Stocking Your Camp Kit

 Building a well stocked camp kit for tent camping may be a little more difficult than stocking an RV.  RVs give you places to organize your supplies and store them between uses so they're always ready to go.  Doing the same for tent camping requires a little more creativity.  Instead of cabinets, closets, and drawers like you have in an RV, you'll have to put your stuff in bins, bags, or boxes.  You'll want to find a place to keep it where it will be safe but easily accessed when you want to use it.

Properly stocking your camp kit is important for supporting spontaneous trips and so it can be useful in a disaster situation. Having basic, non-perishable supplies and equipment ready to go will make every trip easier.  You will want to organize your camping gear in a logical manner. Everything should be stored where you can get to it easily and where it is safe. Putting things in plastic tubs makes it easy to grab and go and protects your gear against moisture, insects, and vermin. I like using translucent tubs so I can kind of see what is inside, but you can label opaque containers using a Magic Marker or adhesive labels (or just masking tape) so you know what is where.  If you don't  have the budget for plastic tubs or the room to store them, duffle bags, contractor trash bags,or even ordinary cardboard boxes can be used.  If you can't see what is inside and it isn't obvious (like sleeping bags and tents) mark the outside of the container so you can find what you need when you need it.  Duct tape makes a good label to write on with a marker.  If you are worried about being able to remove it, use blue painter's tape.

It will be easier to use your stuff if like things are stored together. Put all your kitchen stuff in one or two tubs. I put big stuff like pots and pans in one and smaller things like cooking utensils, table cloths,  dishtowels, and spices in another. You might want to allocate some of your dishtowels to pad the pots and pans or other dishes too to reduce noise and minimize scratching or otherwise damaging items.

A chuck box is a good way to organize your kitchen stuff for camping.  It gives you a place to store, organize, carry, and used your kitchen items.  For maximum flexibility in creating a custom space, build your own.  If you choose to purchase a commercial version, be sure to measure your vehicle carefully to make sure it will fit.  

Food requires special consideration. You don't want to store any perishable foods in your camping tubs. But you will want to organize durable basic ingredients so they're always ready to go. Things like sugar, salt, flour, and pancake mixes can be stored in air-tight plastic containers and they should keep for many months if they weren't contaminated to begin with. Things like spices and packaged sauce mixes usually do well if they are also kept in sealed containers. You want to make sure you don't have anything exposed that will attract mice or other vermin. Our volunteer fire department found MREs on our wildlands fire truck and in storage that had been chewed on by mice and had to be disgarded. These were factory sealed foil pouches you would think wouldn't give off any scent, but the mice still went after them. Basic spices, like salt and pepper, can usually be safely stored in your camp kit in sealed plastic containers to protect them from moisture and pests.

Cleaning supplies and sundries are often overlooked until you need them.  Think about what you normally use at home and which of them will be needed in camp.  Dish soap and hand soap come immediately to mind.  Paper towels are always useful in camp.  Hand sanitizer will be useful if you have to visit a less than stellar restroom and hand lotion will relieve the suffering from a variety of camp tasks you may not be accustomed to doing like chopping wood or doing dishes by hand.  A roll of paper towels will find many, many uses in camp.  In addition to the standard cleaning tasks for which they were intended, they can be used as place mats, napkins, and handkerchiefs and as temporary covers to protect food from marauding insects.  They can even be used to clean wounds or as pressure pads to control bleeding. 

Clothing is something you may want to pack specifically for each outing rather than have a lot of stuff packed away in bins. If you do choose to have some clothing prepared, inventory it periodically to make sure it isn't damaged and that it is appropriate for the time of year. Hauling around bins full of parkas and snowsuits all summer will be a waste of space and energy. Having your favorite bikinis or speedos tucked away on winter outings probably won't be very helpful even if they don't take up a lot of room.  Not very many of us pursue 'polar bear' dipping in frozen waters.  BTW, regardless of how cold the air may be, fresh water, in liquid form, will never be less than 32°F.  Anyplace (like a canteen or drinking glass) that contains both ice and water will be exactly 32°F.  Since salt water freezes at a lower temperature than fresh water, salt water could be colder than 32°.  The actual freezing point depends on how much salt is in the water.  If it is fully saturated (has as much salt as possible, about 23.3%) the freezing point is around -69°F.

Camping gear should be clean, dry, in good repair, and well organized in storage. Try to keep like things together. Put all your tents and canopies on one shelf, hang sleeping bags to air out, store lanterns together, keep stoves and BBQs in a similar place. Remember to store your fuel safely. It isn't a good idea to store propane cylinders or gas cans in your living space or anyplace (like a garage, attic, or basement) connected to your living space. Miscellaneous supplies, like backpack pins, cord locks, lantern mantles, sewing kits, tent repair kits, etc. should be among your basic provisions and should be well organized and labeled so you can find them easily.  I like to stock up on these items before hand so I always have them on hand when needed.  I once paid something like $1.50 for two cord locks at a sporting goods stores when I needed them right away for a trip, then I was able to buy 50 of them on ebay for a few bucks.  Watch for mangers specials, closeouts, and end of season sales to get the most bang for your buck.

First aid kits should be kept up to date. I suggest you have a personal size pocket first aid kit for each member of your family or group and a larger group first aid kit for more serious injuries. From time to time I've found pocket first aid kits at Dollar Tree, so they don't have to be expensive.  Check the condition of adhesives on bandaids and adhesive tape. As it gets old it either dries out and no longer sticks at all or it gets slimy and lets the bandage slip all over the place. Some medications may show signs of deterioration. Liquids may change color or consistency, tablets may flake or get powdery. Aspirin gives off a strong vinegar smell when it gets old. Keep your medications up to date and make sure you replenish anything you use before your next trip. If you do a lot of hiking, moleskin is good to have in your kit to prevent and treat blisters.

Canteens, water bottles, and hydration packs should be cleaned and sanitized, then stored where they won't get dirt or bugs in them. Putting them in large Ziplock bags or sealable plastic storage containers will help.  Let them dry thoroughly before sealing them up.

Camp tools should be clean, well maintained, and conveniently organized. Axes and hatches should be sharp and the blades covered or protected. Protecting the blades is as much for your protection as for the sharpened edge.  An exposed blade can be a hazard and may be dulled by rubbing on things in transit.  Metal parts should be lightly oiled to prevent rust.  Shovel handles and other wooden handles should be smooth and kept oiled using linseed oil to avoid splinters. Hammers and other tools should be clean and free of rust. Handles that have dried out and gotten rough should be sanded and oiled.  BBQ tools should be clean. Any residual food or grease may attract insects or vermin or turn rancid and affect the flavor of your meal the next time you use them.

Periodically examine your camp kits and eliminate items you don't use. You may have things you brought along for a specific purpose for one specific outing that are just taking up valuable space on other ventures if no longer needed. You may have thought something would be useful but never got around to using it. If you aren't using it, take it out. The only exception to this rule is emergency supplies. By their very nature, emergency supplies are things you (hopefully) don't need very often, but will be essential in an emergency situation. Every unnecessary item you take out gives you that much more room for useful and essential items.

Build up your supplies over time to save money.   Unless you have an urgent and immediate need, make and prioritize a list, then watch for good deals on the things you need.  Check out garage sales and thrift stores and online sites like ebay and craigslist for durable goods and watch for sales on other items.   You local "dollar store" can be a treasure trove for cleaning supplies, sundries, OTC medications, and kitchen utensils.  I've even found hats, gloves, socks, t-shirts, and sunglasses there.  Try adding just one camping item to your regular shopping each week.  It usually won't add much to your expenditures, but over time you'll build up stock to sustain your outdoor activities.

Get it together!