How to Camp on the Weekend

a weekend trip can be easy and fun.

Camping, especially with the family, seems to be a daunting task to many people. Packing, getting everything ready, setting up camp, enjoying your time, taking everything down and unpacking seems like too much work for just a weekend trip. Just finding all of the equipment can be a time consuming project, and something always seems to get left behind. With a little bit of advanced preparation, however, you can take your family any weekend for an inexpensive, easy trip that leaves plenty of time to enjoy the great outdoors.

Things You'll Need

• Master list of camping equipment

Instructions

1. Create a master list of equipment that you take camping. Make sure you keep it somewhere safe so that you can refer back to it time and again. Only clothing, medication and food need to be repacked each time so leave those off your master list.

2. Put all of the items from your master list in a spot where you can find them, and keep them there. Put items that go together in waterproof bins. Towels, dish tubs, dish soap and garbage bags can go in one bin, for example, while all of the dishes you need can go in another. Alternatively, you can get one large bin to put items in. Pack the master list items however it works for you. Tents, coolers and camp stoves, if you use one, don't generally need to be in bins but do need to be in the same place as the bins so that you can grab them and go.

3. Pack the variable items such as clothes, medications and food minus refrigerated items on Thursday night along with packing the master list gear in the car.

4. Pick up ice and pack the refrigerated items after work on Friday, grab the family and you are set to go.

5. Pack everything back up the way you brought it. Put items back in their respective bins and clothes back in the respective bags. When you arrive home Sunday night, just put the master list gear back in the garage, or wherever you keep it, and only bring in the clothing and food. You are automatically ready for next weekend.

References

• How to Camp Out: Getting Ready by John Mead Gould
• Camping Earth: Your Camping Checklist