40 Ways To Make Any Camping Experience A Walk In The Park
By Bruna L
If you think about it, camping is one of the best outdoor activities you can do with your friends or family. It allows you to enjoy peace and quiet together while bonding over your busy lives and the vastness of nature. Everybody has to work to make the camping experience as pleasurable as possible, which also adds a sense of community to everything you do. If you want to camp but are worried about spending tons of money on tools and provisions, this article can help you! You don’t need all the fancy stuff some people may suggest that you absolutely need – A little ingenuity goes a long way when you’re out in nature! Here are 40 ways to make camping a walk in the park!
Emergency whistle
While camping in the wild can be an amazing experience, it can also be hazardous if you don’t know what you’re doing. It’s really not that hard to get lost, which can be scary and even lead to a ruined trip. That’s why it’s always good to be prepared!
Whistles are simple yet effective tools to keep wild animals away and help search parties find you. If you don’t have one at hand, though, you don’t need to panic! Just use an acorn this person is holding above, and you should be fine! A penny or a bottle cap also works!
Coffee in nature
After a night of camping in nature, there’s nothing better than a strong, warm cup of coffee to wake you up in the morning. Unfortunately, it can be pretty hard to make one in the wild due to the resources needed – There’s no coffee maker or electricity, after all!
If you can’t live without your daily dose of caffeine, we have the solution for you! All you need is some coffee powder, a reusable filter, and some thread. Put the powder in the filter, tie it with the thread, and put it inside a mug. Now pour hot water! It works just like a teabag!
Warm sleeping bag all night long
Cold nights are the worst! You can get another blanket or dress in warmer clothes at home, but when you’re camping, you don’t have these kinds of resources! Keeping a fire going all night to warm you up is not only a safety hazard but a waste of resources as well!
So, what do you do to keep yourself warm and not end up setting the whole forest on fire? It’s pretty easy, actually. Take a bottle and fill it with hot water. Now, all you have to do is tuck it in the bottom of your sleeping bag, and you’ll be warm all night long!
Makeshift clothespin
Washing your clothes while camping is a rare occurrence. Unless an emergency happens or you’re going on a really long camping trip, there’s usually no need to break out the clotheslines! If you find yourself in need to wash your clothes, though, this next tip is for you!
Maybe an emergency happened, or maybe you didn’t pack as many clothes as you needed. Who knows? The fact is: You now need to wash your stuff. A clothesline is not hard to make, and any vine will do. As for clothespins, bread clips work just fine!
Keep your cutlery safe
If you have ever gone camping, then you know how hard it is to keep your plates, cups, and cutlery safe. The disposable ones tend to break easily, while the reusable stuff can be hard to accommodate in your backpack!
If you want to avoid this kind of trouble, take a cake carrier with you and store your things inside it! Make a pile of plates, cups, forks, and knives, then put the lid on and lock it in place. Now dinner time will be much easier and efficient!
One for the kids
Camping can be a great experience for kids. If you do it right, they get to see nature firsthand, learn how to survive in the wild, and respect all sorts of wildlife out there. Curiosity and imagination are traits that are both heavily impacted by a good camping experience!
Sometimes, things can get a bit boring without electricity and the internet. That’s when the ingenuity of the parents comes into play: Why not create a scavenger hunt for your bored kids? Create a list of things they need to find around the campsite, and you’re sure to have some curious scavengers running around.
Never lose your keys again
Suppose you plan to do any activity in the water while camping, this next tip is for you. Never lose your keys again when you go for a swim! How? It’s quite simple, really, and it doesn’t even require a lot of materials, just some creativity!
We don’t recommend drinking and swimming because it can lead to fatal accidents, but if you have a wine bottle or two lying around, take their corks with you! Now, all you have to do is attach the keys to the cork, and your keys should float right up if you happen to lose them!
Make your music louder
Sometimes, camping trips are less about connecting with nature and more about having fun and partying with your friends. When there are no speakers around, you have to make do with your cell phones if you want to listen to music!
Cell phones are not very powerful when it comes to playing music. However, this is a perfect time to put this trick into good use! Just put your cell phone inside a plastic cup, pot, or container, and it should work just like a proper speaker!
Recycled spoon
When you’re out camping, there’s a list of things you need in order to have a good time in nature, especially if you’re far away from civilization and other campers. In these situations, your cutlery can easily become your best friend.
In an emergency, you can make your own spoon! Take a sharp knife, the duct tape you’ve brought to secure your tent and a plastic bottle. Now, cut the bottle like the image above and use duct tape to make the handle sturdier. There you have it!
Another meal option
One of the most famous camping meals is cooked rice. It’s simple, filling, and doesn’t take much to make. But, if you are tired of the same boring food over and over again, there are plenty of options out there!
Take couscous, for example. It is just as filling, cooks even faster, and you can mix it with pretty much the same stuff you would mix your rice with! Dehydrated veggies, scrambled eggs, and even chicken goes well with it! Yummy!
No more camp invasions
Animals aren’t really known for their respect for human boundaries. And for a good reason. If you do a quick google search, you’ll find tons of news about bears taking a stroll on people’s backyards or deer waking people up with their mating calls!
If that can happen in the city, it can happen on your camping trip! If you want to feel safer, then all you need to do is build the trap as you see above. Just attach a glow stick or a firecracker to a mousetrap, connect it to a tripwire, and you’re ready to go!
Double duty plates
If you value having fun more than having proper dining utensils, then this trick is for you! You don’t need to save tons of space for plates and silverware when you’re on a camping trip. Just pack a couple of frisbees!
Having frisbees around not only will give you a great way to kill time with your friends, family, or pets, but you will also have plates ready to go! Just give it a wash if you’ve been playing with them, serve your food and eat it! It’s that simple, and we bet you didn’t think about this before!
Multi-purpose pool noodles
Pool noodles are great tools when you’re learning how to swim, but did you know that’s not the only thing they are good for? That’s right! With a little bit of creativity, pool noodles will become one of the smartest additions to your camping trip!
Do you keep tripping on your tent lines? Cut a piece from a pool noodle and place it on the line for more visibility! Does your pop-up tent keep folding back down? Pop a noodle on it, and your problem is solved! They can even become swords for the kids’ entertainment!
Ticks no more
We all know ticks are nasty little creatures. It doesn’t matter if most of their bites are harmless either. The prospect of getting Lymes disease or Rocky Mountain spotted fever is enough to make us dread an encounter with such tiny critters.
Suppose you don’t want to deal with ticks while camping. Make sure to bring some liquid soap and a couple of cotton swabs. Just soak the swab with soap, place it on the tick for a few seconds, and it should come right off! If needed, you can use a clean mascara wand, too, instead of swabs!
Another use for silica gel packets
Whenever you buy new stuff, such as backpacks or purses, you are guaranteed to receive a couple of packets of silica gel. They even come with some medicine! If you plan on camping anytime soon, stop throwing those packets away!
Silica gel absorbs moisture which can be pretty handy if you’re camping somewhere humid. Just put some packets inside your backpack, pots, pans, and even your boots when you’re not using them. Your stuff will stay dry and mold-free for much longer!
Quick fix for your zippers
Most of the time, zippers are lifesavers. With them, you don’t have to spend precious minutes working through a million buttons, and they also keep everything more protected! Sometimes, though, zippers get stuck, and it’s a headache to fix them!
Now, you don’t have to worry about it anymore! If you’re packing too much and straining the zippers on your backpack, or if they decided to act up halfway through your camping trip, all you have to do is rub some candle wax on them, and they should work again!
Keep your hands clean all the time
Everybody knows camping is a dirty business – You’re exposed to the sun, rain, mud, and dirt pretty much all of the time. You also won’t shower or change your clothes as frequently as you do at home! If you want to stay healthy, you better keep washing your hands!
For that, all you need is a water container, a soap bar, pantyhose, or something similar. Just attach the container full of water to a tree, then plop the soap inside the pantyhose and tie it close to the water. Now you have a makeshift sink ready to use!
Water-proof matchbox
When you look up online what are some of the essential camping tools, matches will probably be on the top of the list! Whether you have experience camping or are just starting, they are definitely your best friend out there when you need some fire!
The only problem with them is they can get humid pretty easily! To avoid that, glue some sandpaper on the lid of those small seasoning containers, and then store your matches inside it. You’ll never have wet matchsticks again!
Eggs for breakfast
Breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day. When you eat breakfast, your body stays full for longer, and you absorb nutrients better, which results in a boost of energy that lasts all day long. And what better way to start your day than with scrambled eggs?
If you’re like us and don’t wake up properly until you have your eggs and coffee, don’t worry! You can still have your breakfast of champions even if you’re camping! Just crack your eggs inside an empty orange juice bottle and save them for later!
Makeshift water-proof bag
Sometimes, it doesn’t matter how well you plan your camping trips; things still go wrong! You can check your weather app a million times and plan the perfect trail through the woods. However, you still can stumble upon water, be it rain or an unexpected stream!
If you don’t have a good water-proof bag, crossing a stream or facing the rain can end up with all your things wet and ruined! A cheap and easy solution for that is using your average plastic bag to protect everything, just like in the picture above!
Brand new soap all the time
Washing your hands when you’re camping is a great way to keep infections and other diseases at bay. Soap is your best friend here as it helps kill most of the germs on your palms. But, if many people use the same bar all the time, its purpose is kind of destroyed!
Instead of sharing the same soap bar with everyone and facing the risk of spreading diseases for the whole group, why don’t you try this neat trick? Just take a soap bar and peel it! Keep the peeled bits in a container and use them whenever you need to wash your hands!
No more sitting on the grass
There’s nothing that screams “camping” more than sitting on logs around the fire, roasting marshmallows, and telling scary stories. Unfortunately, this whole setting can be very uncomfortable for some people, especially the whole sitting on logs for hours bit.
If you are one of those people, you don’t have to worry! You can still enjoy camping like everybody else. Just check out the image above! Apparently, you can buy hammocks that attach to the back of your car! Pretty neat, right? They look extremely comfy, too.
Pocket first aid kit
Another item that’s definitely on top of a “camping essentials” list is a first aid kit. No matter how prepared you are, emergencies can still occur, and it’s best to be safe than sorry! For this one, all you’re gonna need is a prescription bottle or a seasoning container.
That’s right! You don’t really need much space if you want a first aid kit, especially if you’re camping for a day or two! Just take a prescription bottle and pop a couple of pain killers, band-aids, and any other medicine you may need to take!
Never get lost
If you’re just starting with this whole hiking thing and don’t know much about different types of terrain, perhaps it’s a good idea to bring a more experienced hiker along! This is definitely the best way to learn the craft without putting your life at risk!
If you’re only planning to venture on short hikes and need a survival tip, then your best bet is to bring some bright-colored tape with you! Just mark the trees you’ve passed by, then follow them back when you’re leaving, and you shouldn’t get lost!
Duct tape is your best friend
We’ve talked before about some items that are considered essential for camping, but the unsung hero of your most harrowing experiences forever will be the good old duct tape! That’s right! Duct tape is essential, and even camping is challenging without it!
From securing the structure of a flimsy tent to fixing broken objects on the go, duct tape can do it all! Did you know duct tape is waterproof? That’s true! If you ever need to cross a stream, just wrap your shoes with it, and you’re good to go!
Handmade washing machine
Washing your clothes is not something you usually do while out camping. We’ve covered that. It’s just too much of a hassle and not really worth it! But, if you do have to wash yours for some reason, we have the perfect solution for you!
All you need is a plunger and one of those buckets with a lid! Cut a hole on the lid of the bucket, fill it with soapy water, and plop your clothes inside. Now, all you have to do is pump the plunger, and your clothes will be clean in no time!
Pack your dirty shoes with ease
It’s impossible to keep your shoes or flip-flops clean while you’re camping. No matter where in the world you are, there’s always going to be water, moss, or mud somewhere, and those things will ruin your shoes eventually! But not with this next tip!
If you don’t want to spread dirt in your car or inside your tent, all you need is a shower cap! Shower caps not only will keep the dirt on your shoes contained, but they will also provide enough airflow, so it doesn’t get all soggy and disgusting!
Melted ice no more
If you’re going camping just to enjoy some time with your family and friends instead of playing the survivalist, you’re probably bringing an ice cooler with you. Coolers are an amazing way to keep your beverages cold and your food fresher for longer!
But, if you are tired of dealing with the mess ice makes once it melts, we have just the thing! Instead of plopping bags of ice inside the cooler, use frozen water bottles! Not only will it work just like the ice, but it will also provide clean drinking water for everyone!
Natural mosquito repellent
There are plenty of creatures you can encounter while camping in the wild. All sorts of birds, bears, deer, fish, and more. Some of them are harmless, and some of them are most certainly not, and that’s why we must take precautions when dealing with them!
A creature that some people usually overlook is mosquitoes. Not only do some of them carry diseases, but their presence alone can ruin a whole trip! If you forgot to pack your repellent, try burning some sage or rosemary, and they should leave you alone in no time!
Improvised seasoning containers
Just because you’re camping, it doesn’t mean you have to eat bad food all the time. Instant noodles go a long way, of course, but if you want something truly filling and delicious, you better have packed some seasoning to keep your palate happy and satisfied!
If you think your average seasoning containers take too much space, use empty tic-tac ones instead! That’s right, they are small, skinny, and can fit in your pocket if you want. Fill them with any seasoning of your choice, label them, and you’re ready to go!
Sturdier tent floor
Unless you want to spend hundreds of dollars buying the most expensive, top-notch camping equipment out there, your tent won’t be as good as you would’ve preferred. This means the structure is flimsy, the material is not that reliable, or perhaps, your floor is too thin.
If the floor being too thin is your camping problem, you don’t have to worry – All you need is some EVA foam tiles! Just lay some of them on the floor of your tent, and you will have a sturdier and even warmer surface to sleep on!
Emergency kindeling wood
Cold nights are the worst when you’re camping. Depending on where you are in the world, they can be quite dangerous and sometimes even deadly! Lighting a fire can help, of course, but what if you have run out of kindling wood?
You don’t have to worry. Just ransack the snacks container, and you should be fine! Any chips will do, but Doritos work best! Just make a pile of them and set them on fire. Now, all you have to do is add some wood and your firepit is ready to heat you up all night long!
More snacks to roast
One of the best parts about camping is being able to eat a bunch of snacks and not worry about your diet, especially if you’re planning on hiking on the trip! That way, you’re not eating junk food. You’re just keeping yourself energized!
A great snack for these occasions is a variant of smores using starburst candy instead of marshmallows! Just skewer a couple of starbursts and put it on top of the fire until it melts a little. Wait for it to cool before eating, and you’re good to go!
Pancakes in the woods
Humans are creatures of habit. When we’re used to doing something, it’s tough for us to let go! Especially when it comes to our breakfast routine. If you want to go camping but don’t want to stop eating your pancakes every morning, this trick is for you!
Milk jugs usually take a lot of space, and eggs are flimsy little things, so instead of bringing them separately, you’re going to have to prepare the batter at home! After, fill an empty ketchup container or something similar with the batter, and you can stick it right in your cooler no problem!
DIY toilet paper holder
Most of the time, when you decide to go camping, you need to give up a bunch of privileges that you are used to every day. Deep in the woods, there is no electricity, internet connection, or phone lines! Even clean, running water and toilets are nonexistent!
If you can’t do your business without toilet paper and don’t want it exposed, all you’re gonna need is an empty coffee tub! Just put the toilet roll inside it, make a cut to pull the paper through, and glue a piece of rope as a handle! Cheap and easy!
Single use toothpaste
Just because you are camping out in the wild doesn’t mean you need to neglect your personal hygiene! Liquid soap, toothpaste, and other items can be hard to accommodate, though, but you don’t have to worry! We have the solution for this problem!
First, take a couple of straws and melt one of their ends. Now, select which hygiene items you would like to bring with you and pour them inside the straws. Now all you have to do is melt the other end, and you’ll have no reason to get stinky out there!
Dish Rack
Disposable utensils are a big no-no when you are camping. Not only do they pollute the environment, but they are choking hazards for the whole ecosystem around you. If you don’t want to contribute to this problem, just bring reusable things and wash them after using them!
And, if you’re worried about not having enough space to let your pots and pans dry, well, worry no more! Just take a belt or something similar and wrap it around a tree. Put some hooks on it, and you’ll have more than enough space for your stuff to dry on!
Barbecue starter in a box
Sometimes, camping trips are just excuses to gather all your friends and family to have a big barbecue away from home! Who cares about nature and eating terrible, bland food when you can have a delicious burger straight out from the fire?
It can be difficult carrying all the materials needed for a good barbecue. Especially the coal! But, you don’t have to worry: Just take a few empty egg cartons and place your coal inside them! Then, just light the whole thing on fire! It’s literally that simple!
Bigger lights
Flashlights are one of the most essential items to bring along when you go camping. They are useful not only if you need to do your business in the dark but also for emergencies! If all you have are those small, flimsy lights, the trick below is for you!
You don’t have to spend lots of money on expensive tools. All you need is a jug of water and a headlamp! Tie the headlamp to the water jug with the lamp facing the jug, and when you turn it on, you will notice you have a lot more light in your vicinity!
Candles everywhere
If you are trying to create a romantic atmosphere on your next camping trip, then you better pay attention to this little decoration trick! Candles can make anything more romantic, so that’s what you’ll be using! You will melt your significant other’s heart in no time!
Just take some candles and some barbecue skewers. Now, all you have to do is stick the skewers through the bottom of the candles, and you’ll have the perfect tool to light pathways or to work as torches for darker areas. You’re welcome!