popup and tent campers question

[ldubberly]

I need help. So, when you pack to go camping, knowing there is very limited space in a popup and NO space in a tent , how do you pack everything for travel without looking like the beverly hillbillies traveling down the interstate? Where do you put everything? Do you just stick everything in the back of a truck or trailer and cover it with a tarp? We will also be bringing our golf cart. Or do you don't take what you want but that doesn't fit?

 

[Tent Camping Mom]

Tenters here. We have two different vehicles we use for camping. When we camp "Disney Style" we use my van since we take everything but the kitchen sink. We take out the back row of seats and one seat from the middle row. We have a car-top carrier on the top that holds our tent, screen house, chairs, and accessories. We have a Saris "Bones" bike rack on the rear that carries 3 bikes. Now when we set up, that's when we look like the Beverly Hillbillies (before they moved to Beverly Hills)

Now, when we do back-country, we take DH's S-10 and take minimum equipment which then yes, we throw a tarp over it held down by bungie cords.

 

[rbork]

With the exception of the occassional bike rack, we have everything we need. Actually we used to look like the Hillbillies before we found the ART" of packing. First, all clothing, toys/games, TV, camping gear is inside the pop up. If we're lucky and I have time I can even fit the food/cooler/fill fridge ahead of time. Otherwise I just put the cooler in the back of the SUV and the occassional wood box. So, we have the family, food, shelter, AC ,games and campfire gear. What else do you folks take????

 

[Tent Camping Mom]

Oh, I do want to mention....lots of rubbermaid containers These will help you stay organized. We put duct tape on top and use a sharpie to write its contents. Use duct tape instead of writing directly on the container because you will find your contents will change often.

 

[magicforever]

Oh, I do want to mention....lots of rubbermaid containers These will help you stay organized. We put duct tape on top and use a sharpie to write its contents. Use duct tape instead of writing directly on the container because you will find your contents will change often.

This is key!!! Organize, Organize, organize!!! You will be much happier during your camping/vacation time if you know where to get stuff and where to put it back.

 

[clkelley]

I put everything in plastic bins/locking footlockers and towed a small utility trailer and I put a plastic tarp over everything and bungied the tarp down.

Last trip it was three tents, three shelters, a mini fridge, a set of plastic drawers, a portable clothes rack, four folding chairs, a portapotty with it's own tent, two scooters, three air mattresses, bedding, electric fans, battery lanterns, clothing, and toiletries, and a big pile of extension cords, power strips, and christmas lights.

(I had some friends join me for part of the two weeks, that's why the three tents.)

The plastic bins once emptied are then used in the tents as night stands, and a computer table. (Yes, I bring the laptop to Ft. Wilderness.).

The empty utility trailer and my truck gets parked up in the overflow lot as I really prefer to use Disney transportation.

For tents always get a much larger tent than the number of people it "sleeps". I actually use a big 13x13 L-Shaped tent just for myself. That gives me a "bedroom" and a "living room" area for the drawers, clothes rack, computer. Before I had the big tent, I actually set up two tents, one to sleep in and one for my stuff.

As you can see by my avatar though, I'm upgrading to a camper this year for my October trip!!! I'll still have the big tent set up for some friends that will be joining me for part of my two weeks again.

P.S., I don't cook at Ft. Wilderness, so I don't have kitchen stuff to bring.

 

[loriandmatt]

we have a pop up and the "packing" for a FW (or any other camping trip) is pretty minimal due to the fact that in the limited storge space that is in that pop up....we have everything we need.

when we first go the pop up i stocked up on several cheap plastic containers with lids and one mongo rubbermaid footlocker. i then proceeded to stock said containers with extras of everything that i would ever need in there. most of which i purchased at the dollar store. i have a bin with bathroom/medicine/hygene items. everything you would need including shampoo/soap/toothpaste/toothbrushes/contact cases/solution/deoderant.....you name it, it's there.

other bins have clean linens - dishtowels/pot holders/sheets/sleeping bags...they stay dry and clean and when i use them i wash them and return them to that bin. ready to go for next time.

the mongo footlocker has all the bigger items and the stuff i use outside....cooking utensils,spices, foil, pots/pans, lantern, small grill, paper products, plastic silverware, again.....you name it, it's in there.

honestly it only cost about $100 to fully stock that camper and there were plenty of little cubby holes to stuff those containers. the footlocker goes in the floor area when the camper is folded down. We can even fit the mini fridge in the floor area when we take it along. We don't need to put anything in the truck/van except our suitcases - which truely only need our clothes as we have every other item already in the camper in those bins.

We literally can pack a few changes of clothes and be on the road in a moments notice if we get the urge (and the opertunity) to camp.