SKILLS: ORGANISING YOUR TENT
Keep your tent tidy and shipshape
PACK CLEVER
When you pack your car, put the things you’ll need first (eg your tent) into the boot last so you don’t have to drag everything out and leave it lying on the ground.
BEDS FIRST
Set up beds and sleeping bags as soon as the tent is pitched then you can use the bedrooms to keep gear out of the way as you set it up.
KEEP IT LIGHT
To avoid unnecessary fumbling around in the dark, always make sure your head torches are easy to find. Store them in the same place every time – ideally hung near the main door or in one of the tent’s storage pockets.
BOX CLEVER
Tote boxes are the family camper’s best friend; good for storing footwear, first aid kits, games, food and cooking gear. In fact, pretty much everything. Filled properly, they make finding stuff much easier, especially if you label each box with its contents. Boxes with lids can be neatly stacked on top of each other inside your tent.
Keep a small box next to each sleeping bag where torches, water bottles, phones, books and other personal belongings can be stored safely. Really Useful boxes or Lock & Lock are perfect for this. And those mesh storage pockets built in to most tents are not just for decoration – use them!
Collapsible dish bowls are brilliant to put dirty dishes in and to transport them to and from the sinks.
PART OF THE FURNITURE
On a longer holiday in a large tent you have the chance to set up up properly. To make your tent more comfortable to spend time in, invest in some storage furniture for your living, sleeping and kitchen areas where you can neatly stash clothes, cooking gear and food. Camping cupboards and wardrobes come in all sizes – some have shelving and drawers and the hard tops provide useful worktop space.
TOY STORY
Limit the amount of toys and other gubbins you let the kids bring and keep them in a container with a lid (the toys, not the kids. Although, sometimes…).
SOCKS APPEAL
Keep socks and underwear in separate zipped bags inside your holdall to make them easier to find.
LAUNDRY DAYS
Put everyone’s dirty clothes in a large laundry bag or storage box and, if you’ve got room, keep it in the car.
BRUSH IT OFF
A small plastic brush and dustpan helps you keep the tent clean and will prevent small stones being trodden into the groundsheet.
GET KIDS INVOLVED
Make your kids responsible for tidying up their sleeping area every morning.
TUB THUMPING
Store condiments like salt, pepper, tea bags, etc in small plastic tubs with watertight lids.
WELCOME MAT
Place a rubber-backed doormat just inside your tent entrance to keep the floor clean and dry. Outwell tents are all supplied with one!
USE ALL YOUR SPACE…
If you have a spare room or an annexe in the tent, use it for storing stuff like holdalls, coolboxes, washbags or kit for outdoor activities. Zipping up the door will make the main living area feel less cluttered. This could also be used as a kids’ playroom on rainy days.
…OR USE YOUR CAR
If space is an issue in your tent, store your holdall containing clean clothes in the car. But to avoid having to go out early in the morning, bring in the following day’s clothes the night before.
STRIKING CAMP
It’s time to go home… boo! Have a plan for how you’re going to pack the boot and empty the tent in the right order.
KEEP IT CLEAN
Clean off any mud and bird poo from the flysheet before you start packing away.
BAG IT UP
Keep a few plastic bags to hand for packing away wet, muddy items. Pack dirty clothes in a separate holdall so the washing machine can be loaded as soon as you get home.