Summer is the perfect time to spend some time outdoors, sleep under the stars, and try out different camping hacks, tips and tricks. Camping is a great way to spend some time alone or with your loved ones and take in the beauty of nature while recovering from the toxicity of city life. Take things a notch higher by trying out the camping hacks listed below.
Camping Hacks for Your Comfort
Foam Floor Tiles
Bring foam floor tiles and place them on the tent floor to be more comfortable lying down and to avoid stepping on rocks.
Ambient light
It may strain the eyes to use a flashlight or lantern to see inside the tent. Brighten things up a bit with the help of a head lamp and a water jug or an empty one gallon milk jug. Just wrap the strap of the head lamp around the jug filled with water. Make sure the lamp is pointing into the gallon jug. When you turn the head lamp on, it will create ambient light. This is great if you want to get some reading done while you’re lying down in your tent.
Camping Toilet
When you have to go, you have to go. That doesn’t mean you have to go anywhere in the woods, though. If you don’t want go number 2 in the forest or in campsite toilets, bring your own portable toilet.
Make your own portable toilet by putting together a bucket, a plastic milk crate, and a toilet seat. An old plastic chair can also be used instead of a milk crate. You just have to cut out a hole on the bottom of the crate or on the seat of the chair. This is where the toilet seat will be. You can bolt the seat on so it won’t be wobbly or accidentally detach while you’re using it.
Bug Repellent
Bugs, particularly mosquitoes, are a camper’s worst nightmare aside from poisonous snakes, bears and big foot, of course. Keep mosquitoes at bay by simply adding sage to your campfire.
Safety Precautions
Biodegradable Trail Tape
Hiking is a great outdoor activity, which helps you connect with nature and get some exercise, as well. Make sure you or anyone in your group doesn’t get lost by using biodegradable trail tape as markers. If anyone loses their way, they simply have to backtrack by following the tape. Since the tape is biodegradable, you don’t have to worry about leaving it behind.
Mini First Aid Kit
You can get into a minor accident or a severe medical emergency while camping since you’re roughing it out a bit. Bring a first aid kit with you to camp.
You can also make mini first aid kits to take with you while hiking or whenever you leave camp for some time. One of the more popular camping hacks is making an Altoids tin survival kit. Aside from small yet basic items of survival, you can also make one filled with essential first aid items. You can also use an old prescription bottle instead of the Altoids tin.
Fire Camping Hacks
Waterproofing Matches
No camping adventure is complete without a bonfire. Waterproof your matches so you can still build one even if it’s raining. There are a number of ways of assuring your matches light up even if they get wet. You can dip the head in wax, turpentine, or nail polish. Even after waterproofing your sources of fire, you can still pack them in a Ziploc or any airtight container.
Aside from waterproofing matches, you should also place them in a Ziploc bag along with your lighters and magnesium fire starters, so they’ll eve less likely to be soaked in water.
Egg Carton Fire Starter
Charcoals are great for cooking, especially if you want to do some grilling. However, the kind that light up fast is a bit on the expensive side. What you can do is purchase the cheaper regular ones and place some in an egg carton, without the eggs, of course. When you light the cardboard carton, the charcoal inside will catch the flame.
Doritos
If you’re packing some junk food to your outdoor adventure, you might as well bring some Doritos. That’s because using Doritos to build fire is one of the most surprising camping hacks known. The corn chips burn easy making it a great substitute for kindling.
Cotton Pad Fire Starter
Melt a candle in a pan then dip the cotton pads in the hot wax using a tweezer or tongs. Let the pads absorb enough wax before taking them out and placing them on wax paper to cool and dry. Place them in a Ziploc bag. Simply tear and expose some of the cotton before using a pad to start a fire quickly.
Cooking and Washing Camping Hacks
Tic-Tac Spice Boxes
Make sure you get the most out of your meals by adding the necessary spices and seasonings. Fill empty Tic-Tac boxes with your favorite spices. They’re handy to use, pack easy and take up minimal space.
Pot and Pan Holder
It’s easier to have fun and appreciate the outdoors when your campsite is clean and organized. Aside from stacking spices in candy boxes, you can use a belt and some hooks to organize your pots and pans. Simply wrap the belt around a tree and hang the utensils on the hooks.
Frozen Water Jugs
Don’t waste precious space in your cooler on blocks of ice. Use frozen gallon jugs of water instead. The frozen water will keep your food fresh and your drinks cold. When the ice melts, you have cold drinking water.
Roasted Taffy Candy
Roasting marshmallows over the campfire is a tradition every camper should experience. If it gets old, however, you can try roasting something else. A taffy candy such as a Starburst can be roasted to get that crunchy coating and sweet gooey inside.
Packing Eggs
If you can’t start your day without scrambled eggs, you can still bring some to camp. Bringing whole eggs to camp is out of the question, however. You need to beat the eggs at home and pour them into a clean water bottle. Close the lid airtight and place it in the freezer. Put it inside your cooler when you’re about to go. Close tightly and return it the cooler immediately after every use.
DIY Hand Washing Station
Camping trips may get a little messy. Before you eat your meal, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. Build your own portable hand washing station by using an empty laundry detergent bottle or a 5-gallon camping container. Fill it up with water then place it flat on its side where the nozzle or switch valve is on a stand, a high stool or on the edge of a table. Secure the container with a bungee cord.
Since this camping hack is made for washing hands, place a bar of soap or liquid soap beside the container along with paper towels for drying your hands. Place a trash bag or trash bin nearby for your used paper towels. Also, put a bucket directly under the switch valve to catch the water. This will prevent your campsite from getting muddy. The dirty water can also be used for other things.
The camping hacks listed are meant to make things easier while you enjoy some much-deserved vacation. They also let you stretch your imagination and think of other ways to use normal household items. If you happen to know other brilliant camping hacks, feel free to share them.
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