Car camping, or car-based outdoor recreation, is a fantastic way to get closer to nature. Not only does it allow you the freedom and flexibility of sleeping in your car, but it also gives you the opportunity to experience areas that are inaccessible on foot.
However, as with any adventure, there are some things to be aware of before setting off on your next trip outside.
Brilliant Car Camping Hacks To Make Your Road Trips More Fun
In this post, we'll outline several car camping hacks for making your next trip easier so that you can focus on enjoying yourself!
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DIY Fire Starters Are a Must
Even if you sleep in the car, nothing beats sitting around the campfire at night and this DIY campfire starter makes starting a fire fast and easy. Buying fire starters is another option, but making them yourself is very easy.
With dryer lint, wax, empty egg cartons, string, and dryer lint, you can make your own fire starters.
They work really well and are easy to make! The fires will burn for approximately ten minutes each, which will allow you to prepare some firewood in advance.
Bring Cash With You
Most campgrounds often charge a fee. You may want to check the charges online before going camping or packing some bills, especially ones and fives.
You can then spend your free time doing other things rather than going around asking campers for change.
Charging Your Electronics Is Essential
On a camping road trip, it can be difficult to keep electronics charged. Even if you can plug in devices while the car is running, it won't work overnight.
During your trip, you can use a 60-watt triple solar panel charger or another portable power device to keep your phone, tablet, camera, and other battery-operated items charged. You can also bring extra batteries with you in case.
Make Sure You Have a Comfortable Bed
When you sleep in a car, there is no need to transport your bed around. In this way, you can purchase heavier, cozier mats, pillows, and blankets.
You can almost as comfortably sleep on an air mattress as on your own bed. Camping pillows come in both compact and full-size versions, so you have a choice. A sleeping bag or an insulated blanket like the Rumpl can keep you as warm in the car as in a tent at night.
Let the Air Flow by Opening Windows
Keeping your mouth open all night will collect moisture in your windshield and cause it to fog up. This is why ventilation is so important.
It would be best to open your sunroof or window enough for air to get in and keep it half-closed so that animals or people cannot get inside. Simply cut a piece of cheap mesh 2–3 inches wider than the opening.
The edges will keep out bugs if you stuff them. If you prefer, you can stow little packets of Damprid with your gear under the seats.
Before you go to bed, make sure your wet clothes are as dry as possible. Just in case, you can wipe down your car's windows with a squeegee in the morning.
Portable Toiletries Are Handy
You probably have the ingredients lying around your house to achieve this car camping hack.
Try to collect as many samples, hotel goodies, and small bottles as possible during your travels.
Try to put everything in a clear plastic bin. Camping necessities like baby wipes/wet wipes, tampons, or even non-hygiene items like bug spray or bug repellent can come in handy when going car camping.
Packing will be a breeze when you have these goodies in your inventory already. Pick what you need for the road, and you’re good to go!
Use Smart Gear To Maximize Functionality
Unless you plan carefully everything you pack, you'll have to sleep next to it in the car. Your car only has limited space available for both you and your packed items. Unless you have a travel trailer with you on your camp, you should consider choosing smart gear that has multiple functions.
Swiss Army knives with spoons, corkscrews, forks, and other tools make an excellent camping gear addition. Multi-tools like Swiss Army knives can save you a lot of space while traveling.
A simple car camping quick space-saving hack is to bring items that fit inside each other, like pots and pans that can be stacked.
Make Your Own DIY Privacy Curtains
A useful car camping hack is to keep your privacy! Privacy windows or window shields are available on a few campervans, but they are not normal on cars.
If you don’t have time to make one, you can try staking your car down with a rain fly. Make sure that the zipper and door of the car match.
Extra Water Is Essential
There are many different ways that water can be useful. Staying hydrated is one use, but you may also use it to clean, cook, or cool your car.
You can even use it to shower if there aren’t any shower facilities or bathrooms with showers available. You can use the extra water for a hot shower. All you need to do is to heat it up, and the hot water would be good to use.
Instead of buying individual water bottles, consider purchasing a large jug of water to minimize your waste.
The best option is to borrow or buy a plastic bottle that can be filled with fresh water whenever possible. You can fill these up in gas stations, campgrounds, recreational facilities, and other water refilling sites.
Plan to Bring a Tent
It is convenient and safe to sleep in the car, but eventually, you may grow tired of it, or the heat might be too much for you. If you are going on a long trip, bring extra options like a tent so you can switch up your sleeping arrangements every now and then.
Additionally, if you want your camping setup to be as diverse as possible, you can bring along sleeping pads.
Bring Your Favorite Coffee
Pick your preferred brewing method for pre-ground coffee and pack it in a reusable glass jar. Packing a French press or backpacking drip cones are easy brewing methods to use in the outdoors. You can just boil up some water, take the ground coffee and brew it while watching the sunrise.
Car Camping Hacks To Stay Organized
Because you are in such a small space, it's crucial to stay organized and to make sure that you are using your space efficiently. Here are some car camping hacks to keep you well organized.
Use Stasher Bags
Campers can use stasher bags for storing items. It’s convenient and reusable. It is so useful to bring stasher bags with you when you go camping.
If you plan to store leftover foods in your cooler, be sure to pack a few empty stasher bags. Stasher bags work well for storing cheese leftovers after you have opened a block of it.
Stasher bags are 100% plastic-free and BPA-free, and they’re made from platinum silicone.
These are endlessly reusable, come in tons of colors, and come in a bunch of sizes. The containers can be frozen, microwaved, boiled, and baked as high as 400°F without any problem.
A stasher bag can be used for the following when camping:
Leftover Food
- Half-used food like cheese, butter, or veggies
- Snacks
- Camping toiletries
- Extra batteries
- Charging cords
Although Stasher bags are mainly used for storing food in coolers, they are versatile and a must-have camping accessory.
Use Bins
Organizing your gear into bins is the key to stress-free camping! You can have 2 main camping bins for your camp essential storage.
The first bin can contain items you need for cooking in your car. It contains cast-iron skillets, spatulas, plates, forks, a cutting board, and other items that you need for cooking.
A larger second bin can be used as a “pantry” bin. Foods that don't require refrigeration are stored here, including snacks, coffee, spices, etc. Make sure the bin has clamps so you can close it at night to prevent small critters from accessing your food.
Even if your car is locked and sealed, mice can still gain access to your food, which is why it's important to store your food in a closed container that can't be accessed by them, particularly in high-traffic camping areas.
Things are always easy to locate when organized into bins. You’ll know where you can find a snack when you’re hungry. You won't need to dig through bags or bins searching for a fork.
It won't be necessary to pack much on your next camping trip. All you need to do is load up the bins and hit the road.
Don’t Throw Away Empty Gelatos Containers
Reusing empty gelato containers is a great car camping hack. A gelato container made of plastic has a leak-proof lid and is durable. Saving up a little for the next camping trip would be a great idea. They turned out to be great camping storage gear.
Camping food can be stored in much smaller food storage bins when using this method. The pancake mix won't spill into the bin while you're traveling.
Keeping extra headlamp batteries and charger cables, as well as supplies for first aid kits, in Gelato containers is also a great idea.
You can use it for various things, and the best part is that it gives you an excuse to eat gelato.
Use These Car Camping Hacks To Have The Best Time Possible
Tent camping, car camping, and RV camping are all available in designated campgrounds across the USA.
It is not uncommon to sleep in a car or a van on a campsite, but you will have to plan in advance so that you have accommodations when you arrive. There is usually a fee and reservations required for campgrounds. So, be mindful of which campground you use to go to.
There are usually a number of campsites with picnic tables, fire pits, and water available right where you can pull in.
Amp up your car camping experience by keeping these camping tips in mind! It's a sure way to improve your camping space. Now, all you need are some battery-powered lights, a large water jug, some hiking trails planned, and have your awesome travel buddies with you to get your camping adventure started!