You can
pack a lot of items to take camping and before you know it you are practically
taking the whole house with you. In that
case I’d rather just stay home. Through
trial and error I’ve found that I take a whole lot less than what I used
to. The biggest reason is because I pack
things that I can use in a variety of different ways.
My
cutting board is quite large. While I
can cut up just about anything on it, including a watermelon, I also use it to
cover the sink in the trailer to give me more counter space when I’m cooking as
well as to set on top of the stove to hold my dish drainer while I do the
dishes.
The big tote holds our pillows and bedding for the trailer. On a long trip we use it as a bathtub and then on the last day we load it up with all the dirty laundry for the ride home. It makes it super easy to haul all that into the house too when we get home. Once the laundry is done I clean the tote and re-pack the bedding, then stick it back into the trailer. Keeps everything neat and dust free until we need it again.
My big
vintage dishpan was a $3 thrift store find quite some time ago. I was thrilled when I found it. I use it to transport breads in. Once we get to camp I unload it and set up
our “Sanitation Station”. I love having
it ready for anytime someone needs to wash up.
I hang a hand towel on one handle and set it on a small folding patio
table next to the trailer. A milk jug of
wash water is at the ready along with soap in a pump. I like that the milk jug, when set in the
sun, allows the water to get nice and warm.
Frozen
milk jugs are great for cheap ice plus as they thaw you don’t get much water in
the cooler other than what occurs from condensation. The water will also make great drinking water
if you run out. The milk jugs can be
refilled and frozen time and again so they are recycled before they are
recycled. They fit in the freezer nicely
and I think they last longer than a purchased block of ice.
A big pan can be used to cook with, heat wash water and be used as an extra dishpan if you need one. A five gallon bucket not only can haul firewood, tools, rope or just about anything you throw in it but is also much needed for hauling water. You can even buy a snap on toilet seat and make your own port-a-potty. I do think if I used one as a port-a-potty that would be its use exclusively, however.
Use a food safe bucket for hauling water if you plan to drink it.
Snap on toilet seat and lid fits on a five gallon bucket for a port-a-potty.
Shower
curtain liners from the dollar store are a fantastic and thrifty
investment. They are thick enough to use
as a tarp or a rain fly for a tent. I
love to use one as a table cloth on a picnic table. They hold up great and are the right size to
cover the table completely. You can use
it to cover your firewood or lawn chairs if it rains. They make a great shade cloth or wind breaker
too.Clothespins do more than just hang up your clothes. They’ll help you put up your shade cloth or wind breaker, clip an open bag of chips, make a nice improvised clamp and help you post a note on the tent if you need to. They also work well to secure the shower curtain at the corners of the table to keep it from blowing off.
Duct
tape – need I say more? Charcoal lighter
will take pitch off your hands. You can
make a toothpick out of a matchstick.
Bacon grease makes a great fire starter.
Trash bags can be made into rain ponchos. I could go on and on but I
guess I’ll stop for now.
Do you
have any great tips to share? If so I’d
love to hear them.
Great tips. We don't go camping, but I have used the milk jug ice thing when taking stuff to the lake or ball park. I won't buy ice....it's so unthrifty:)
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