04 Jun Hacks To Make Your Next Camping Trip a Breeze
Hack your next camping trip with our list of DIYs, tips, and tricks!
Line your backpack with a garbage bag for easy waterproofing.
You can check the forecast a million and one times, but there’s always that chance of pop-up showers when you are at the mercy of the great outdoors. Line the inside of your backpack with a trash bag before you pack all your items for easy waterproofing. There’s nothing worse than having all of your clothes get completely soaked, and this is an easy and affordable way to help prevent that!
DIY a citronella lamp to repel insects.
All you need for this DIY is a mason jar with a lid, citronella oil, and a wick. Follow the easy steps for this 5-minute project here.
Freeze gallon jugs of water to use in coolers.
Instead of using ice packs that will melt in mere hours, freeze several gallon jugs of water to use instead. They won’t crack when frozen, will melt much slower than standard ice packs, and you can use the water for drinking once they do melt!
Crack and store eggs in a water bottle.
Eggs make for a great campfire breakfast but can be a risky thing to pack due to their fragility. Crack your eggs beforehand and store them in a water bottle to avoid any potential mess. And if you are making scrambled eggs, you can pre-whip the eggs and even add milk, cheese, and seasonings so it’s all ready to go. Anything you can do to prepare food ahead of time will make a huge difference.
Fill a bag with lint from your dryer for kindling.
Did you ever think there would actually be a use for dryer lint? Lint is highly flammable and makes for excellent fire kindling. Bring a Ziploc bag filled with dryer lint, and you will have yourself a blazing campfire throughout your entire camping trip.
Reuse an empty laundry detergent bottle as a hand washing station.
When camping, you might not always have convenient access to a sink. You can easily create your own hand washing station by reusing an empty laundry detergent bottle (make sure it’s one with a spigot).
Rinse it out thoroughly and fill it up with water when you get to your campsite. Place it on a table with a bucket underneath to catch the water, put some soap nearby, and voila! You’ve got a makeshift sink.
Use rocks to warm your sleeping bag at night.
If you want to step into a toasty sleeping bag at night, you have to try this hack. Gather a few smooth, clean rocks from around your campsite. Place them next to your campfire in the evening, and once they are nice and warm, put them in the foot of your sleeping bag about half an hour before you plan to head to bed.
Be sure the stones aren’t too hot, as you don’t want them to burn your sleeping bag. You should be able to handle them with your bare hands for 3 – 5 seconds comfortably.
Make a lantern with a water jug and a headlamp.
Grab a full plastic gallon water jug and wrap a headlamp around it with the light pointing inwards. The light will reflect off of the water and create a lantern! Chances are a headlamp will be included in the camping gear you bring along anyway so you won’t need to bring anything extra along.
Pack a pair of socks just for sleeping in.
You definitely don’t want to sleep in the same pair of socks you wore for that 5-mile hike in the dead of summer. Instead, pack a fresh pair of socks just for sleeping in. Store them in your pillowcase so they stay clean and dry. Your feet will thank you!
Use shower caps to store dirty and muddy shoes inside of a tent.
If you are camping in a tent, this hack will help keep the inside of your tent clean. Keep all of the dirt in its place by wrapping your dirty shoes in a shower cap before bringing them inside your tent.
Create your own single-use soap.
Packing a bar of soap can get messy. Instead, use a vegetable peeler to cut the soap into thin slices. Throw the strips into a plastic bag, and you’ve got yourself single-use soap for your trip.
Use old pill containers or tic tac dispensers to store spices.
You don’t have to sacrifice flavor when it comes to campfire cooking. Use empty pill bottles or tic tac dispensers to bring along small amounts of your favorite seasonings and spices. Just be sure to clean and dry them thoroughly before adding in your spices.
Reserve your campsite today to try out these hacks!
It’s time to try out these camping hacks and plan your Lake George camping trip. Book your campsite at Lake George Campsites today. Our private campground in Upstate NY features 250 camping & RV sites and 19 cottages, located within walking distance from many popular Lake George attractions.
Onsite amenities include a swimming pool, playground, arcade, camp store, bath houses, and more! Plus, as a pet-friendly campground, we have got you covered if you are searching for pet-friendly camping in Lake George. Our 2024 season runs from May 1 through October 14.