I know this is the wrong time of year to be worrying about this, but how the hell do we fit it all in the car?

[Cappster]

We have this tent, an 8-man Khyam. (It's too big. There are four of us. BUT dd1 is disabled so we do have to travel with a camping toilet which we pop in a spare bedroom for her. (It's all v proper posh loo with sealed bits etc.)

So we have massive tent. Loo. Wheelchair, all bits, chairs, clothes, mattresses, sleeping bags, coolbox etc etc et-bloody-cetera.

Now I'm thinking we need to get a canopy so we don't end up cooking in the tent and I'm wondering where we will put it? We have a roof box. We have a huuuuuuge boot and one of the three back seats folds down to give extra space (we've got two kids).

The only option I can think of is to leave the kids at home. This is okay, yes?

Does anyone else have problems packing it all in? I've heard of people buying little cupboards to keep all their food in, and I'm just thinking wtf? Do they have a trailer, or something?

oooh Ponders that is a most valid and intesting point.

We have an esky that I think dd2 (5) could actually fit in if she put her mind to it.

Good idea about using the coolbox as a chair/table. We also use this type of water carrier

www.amazon.co.uk/Gelert-Roll-Up-Water-Carrier-Clear/dp/B000PBXVEQ

Pah, links!

www.amazon.co.uk/Gelert-Roll-Up-Water-Carrier-Clear/dp/B000PBXVEQ

Those of you who can see out of the back whilst driving with all your camping stuff in the car, what car do you have??

Our car is going, we are getting a Ford Galaxy, I'm still worried we will have problems getting everything in

We do always travel with a portaloo aswell though

Also agree compression sacks are fab - never did any sort of DofE/proper camping so didn't really believe in them however they are packing magic - got all our fleeces and ds fleece blanket and my sheets & pillows (said it was hard to pack light!) in one large Outwell one... however other one I got think was a Vango/Millets one burst on first trip - need good straps for loads of stuff

saurus we have a Mazda 6 estate.

3rdandparty, that is most interesting. i have never got on with the vaccum bags so dismissed the compressions sacks as being a waste of money. the outwell ones are good then? Pillows always thwart me. Just when you think you've got everything you remember the sodding pillows.

i remember watching a tv drama where a family of 4 went camping in franch. the 2 kids were lolling round in the empty back seat and there appeared to be nothing in the boot. i was unwilling to suspend my disbelief in the face of such shit scene setting.

top tip. camping abhors an empty space. shove things into things until your car resembles some sort of camping 7 bird roast

where is franh? i mean france

pillows were always one of the kids' in-car essentials (still are, on long journeys, and/or very early starts)(unless they're the driver of course )

LOLOL @ 7 bird roast.

I'd like to get all pillows plus the towels and maybe even the fleece blankets into the space between the 2 car seats in the back without it being a precarious tower of soft stuff. Could I achieve this with a compression sack?

dh and i used to fly drive camping, it was more fun with less stuff

you know you are all going to end up in caravans, stop fighting it

www.camping-walking-trekking.co.uk/product2_92-7-45-110_Outwell-Compression-Sack.htm

This is the sort of one we had that worked really well had a quick look round and there don't seem to be sizes- am going to get another couple just in case I have my usual packing rose tinted glasses on but it was v.v good

Duplicitous - apparently I'm not organised enuff for a caravan which suits me fine

the pain and misery involved in packing and unpacking then packing compression sacks is just not worth it. stay at home

and I've just found these lovely looking ones as well as that Outwell one looks a bit small...

www.amazon.co.uk/Sea-Summit-Event-Compression-ADCSL/dp/B000NT4FK4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1295037031&sr=1-1]

Duplicitous must confess that thought did cross my mind after 4th soaking wet day and friends kids had got d and v..... but for some bonkers reason can't wait to go again this year

NEVER duplicitous NEVER. it is proper camping or a holiday cottage.

Oh the compression sacks are just big old sleeping bag sacks. I HATE stuffing my sleeping bag sack. I thought they were going to be like the vacuum bags but with a manual valve or something.

make my words slubber, 10 years from now it will be you and mr slubber outside the 'pageant' under the awning drinking cold beer adn wondering why you didn't do it years ago. (mr slubber will be topless and wearing a hankerchief on his head)

Well seeing as dh makes a strange sort of throttled noise with associated eye of sauron glare if I so much as even mention the word trailer then I think I'm pretty safe from your ghastly pageant scenario.

nods and smiles in a patronising fashion

slubber do you tweet?

I do not.

We will be holidaying in a caravan this year. It has an awning, fancy french lounger chairs, an ice compartment in the frigidaire and a cocktail cabinet. On the Cote d'Azure .

If I promise to do proper camping with the Beavers and Cubs on a wet bank holiday weekend am I allowed to stay on the camping threads?

snort @ slubber, anyone would think i invited you dogging.

Yes Chippy you may, but expect to have nostrils flared and your poncerific cocktail cabinet .

Tweeting. Dogging. I Have an equal disregard for both. At least dogging gets you out in the fresh air.

I understand we will also have one of those cooking devices similar to a cobb but gas-powered.