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Camping

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Original poster

Does anyone else HATE the packing away at the end of a camping trip?

40 replies

MinimalistMommi · 02/08/2013 18:53

Just got back this morning.

I love the planning of the camping trip and packing isn't too bad but when it comes to taking down the tent and rolling the SIMS up and packing the sleeping bags away and filling the car and unpacking it at the other end...it just seems so much to do!

Surely I can't be the only one to feel this way?
The DC's had a great time making friends though
Maybe camping is like childbirth, you forget the pain so that is why you do it all again.

I just wish it was easier. Maybe minimal camping is the way to go...

OP posts:

Ineedmorepatience · 02/08/2013 19:08

I find it hard too but I have improved the way I store and transport my kit. I have some large plastic boxes with lids that stack 3 high in the car, I keep all the kitchen stuff in one, lights and blankets and other odds and ends in another and food in the third. This has made unpacking much easier and I am really anal strict about packing up to come home so I dont have a massive mess to sort out.

I agree about being minimalist but I just cant do it

Original poster

MinimalistMommi · 02/08/2013 19:28

LOL INeed
I identified a few of the DC's but we don't need

OP posts:

troutsprout · 02/08/2013 19:52

Yep... I hate striking camp. It takes me ages

expatinscotland · 02/08/2013 19:54

It sucks. It's why I don't go camping.

Ledkr · 02/08/2013 19:54

Aw shaddup. We are mid camp ATM and you reminded me of the hassle.
I also hate hate hate long boring ferry journeys too.

ZingWidge · 02/08/2013 20:12

DH is back with boys any minute now.
he just grits his teeth and does it - it's 2 adults (him& his mate) plus 4 capable kids so it takes about 30 mins anyway.

at the same time I start loading the washing machine, dishwasher and sort dinner.
after food and bath for the kids the 3 of us have a curry, then I put 2nd load of washing on. (last load tomorrow)

that routine works well for us and it's all sorted by tomorrow lunch time & worth just getting it done.

chimchar · 03/08/2013 15:17

Oh god.

It's the reason why I can't get my arse in to gear to go away at the mo....

Memories are still fresh from last trip.

And the packing to go I hate too. I just can't pack light! And in the uk, you have to pack for hot, cold, rain, shine, beach, wet clothes, dry clothes, warm loathes, cool clothes etc....

Bah humbug!

Milliways · 03/08/2013 18:03

This is why I am a Motorhome convert. Put chairs/table in garage, wind in awning, ensure all cupboards shut and fridge drawer locked, lift handbrake and drive.

Get home, pull into drive, bring in ineaten food from fridge and clothes to wash. Everything stays on the drive.

(We did camp for 25 years, we still have the tents!)

Ledkr · 04/08/2013 07:32

My camper van still requires a lot of unpacking though.
Bedding etc awning groundsheets windbreaks.
I find it only less stressful than camping.
I also always seem to have two bags of junk.
DVDs chargers nappies medicines etc etc
Plus all the swimming stuff two towels each and inflatables.
mind you we do go for weeks at a time.

Cooroo · 05/08/2013 07:38

I dread it but it always seems easier than I expect. Mind you it's just DP, DD16 and me with 2 pop up tents between us. It does get easier!

I hate that the milk ALWAYS leaks in the cool box and it comes home rancid.

Tiredtrout · 05/08/2013 07:42

It's the worst bit, no matter how its organised there's just so much of it

Ledkr · 05/08/2013 07:46

It also depends on the time and weather you have to pack up in.
I find if its not rushed and wet I can pack so well that's its a doddle to unpack.
We are packing on Sunday so fingers crossed.

pictish · 05/08/2013 07:50

YES!

We are off for a mon-fri trip this morning (just fuelling up with coffee as we speak) - and I must say I agree.
What a drudge it is. We take loads of stuff.
Sometimes the camping gear just sits in the hall for two days.

jamaisjedors · 05/08/2013 13:08

Gah, yes we got back yesterday and I'm still doing laundry (and it's just started to rain!), wiping down chairs and mats, airing sleeping bags etc.

Grockle · 05/08/2013 13:12

I think I'm going to invest in more plastic boxes with lids. I use those folding crates but have to pack & unpack each time. Maybe I need a trip to ikea...

RonBurgundysPanpipe · 05/08/2013 13:12

Pleased it's not just us who takes loads of stuff, just not sure minimal camping can be done. We always come back with camp envy too and something else on our wish list.

cantreachmytoes · 05/08/2013 14:43

I hate packing my trolley case after a beach holiday. Packing up a tent etc is a nightmare - and I haven't even done it with kids yet!!

Grockle · 05/08/2013 15:10

I'm after an IcyTek now. I wish they weren't so expensive!

Pixel · 06/08/2013 21:39

I've been wanting to go the plastic boxes route but not sure how practical it would really be. They wouldn't go in the boot as we have ds's wheelchair in there and most of the stuff in the trailer is awkwardly too long to go widthways so there isn't much room to stack anything square.

I don't mind unpacking at home so much. We each have a holdall for our clothes/washing stuff etc and they go in the car boot with the coolbag. When we pack up camp I usually redistribute clothes so all the dirty ones are in one bag so when we get home it's just a case of taking the bags indoors with us. Some go straight upstairs to get sorted out later and the dirty one(s) goes straight to the washing machine. All the actual camping stuff stays in the trailer so we just have to wheel it into the garage.

It's the actual striking camp that I hate, mainly because everything seems to need to be fitted into a slightly-too-small bag! Readybeds/table/chairs/cooker stand/tent/awning etc it seems to go on forever. We've ditched the bags for some things like the carpet but you can't really do that for most things.

AlohaMama · 07/08/2013 04:55

I don't mind striking camp, it always seems fairy quick. Mind you now we have the kids I suspect our packing will increase. I hate coming home and having to unpack everything to air/dry/wash before packing it again for storage. That bit sucks. Like the plastic box idea, its on my list of things to do this winter. That and buying duplicates of things so I can have separate camping corkscrew, sharp knife etc rather than having to gather them all from the kitchen.

Oblomov · 07/08/2013 06:46

Our site has a washing machine. I do at least one load. So minimal washing when coming home. We don't have anything that needs airing. So we pack up, put in trailer , come home.
Saying all that, I have made it sound really simple, right? Then how come it takes hours to pack up. Dh and I work like buggery. Am cream crackered. And loathe it. And the thought of doing it in 2 Weeks time fills me with dred! Just asking?

Ledkr · 07/08/2013 07:45

It's all the little bits that annoy me. I've got two bags with just "stuff" in. Chargers, DVDs, medicines, wet wipes etc etc
They will sit on the kitchen table for a few days as I sift through them.
I'm debating doing a load of washing again but it cost about ten euros which I think is extortionate!
What I have noticed is that I've bought far too many clothes as dds and I tend to wear the same few things even dd1 isn't doing her normal fashion parade to go out for dinner.

nooka · 07/08/2013 07:54

I don't mind coming home from camping, but we generally only go for a couple of days and have a good routine (plus we press gang the children, and at 14 and almost 13 they are generally keen to be going home!). Also I have a half ton pick up so packing is mostly a matter of slinging the boxes in the back. The last trip was a bit more work as we took a full size bed for my mother and two kayaks and they took a lot more room than I imagined so packing had to be a bit more carefully organised.

At home most of the stuff goes straight into the garage for next time, so we have me/dh slinging stuff off the truck, one kid packing the garage, the other carrying stuff upstairs and then the other parent getting the load into the dishwasher / washing machine. We are usually done in an hour and slumped in front of various electronic devices...

Ledkr · 07/08/2013 08:02

I have a big plastic box that stays in the van. It has all our plates n bowls, cups, cutlery, sharp knives pots n pans clean clothes washing up liquid and scourers.
I noticed this time that my camping saucepans are better than my home ones
We will have been here over 3 weeks and although its lovely, the best bit about camping is that you are always glad to get home.
I'm looking forward to a nice curry take away on mo day night yum!
You can eat too much BBQ food you know!

plum100 · 07/08/2013 08:16

Absolutely!!! we got back Sunday and I'm still unpacking now!!!

it's the airing so the sleeping bags I cant bear - sticking them on the line and fabreezing them takes ages !!! And this weather doesn't help.

What's striking camping? don't know if I do that?

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