Camping Hacks to Make Your Camping Trips Easier

Anyone who knows me knows that I am definitely a city girl when it comes to camping. I go a couple of times a year with our Boy Scout Troop or with my husband. So I firmly believe that I need lots of help and advice about camping. So I started a Pinterest board called “A Camping We Shall Go” and I’ve filled it with all the best camping hacks from Pinterest.

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I’ve gone through and picked a few of my favorites to share with you. For instance, there is the DIY bug screen to keep wasps and mosquitos out of your drink.

Here’s one that I use with my Scouts. Keep your spices in these handy Tic Tac containers. This is from TheKitchn. They have these Patrol Boxes with all their cooking gear, and they aren’t very large, so these Tic Tac containers are just the perfect size. You’d think that Scouts wouldn’t use a lot of spices, or wouldn’t be very good cooks, but I’d beg to differ with you there. We have an annual Iron Chef Cooking Competition on our Fall Campout that is actually pretty amazing. Last year, there were street tacos, empanadas, an orange cornbread dessert – pretty good stuff!

Ever tripped over a tent rope in the middle of the night? How ’bout these LED Tent Pegs? Now, THAT’S a clever idea!

How ’bout these portable bunkbeds for the kids? I think these are SO cute and clever and it would take up a lot less space in your tent.

Plus it folds down neatly to give them a place to play, although I don’t know if they would stand up to the rough housing my kids always seem to do!

I could see so many uses for this portable trash bag holder. You can not only use it camping, you can use it at home – it would hook onto the end of your counter for food waste, or you could put it on the edge of the patio during a party. Very useful little gadget.

I think the most useful thing to have on a camping trip is a good flashlight. My husband has one of those military flashlights, but the darn thing is about a foot long and very heavy. I think this Nightlighter Flashlight by Oval one is SO much more practical. It lights your feet and also the path ahead of you and also has a comfortable grip so you don’t drop it. Now, that’s a great camping hack!

Ever had a hard time getting a fire started? It’s a nasty smoky business sometimes. That’s why I think these fire starter thingies are such a great idea!

Tinfoil cooking is one of my most favorite camping hacks. Here is a fun video from the BSA that shows you exactly how to do it.

Here are some easy tinfoil dinner recipes from Camping with Gus. My Scouts have used recipes like this many times – I’ve seen them bring fish, sausage, chicken, just about anything you can cook up in tinfoil. We’ve also made cupcakes in an orange peel – just take an orange, lop off the top, scoop out the guts (makes a nice pancake topping), fill 1/2 way with your favorite cake mix, then double wrap with foil and put in the hot coals. Eeeeaaasy peasey camping hack!

I hate to overshare, but my biggest anxiety in camping is the possibility of peeing outdoors. Thankfully, they have some really fabulous solutions that they didn’t have back in my days. This whole Go Go Girl Kit has everything you need to discretely do your thing in the outdoors.

These new JetBoil cooking systems are the BOMB! I first saw one when one of my Scouts had one on a camping trip. They’re very compact and easy to use – the perfect camping hack, especially if you are one of those who needs immediate COFFEE in the morning.