air mattress.

Want to bring a small amount of tape “just in case”? Wrap it around a water bottle or other cylindrical object so that it is always within reach. Brilliant!

Make sure your feet are as dry as possible before going to bed. This can be done by having a pair of dry socks in your bag, for sleeping only. Even slightly damp socks can cause you to lose a lot of heat.

Keep your nose and mouth outside your sleeping bag. Your breath contains a large amount of moisture that can cause moisture to be absorbed into the sleeping bag while you sleep.

To keep your face warm, wear a balaclava or wrap a scarf around your face.

Wear a hat in bed: much of your body heat is lost through your head.

If your feet are cold, sleep with your feet together in an elephant’s foot or half a bag.

Go to bed warm. Warm up by doing a short hike around the campground or use the old method of huddling with someone.

Stay hydrated during the day and avoid drinking lots of fluids at night so you don’t have to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night and lose all the heat from the tent.

Get a portable barbecue like the robust Char-Broil Grill2Go. This is designed to be transported anywhere. It has a sturdy base, a top that closes for transport and works with portable propane cylinders.

If you are carrying a supple sports bag, buy a nylon strap (available in camping and fabric stores) or short tether straps. Simply attach the strap around the handle of your bag and label it with a waterproof marker to find out what’s in your bag.

This is called a Swedish fire log. To succeed in making this, you will need a massive log with flat ends. You must make two or three cross cuts on the top of the log and notch it up to three quarters. Then start the fire on top. You will notice that the charcoal will move towards the bottom, which will slowly light the log.

The camping site will be different if you are in a tent or in a trailer.

In a tent, these few tips will help you avoid being completely soaked:

• Do not place your tent in a sunken area.
• Put a tarpaulin over the tent roof to prevent the water from coming into direct contact with the tent.
• Put a plastic canvas under the tent to avoid humidity.
• Make sure your tent is ventilated so that moisture does not accumulate inside. Leave a window under a tarpaulin ajar.
• If the weather is really bad, ask the campsite staff to stay in a room.

When you are camping in a trailer, you will stay dry. So you don’t have to worry about rainy weather. However, be sure to put everything outside in a safe place.

Are you a sportsman? Don’t hesitate to use the gym if your campsite has one: rain is the perfect opportunity to enjoy the facilities and socialize with other campers.

You can also choose to do activities like bowling, ice skating, movies and indoor playgrounds. The children will be delighted!

If you are not a fan of rain, consider renting a campground with an indoor pool.

Have you thought of putting your toilet paper in old coffee containers? In fact, these containers are designed to keep moisture out, so your paper will stay dry and in good condition throughout your stay.

Sources:

• comment-economiser.fr
• The Family Handyman
• tentsile.com
• Guide camping vacances
• YouTube
• Le Rose Pingouin