How to Have a Successful Camping Trip

Mr. Domestic CEO and I recently enjoyed a camping trip, and as we took in the great outdoors, I began to think about all we have learned to do–and not to do–when it comes to overnighting in nature. There are definitely some key things to know if you want to have a successful camping trip! Here are my best tips:

If the Tent Fits

Sponsor: Want to save more, invest for the future, but don’t have time to be a full-on investor? Betterment.com helps you build a customized, low-cost portfolio that suits your goals. Learn more.

Make sure you have the right tent for your needs. If you plan on backpacking to your campsite, for example, it’s nice to have a very lightweight tent that packs up fairly small.

Also consider how many people your tent needs to sleep. If a tent is advertised as sleeping 6, that usually means six fairly small people. My husband is 6’2”, so he has to sleep diagonally in our 4-person tent. With him in there, we definitely don’t have room for 3 others–which means our 4-person tent is actually a 2-person tent for us! Be sure to check the dimensions of a tent before purchasing it. Multi-room tents are nice if you are camping with a family, as kids can have a room separate from mom and dad.

In addition to noting how many people are sleeping in the tent,  take into consideration what sleeping gear you will use. If cots are involved, you’ll need a little extra space. Are you using sleeping pads under your sleeping bags? It’s best to measure things out and do the math, so that you are sure that when you purchase a tent, it will actually accommodate all your needs. Will your pets camp with you? Make sure there is room for them, too.

Take Cover

Most seasoned campers take along a large tarp or canopy to cover the food area and provide shelter if it rains. Tents are great for sleeping, but if Mother Nature decides to send down some moisture, it can be very nice to sit at a table under a canopy while you listen to the sound of the rain. Rather than being cooped up within the 4 small walls of your tent, you can still enjoy being outdoors while staying dry during the rain–or stay sheltered from a scorching sun.

Sleep Like a Baby

Part of the allure of camping is that you are sleeping outdoors…sort of. The fresh air, the stars, and the sounds of nature can lull you into some of the best sleep of your life–unless, of course, you are sleeping in a cheap sleeping bag on rocky ground.

Be sure to invest in good sleeping gear. If you plan to sleep in the back of your SUV or truck bed, an inflatable air mattress can provide comfort. The same goes for sleeping in the tent. Air mattresses are easy to inflate using a pump with a detachable DC cigarette cord. Simply plug your pump into your vehicle’s cigarette lighter and inflate any air mattress quickly. Many pumps can also be used for deflation, too.

Lightweight, foldable cots are another sleeping option. If you feel better about being off the ground, then a cot is your best choice. Staying dry is much easier when using a cot, too. Then if any rain water makes its way into your tent, you’ll still be dry!

If backpacking is your thing, invest in a good sleeping pad. These pads are lightweight, inflatable, and will ensure you never feel the rocks or the cold ground beneath you.

Choosing the right sleeping bag is also key to a good night’s sleep in the great outdoors. Make sure you purchase a sleeping bag that’s designed for your height and body type. Sleeping bags designed for women are wider in the hip area, and that small change can make a big difference in your sleep quality. If your sleeping bag is too long, you may end up in a tangled mess. If it’s too short, you will constantly be kicking the end.

Take Your Seats, Please

Bring along enough camping chairs for everyone. To start with, just get the cheap chairs that fold up and stow in a tote bag. These chairs are comfortable and easy to transport. Personally, I also like to make sure each chair has a built-in cup holder.

If you camp more often, you may want to invest in expensive chairs, but if you are an occasional camper, the cheap model is just fine.

Compartmentalize Your Packing

The more organized you are about packing all your gear, the easier your camping trip will be. Plastic totes are great for hauling everything you need, while still being ultra-organized. For our equipment, we use one labeled plastic tote for each of these categories:

• Cooking and kitchen stuff, which includes the camp stove and propane, garbage bags, plates, cups and utensils, and fire starters
• Everything that goes inside the tent, like sleeping bags and sleeping pads, flashlights, and inflatable pillows
• Clothing, which also gets further compartmentalized into plastic baggies

A Little Extra Goes a Long Way

Take along a few extra pair of socks and undies, as not being able to find dry underwear or socks can be the undoing of a great camping trip. (I like to pack these in small zippered bags for easy acess when needed.) Be sure to pack a pair of shoes or sandals that are easy to slip on and off, too, for those late night potty runs.

I also recommend packing one layer more of clothing than you think you’ll need. Being cold and having nothing warmer to put on can make you downright miserable. Always bring a stocking cap along, too, as keeping your head warm can help the body retain heat.

It’s Raining, it’s Pouring

Yes, when you go camping, you need to be prepared for bad weather. We like to put plastic tarps under our tent. It’s also a good idea to dig a trench around the outside perimeter of your tent, which will help prevent water from entering the tent if there is a downpour.

Bring water-resistant jackets or rain ponchos, so you don’t end up soaked, and be sure to pack enough stakes to secure the tent from blowing away. You think it won’t happen, but we just camped with 60 mph winds blowing around us and had two stakes pulled out from the ground. Expect the unexpected!

Always. Bring. Tools

It’s inevitable: the one time you don’t bring your tools is the time you’ll need them. I like to take along a Leatherman multi-tool that has a pliers, scissors, a small saw, a knife, a bottle opener, and more. This little tool is a camper’s best friend.

Don’t forget a rubber mallet for pounding in those tent stakes. Finally, you’ll need a shovel for burying poo (yes, you are supposed to bury it if you poo in the woods!) That shovel comes in handy for putting out the campfire, too.

Let There Be Light

Bring lots of light sources with you–nighttime in the woods is very, very dark! Bring a few lanterns, either battery-powered or propane, but never use propane lanterns in a tent. I also suggest bringing one flashlight for each camper–it’s no fun to grope around in the dark for the only flashlight when you’ve got to go to the bathroom quickly. A headlamp is also handy for navigating around the campsite in the dark.

Just Do Something

Be sure to bring different sources of entertainment along on your camping trip. A deck of cards or card games like Uno or Skip-bo provide lots of fun, without taking up much precious packing space. If you are camping with kids, create a nature scavenger hunt and bring bags along for them to collect their findings.

Reading is an all-time favorite pastime on camping trips, too. I recommend taking along a real book, not an e-reader. Allow yourself to escape from technology for a couple days!

Learn from Your Mistakes

Create a camping checklist that includes everything you need to bring with you. And then, when you are camping, make a running list of things that you wish you had along. Add those items to your list for the next trip.

If you go camping with other family or friends, evaluate what equipment they use and decide if it would be beneficial for you. We have friends that literally bring a kitchen sink with them. That’s not our style, but we also recently camped with friends who brought a card table with them. Since we ended up at a campsite that didn’t have picnic tables, it was sure handy to have that table along.

Try renting or borrowing equipment before you make a purchase. You may find that the 4-burner camp stove looks nice, but it may be more than you actually need, so try before you buy as often as you can.

So those are my tried and true camping tips. Do you have more camping tips that I haven’t thought of? If so, please share them with me on my Facebook page or leave a comment here.

Until next time, I’m the Domestic CEO, helping you love your home (and the outdoors!).

Betterment LLC is an SEC Registered Investment Advisor. Brokerage services are offered by Betterment Securities, an SEC registered broker-dealer and member FINRA/SIPC. Investments are not FDIC Insured. No Bank Guarantee. May Lose Value. Investing in securities involves risks, and there is always the potential of losing money when you invest in securities. Before investing, consider your investment objectives and Betterment’s charges and expenses. Not an offer, solicitation of an offer, or advice to buy or sell securities in jurisdictions where Betterment and Betterment Securities are not registered.

Hiking, sleeping baby, camping gear, and checklist images courtesy of Shutterstock