Sleeping under the stars is a whole lot easier with incredible camping hacks. From cooking up easy meals to staying warm at night, there are several genius ways to level up your camping experience. These expert camping hacks let you experience the magic of nature while staying clean and cozy.
1. Stuff Your Sleeping Bag With Tomorrow’s Clothes
No one likes to put on icy underwear first thing in the morning. Let your body do the work by stuffing tomorrow’s clothes at the bottom of your sleeping bag before you head to bed.
2. Dust it Off
Manage dust and dirt in your tent with a hand broom and dustpan. Get a cheap doormat and place it by your tent door. Have everyone remove their shoes before entering.
3. The Hot Water Bottle Trick
Get cold in your sleeping bag? Try putting hot water in a reusable plastic water bottle (like a Nalgene) and placing it in your sleeping bag for bed. The hot water will have you feeling toasty in no time. You can secure it in a zippered plastic bag for added protection, or wrap the bottle in some clothing for a soft touch.
4. Keep Your Tootsies Toasty
Wet feet can be the difference between a fun camping trip and pure misery. Always pack a clean pair of fuzzy socks for camp. If your shoes get wet, stuff dry clothing in them to sop up the moisture.
5. Birthday Candle Fire Starter
Want a quick way to start a fire? Use birthday candles. Simply build up a small fire structure and light some birthday candles as kindling. The candles burn slower, allowing your smaller kindling and pieces of wood to ignite.
6. Create Your Own Lantern
Want a quick-and-easy lantern to light up your tent? Simply put your headlamp around a transparent (or semi-transparent) water bottle, face the light towards the bottle, and turn it on. Voilà! Instant mood lighting.
7. Plop Dry Firewood Under Your Car
Don’t let soggy firewood create a smoky fire. Instead, store wood underneath your car until you’re ready to use it so it stays dry if rainy weather rolls in.
8. Battery Saver
Are you the camp photographer? Get the most out of your camera and phone batteries by stashing your batteries in your sleeping bag at night. When batteries get cold, they drain unbelievably fast. If you keep them in a toasty spot — like your cozy sleeping bag — they last longer.
9. DIY Camp Shower
If you’ve got messy kids, check out this camping hack. Create a portable shower with a pump sprayer. Simply swap out the small spray nozzle for a kitchen sink sprayer for a portable way to hose down your young explorers.
10. Stow and Go
One of the best camping tips is to stay organized — that includes when you get home. Pack your vehicle so that easy-to-access items such as coolers, a tent, and sleeping bags are closest to the doors or hatch. This will stop an explosion of gear when you reach camp.
11. String Up Solar Lights
Solar string lights set a gentle mood around camp. Use them to highlight tent guy wires to prevent tripping, set a starry mood in your tent, or as entertainment lighting if you can’t have a campfire.
12. Favorite Camping Hack for Chefs: Egg Storage
No one wants to open their cooler to find cracked eggs. Instead, crack eggs prior to heading out and store them in a water bottle. Simply shake to scramble for a delicious morning breakfast.
13. One-Pot Meals
One of the best camping hacks for meals is to plan one-pot meals. These are things that only take one pot to cook so you don’t have to spend your camping trip doing countless dishes. Think one-pot burritos, rice dishes, chilis, and more.
14. Meal Prep
If you’re looking to save time, the best camping tip is to meal prep at home. Make batches of your favorite dishes that can quickly be reheated over a camp stove. For multi-night trips, you can even freeze items like soups and chilis. They double as ice packs until you’re ready to chow.
15. Freeze Water Bottles
Don’t spend money on bags of ice — freeze water bottles instead! Before you leave for the campsite, fill several water bottles about ¾ of the way with water since water expands when it freezes. You should then put them in the freezer. You’ll have instant ice packs that don’t make a wet mess and can also be used for a cool, refreshing drink.
16. Storage Bin Bathtub
Got a toddler? Bring along a plastic storage tub. Using a water source, you can fill the tube with water and have an instant bath for your little one. Keep them clean and entertained. When you’re done, simply pack up your camping supplies in the bin and head home.
17. Bring Games
Camping is often a chance to unplug, but that doesn’t mean you can’t bring family-friendly games along for everyone to enjoy. Go on a scavenger hunt, play cards, or bring along some yard games for entertainment. Whoever wins doesn’t have to do camp dishes!
Make your camping trip more enjoyable with easy-to-implement camping hacks that enhance your night under the stars.
Article written by Meg Atteberry
Meg Atteberry wants to empower you to have the ultimate outdoor adventure. She loves to use her writing work to help people level up their outdoor skills. You can find her climbing, camping, and hiking across her home in Colorado and the American Southwest. When she’s not out exploring, she’s at home cooking up delicious meals from around the globe and curling up with a good Sci-Fi book. You can follow Meg’s adventures at Fox in the Forest.
