Hello! I’m back! Just went camping this weekend, and per usual, I’m writing down what to do and not to do for reference next year. The goal is to be so freaking good at doing this in a few years that I won’t even need to think about what to bring.
So let’s get into it!
DO’S:
– Roll your clothes: This year, I rolled my clothes into outfits for each day, including underclothes wrapped in a t-shirt, and then that whole bundle wrapped again in my pants. I think it just makes things super easy to find, especially when it’s dark and you need to change, and it also makes sure that you don’t accidentally wear dirty underclothes because they’ve just been floating around in your bag.
– Organize your bag: For my suitcase, I took things in a separate bag that I would need at night, and another for the morning. This just makes it easier to work with, and that way you’re not digging around in the bathroom.
-Layer: For clothes, bring a base outfit(pants and t-shirt) for each day, and then bring some layering items to wear on top. This year, I brought a light plaid shirt that I wore during the day, a heavier one for at night, and a light and heavy sweatshirt for during the day. I find that during the day is when the temperature fluctuates the most, and sometimes it’s sunny and sometimes its kind of in the middle where you don’t want to put on a huge sweatshirt but also not just a t-shirt. (this is where you would put on the light plaid shirt). Of course, it all depends on the weather. Make sure you check it. Also, hat and socks for at night. You don’t need to look cute, and it can be really cold.
– Bring things that you’re familiar with: This is probably common sense, but camping is not really the time to try out new things. This year I brought a deodorant that was super weird and I wasn’t really sure about the packaging, so it never made it out of my bag. On the other hand, I have a sunscreen stick that I use pretty much every day normally, so it was super easy to just whip it out, slather it all over my face, and recap. No messy liquids.
– Bring only as much product as you need: When you’re packing, for example things like face or body wash, I would suggest pouring a small amount into a smaller container to take along instead of huge full sized bottles. Yes, there are no TSA restrictions, but travel-sized products actually do have a purpose. They’re not just ridiculously overpriced. For me, I put my face wash and moisturizer into a contacts case that I use specifically for that purpose. Then, I’m not lugging huge jars around, which means I won’t be dropping said jars all over the place.
DON’T:
– Take more than you need: I pretty much overpack every single year. It’s kind of inevitable. But after I overpacked again this year, I wrote down exactly what I brought and what I actually used out of that. The list is in your bedside table, future me, so please reference that next year.
– Be unprepared?: This doesn’t really make sense, but I’ll do my best to explain. Basically, have things that you might need, like bug spray, even if you don’t think you’ll use it. (this includes pads/tampons/feminine products!!! honestly nothing worse than realizing you need it and you don’t have it. literally sucks. and you don’t want to be cleaning period stains out of your underwear. that stuff is hard to get out.)
– Leave too much skin exposed: When you go camping, there are going to be a lot of bugs. Literally all the time. To keep yourself from getting bitten all the time, cover up as much as possible. Even if it’s going to be really hot, wear a light layer on top and shorts on the bottom instead of a tank and shorts. Also, if you’re leaving skin exposed, for example to go to the beach or something, wear something heavier on top and lighter on the bottom instead of vice versa(thickness, not color). This is because most heat is lost through the head and chest, so it’s easier to adjust then changing pants. It’s a lot harder to layer pants, as you might imagine.
I think that’s it for now? If I think of anything else, I’ll make some edits to this post. Thanks for reading!
Peaches & Cream 