Going camping can be a lot of fun for people of all ages. Whether you go to sit around the campfire with your friends, or you simply go to get away from the world and get some alone time, camping is a great way to get in touch with Mother Nature.
However, a lot of people don’t go camping because they feel like they don’t know the first thing about it, or they think it’s too expensive to get all the gear you need to be comfortable out in the wild.
But you may be surprised to know that you can start assembling some camping gear for relatively little money, using many things that are already lying around your house.
Here are a few great camping hacks that will make your life easier and maybe even get you to think outside the box when there’s something you need for a camping trip!
Use a Jug of Water and a Headlamp to Make a Lantern
Having light for your entire camping area is extremely helpful. This allows you to set up camp easily, as well as prepare food after the sun has gone down. Rather than buying a lantern, you can take a jug of water that you already have, and strap a headlamp to the jug. The light will then reflect off of the water inside the jug and brighten your entire area. Good lanterns can run you from $30 or more, while a jug of water is just a buck or two.
Put Toilet Paper Inside a Used Coffee Can
There is nothing that is more frustrating than needing toilet paper, only to find it has gotten wet from rain, spilled water, or falling into some kind of water on your way to camp. To keep your roll of toilet paper dry and convenient for every use, put it inside a used coffee can. You can even cut a slit in the side the can and feed the toilet paper through it, making it even easier to access and less prone to exposure.
Use Old Tic-Tac Boxes for Spices
A lot of people think that camping food is bland and boring, simply because you don’t have access to all the comforts of home when you are preparing a meal. But having a variety of spices and flavors within reach is not only doable while camping, it’s insanely easy and you’ll wonder why you never thought of it before. Instead of carrying spices in their original containers, pour just what you need into some old Tic-Tac boxes. Not only are they conveniently shaped and compact, but they also easily open and dispense easily for the perfect amount of seasoning.
Single-Use Soap
If you plan to be camping for an extended amount of time, you will want to find a way to keep clean. That said, taking a bar of soap can be less than efficient, and taking soap in a squeeze container can cause even more headache if it explodes all over your camping gear. To get around this, shave off single-use slices of soap from your bar of soap at home with a vegetable peeler. This will allow you to have multiple days worth of soap without having to contain a wet, slippery block of soap at the end of your bath, or worse, dropping it on the trail along the way!
Use an Old Egg Carton to Carry Fire Starters
Not everyone can rub two sticks together and make fire so having some pre-made fire starters certainly comes in hand for any camper. However, not everyone wants to carry a bag of charcoal and a can of lighter fluid around with them, especially backpackers, so this creative solution is just the thing. Take an old egg carton, anywhere from 6 to 18 eggs, and fill the cups with your fire starters. Now you’ll have enough fire starters to start 6-18 fires, and you can easily close the container and store it somewhere safe until you need them again.
Top image via mckaysavage
