It’s no fun going on a camping trip, only to realize that you forgot something important, or find yourself without a certain tool that you could have used for an unexpected repair. For those of you who are newer to the camping life, we’ve gathered 11 of the most popular camping hacks—tips and tricks that will undoubtedly make your next trip less stressful and much more relaxing. 

Pack Tools 

There is no telling what type of repair you will have to make, either on your vehicle, trailer, or a piece of camping gear. Stores like Lowe’s or Home Depot often sell portable tool bags in various sizes. We found that stocking one of those with all the basic tools you’ll need while camping is helpful. 

Hot Water Bottle

If you are tent camping or camping in very cold temperatures in your trailer, one way to keep warm at night is to put a bottle of warm water in your sleeping bag. You’d be surprised just how long the water will stay warm, as well as what a huge difference it makes in your sleeping bag. Consider this the camping equivalent of getting a warm towel from the dryer after a shower. Ahhhh. 

Pack Rice & Resealable Bags

It is inevitable that during one camping trip you will find a picturesque lake or river to jump into. Just make sure that your phone doesn’t decide to take a swim with you as well. In the event that your phone gets wet, having some rice and a ziplock bag on hand is a good idea. The jury is out on whether this actually helps, but it doesn’t hurt to try if your phone takes an unexpected splash in the water. 

Dryer Lint 

Dryer lint is surprisingly, if not concerningly flammable. Pack a little bag of it from your last few loads in the dryer and you’ll have a fire roaring in no time. 

Charge Batteries 

It only takes a few times to realize what a pain it is to have dead batteries on your trailer. If you have a power jack, it will not go up or down. And to make matters worse, you won’t be able to turn your refrigerator on to cool down before you go camping. The best thing you can do is either plug your trailer in to charge (if that is possible for you) a few days before you leave for camping, or pull your batteries off of your trailer and charge them separately before you leave. This will save you a lot of frustration in the long run. 

Unpack Food

If you are limited on packing space in your trailer or RV, try unpacking some of your food. For example, many dry foods come in large containers or boxes that take up a lot of space. You’d be surprised how much less space unpacked granola bars take up compared to a full box of granola bars. 

Hit That Drive Thru 

Yes, camping and cooking go hand in hand quite a bit, but if you have a favorite local restaurant or drive thru that you love, try grabbing some of their food, wrapping it in tin foil, refrigerating it, then warming it up on the fire when you are camping. One of our favorites - grab a few fried chicken wings and potato wedges from the best purveyor of fried chicken in your area. Fried chicken next to the campfire is amazing! 

Cook At Home

Sometimes cooking a large meal while camping can be challenging. There is nowhere near the same prep and cook space in a trailer that you have at home. Taking some time to cook meals or portions of meals ahead of time not only makes things easier to prepare while camping, but it also cuts down on prep time as well as dirty dishes. And that’s a huge win! 

Insurance

Sometimes there are types of insurance that you can get by without. When it comes to camping, though, we’ve found that having some makes a big difference. Ask your RV dealership about various insurances that they offer. This is different from RV insurance that you are possibly required to have. There is insurance to cover spoiled food if your refrigerator goes out, or insurance to cover the cost of travel for your family to get back home in the case of an accident. If you never end up using these, it provides a peace of mind knowing that you have a safety net. 

Grab an Extra Bath Mat

When you are camping, you will undoubtedly track some dirt and debris into your trailer. There are quite a few rugs and doormats you can get, but we’ve found that bathmats do an incredible job. Due to their rubber bottom, they stick better on slick surfaces and seem to pull more dirt and debris off your shoes. Plus, they are so easy to shake off! 

Clothesline 

You should expect to get some clothes dirty while camping. Having a small travel size container of laundry soap is great, but having a place to dry your newly washed clothes is even more important. There are not really convenient spots in camp trailers to dry clothes, but hanging a clothesline outside is easy enough. Also, having the clothesline for swimming suits and wet towels is a huge win. 

Conclusion 

While there are plenty of other hacks out there for making your camping experience more positive, these 11 tips will make a big difference in your next trip. Safe travels, and happy camping!