Space is at a premium in a tent. Even with spacious tents, there’s some trouble finding the right place to store things. It is pretty natural, considering tents usually don’t have common storage options that we enjoy at home. I’m going to share some camping storage ideas with you, in the hope that these will come in handy for your next camping trip.
9 Camping Storage Ideas
1. Label And Use Camping Storage Organizers
Good camping storage starts at home. Have clearly labeled plastic boxes that store your gear for camping. You’ll know where all the stuff is, and it will be easy to access anytime you feel like taking off to camp. If you are an avid camper, divide the boxes buy purpose. Keep necessary stuff for car camping in one, hiking in another, and so on.
2. Pack Items To Save Space
Simple tricks can make it easy to save space and pack items. For example, roll your clothes rather than folding them. This is easier and saves a ton of space in your luggage. Second, keep necessary items easily accessible.
Things like flashlights and toiletries either need to be stored in a separate bag, or be placed at the top of the luggage. Rummaging through your bags to find toilet paper won’t do you any favors!
3. Use Compression Sacks For Everyone
Compression sacks are a simple way to save space in your luggage. If you’re out camping with the family, everyone should have their own compression sack. Label those sacks so there is no confusion about what belongs to who.
4. Carry A Trash Can
Responsible campers don’t leave trash behind. Also, you will need something to cleanly hold the trash while you’re out camping. Without a trash can, people either litter or end up mixing trash with useful stuff in a tent. You can buy specialized, foldable trash cans if you prefer. Personally, I’d say reuse a container to place trash. Just make sure it can be closed and secured.
5. Get A Clothesline
Clotheslines are simple, cheap, and I’ve found them remarkably useful for camping. Just set one up in your tent, and other than clothes, you can use it to hang edibles and miscellaneous items.
6. Repurpose Everyday Items
The smart play is to reuse and repurpose items. Rather than carrying boxes for everything, plan things in a way that you can reuse items. For example, an empty coffee can/container hold toilet paper. It keeps the roll dry, and that can be a big deal. Similar empty containers can be used to store food items and snacks.
7. Get A Mesh Loft
Rather than storing items on the ground, store them in the air. This hack is useful for small campers as well as those enjoying a vacation in larger family tents. You can buy these rooftop lofts from stores, or even DIY some for yourself.
Before you buy one, be sure that these play well with any overhead storage in your tent. Alternatively, you can use a camping mesh rack for storage. I like these where camping storage organizers are concerned. They have a small footprint, a lot of available space, and are overall easier to deal with.
8. Use Plastic Drawer Storage When Car Camping
Car camping doesn’t mean that everything gets shoved into the car without any care. I like to organize the storage better for stress-free camping. Get plastic drawer storage, or plastic drawer organizers to make the best of available space. Each drawer and row can hold specific items. These can include things from cooking utensils, cutlery, to accessories like batteries.
9. After-Camping Storage
Once back from camping, I prefer to reorganize and store things for easier access. For example, all necessary camping items go back to their (labeled) camping storage organizer boxes. Camping-specific utensils get cleaned, scrubbed, and dried before being stored away. Similarly, the tent should be clean and dry before storage. All these items should be stored in a cool and dry place that is away from moisture or direct sunlight.
Camping Storage Ideas Make Life Easier
I can be lazy to properly stick to these camping storage ideas. In fact, I did exactly that. It took a couple of trips for me to realize that proper storage and labeling really do make life easier. Exasperating searches that can take several minutes take only seconds with proper storage. Perhaps equally important, the tent floor is clutter-free and just feels more pleasant and livable!