There’s nothing like the great outdoors — and you can’t get closer to nature than with a good old camping trip. Some pros will rough it with the bare minimum, but most of us take along a host of camping, hiking, and adventure gear — especially when we’re planning for a wholesome family trip. With so much to pack, things can get wild quickly. Luckily, we’ve come to the rescue with clever camping storage ideas and tips to keep your things in order. Let’s get prepped for some stress-free camping!
Space-Saving Camping Storage Ideas for a Stress-Free Trip
We get it; camping is about leaving all the fuss behind. But if you put extra effort into your camping organisation and storage from the beginning, the rest of your trip will be smooth sailing, and you can focus on having some epic adventures.
Consider these ideas for camping storage:
Toiletries
When you’re camping, you tend to freshen up more with all the swimming, sweating, and exploring outside. Since you reach for your toiletries more, they should be easily accessible and convenient to carry to communal bathrooms.
Before you even embark on your trip, transfer liquids like shampoo, conditioner, and body wash into travel-sized bottles to save space and prevent leaks.
Consider investing in a hanging toiletry organiser (bonus points if it’s waterproof!) so you don’t have to put a toiletry bag down on communal surfaces. A hanging caddy is also great for keeping your things off the shower floor.
Clothes
Everyone knows that rolling (instead of folding) your clothes helps to make the most of your camping clothes storage. Another great tip is rolling your outfit for each day together instead of storing similar clothing items together. This way, you won’t have to think about what you’re wearing everyday since it’s preplanned.
If you really want to make the most of your space, use compression bags to minimise the volume of your clothes, making them compact and easy to pack.
Pack a separate waterproof dry bag to store dirty or wet clothes. Some campers recommend not storing anything with an odour in your tent, since smells can attract pests and animals, so consider storing your dirty clothes bag in your car.
Food Items & Meal Prep
When you’re brainstorming camping food storage ideas, start at the grocery store. Look for foods that preserve well and start thinking of meal-prepping ideas. Once you’ve meal prepped, store your food in stackable containers that seal.
Consider packing two cooler boxes — one for drinks and one for foods that need to remain cold. This way, you won’t have to dig at the bottom of the cooler for your lunch or a bottle of water.
Camping Kitchen Items
To create your perfect camp kitchen, we recommend the following storage ideas:
- Camping Cupboard Storage: Set up a portable camping cupboard with shelves to store cookware, utensils, and food. This provides a designated space for your kitchen essentials.
- Stackable Storage Bins: Use stackable plastic storage bins to organise and store larger kitchen items like camping stoves, fuel canisters, and dishwashing supplies.
- Camping Cutlery Storage Ideas: Roll up your kitchen utensils in a compact roll-up organiser. Another option is using a utensil holder with hooks that can easily hang inside your tent. A third option is to invest in a compact travel utensil set that comes in a case. It’s best to have separate camping kitchenware instead of packing your nice cutlery from home.
- Camping Sink or Basin: Bring a collapsible camping sink or basin for washing dishes. Communal kitchens can get busy and are sometimes far from your camping spot.
- Nesting Cookware Sets: Invest in nesting cookware sets with pots, pans, and lids that stack together to save space in your camp kitchen.
Camping Gear
Chairs & Tables
If you’re using multiple tables and chairs, try to nest them together to maximise storage space. It also helps to opt for chairs and tables with collapsible or foldable designs.
Tents
You’ll only store your tent when it’s time to go home, but when you do, make sure all the zippers are closed and roll it up tightly. Don’t forget any poles at the campsite!
Sleeping Bags
During the day, hang your sleeping bag to allow air circulation and prevent odours.
Recreational & Sports Gear
If you have a tent or RV with overhead nets or compartments, use these to store lightweight gear. Otherwise, organise your gear by activity, and store similar items in clear plastic storage bins, making them easy to locate when they’re needed.
How To Store Your Camping Equipment
Proper organisation and storage helps you have the best camping experience — and these things are equally important after your trip. We’ve compiled our best camping storage ideas to keep your camping gear in good shape for when you need it next.
Camping Tent Storage Ideas
After a camping trip, your tent might not be the cleanest. Before storing it away, give it a gentle wash with soap and water — don’t use any harsh household cleaning products that will damage the material.
Here are some camping tent storage ideas:
- Pillowcase Method: Loosely roll your tent up and place it into a large pillowcase. This way, you’ll avoid putting unnecessary stress on the fabric.
- Large Duffel Bag: Place the tent in a large, breathable duffel bag. This can protect it from dust and debris while allowing for ventilation.
- Zippered Garment Bag: This is one of the less conventional camping storage ideas. Use a zippered garment bag designed for clothing storage to store small tents. This provides protection from dust and makes it easily accessible.
Whatever method you choose for storing your tent, avoid folding it, packing it up too tightly, or packing it somewhere hot or humid as this can cause tears and weaken the material.
Storing Sleeping Bags and Blankets
Make sure your blankets and sleeping bags are fully dry and free of any items. Lay your bags and blankets out, and then roll them up tightly before putting them into breathable storage bags. Place these bags into plastic storage bins to shield them from dust and moisture. If you’re storing these long term, consider placing silica gel packs inside the containers so they stay moisture-free.
Camping Clothing Storage Ideas:
Your camping clothing might not fit in with your regular wardrobe, and storing it with your everyday clothes can take up unnecessary space. After giving your clothes a good wash and treating any stains, make sure they’re completely dry before storing them away. We recommend these camping clothing storage ideas:
- Use a garment storage bag, which is designed for clothing storage. These are made of breathable materials which can protect clothes from dust and pests while allowing some airflow.
- If you don’t have a garment storage bag on hand, use breathable fabric storage containers or canvas bags that allow air circulation, preventing musty smells and mildew.
- Another alternative is getting a small cabinet or wardrobe for camp clothes and other seasonal wardrobe items.
Storing Electrical Camping Equipment and Appliances
Before storing, remove batteries from appliances like camping radios, torches, and other electronic devices, as batteries can leak and cause damage to your devices.
Also make sure to bundle and secure any cords neatly to prevent tangling and potential damage to wires. While we suggest labelling all your stored items, it’s especially important to label cables and devices so they’re easily identified for your next trip.
Make sure to store these in a cool, dry environment in breathable containers — it’s absolutely essential to avoid direct sunlight. Finally, cover devices with dust covers or cloths to protect against dust accumulation.
Pro Tips for Proper Organisation
Plastic Containers
Storing your items in stackable plastic containers allows you to maximise your vertical storage space, giving you more room for bigger items. Plus, you can see through these boxes, allowing you to identify items without opening a bunch of boxes to get to what you want (but still make sure to label these boxes anyway!).
Pegboards
Pegboards are an efficient and organised way to store your smaller outdoor goods, such as knives, tools, and torches. Hanging items neatly on a pegboard also helps you to easily view and locate the tools you require, and once you return from your camping trip, it’s easy and simple to hang your tools back up.
Shelves
When it comes to camping storage ideas, proper shelving takes the top spot. Whether you’re storing your camping gear in the garage or a secure camping storage unit, these will keep your things organised and off the ground, and help you maximise your vertical space. You can designate different kinds of items to different shelves and keep the most important things at eye level.
Keep Your Gear Safe & Organised With Storage World’s Camping Storage Units in Manchester
Now that you’ve got all the best camping storage ideas for your next trip, all that’s left to do is figuring out what to do with your camping gear while you’re not using it! Camping stuff can take up a lot of space at home; plus, you don’t need your camping things regularly, so it makes more sense to store them off-site.
Be it a one-man tent for your solo hiking trips or camping equipment for the whole family, Storage World’s camping storage units are perfect for storing your gear between trips. With our wide range of sizes, we’ve got the space to accommodate as little or as many of your items as possible.
Get in touch and we’ll set you up with the best unit for you in Greater Manchester.
