Packing tips and tricks for getting all the gear in the car

[Monroe]

I posted on here not long ago and got some excellent tips and advice for camping as a complete and utter novice.

We've picked up pretty much everything we need (I hope!) and at the weekend we had a trial run putting it all up in the garden then packing it all up in the car. It's a tight squeeze! We're thinking if we want to take any food with us as well we may actually have to leave the kids behind.

So does anyone have any tips on saving space and packing up the car ? We have a roof box, which was also full. Any help appreciated

Have you used the space under the front seats, you can get shoes or towels into the space, and camping mallets, if you weren't. We also put a child in the fron seat then we can use the full front footwell for stuff, usually a double sleeping bag and towels, and he puts his feet on top.

Don't forget to use the side door pockets as well and decant food out of boxes (think tea bags in a food bag not in the PG tips box) as they'll fit into smaller spaces.

Remember they also have shops where you're going so leave the food apart from a first meal / snack (depends what time you arrive) or do a click and collect supermarket shop for when you arrive, so you carry less food.

Don't pack the map book in the bottom of the car boot though and make sure you cover anything packed near a child who is car sick in case they aim for it. (God our holidays sound like fun don't they?)

If you are taking pillows/duvet then use one of those vacum pack bags to reduce the size.

Maybe a list of what you are taking and see what you really don't need?

Some great ideas, thank you very much

Might be able to take the kids after all

Ive started using those packing cubes because to use a hold-all takes up far too much room.

sleeping bags /pillows in with the kids as long ( as above) no risk of vomit!

Kids get small backpack or what have you each and have to fit all their toys/books /special things in it.They also have that with them in the car...

Other than that halve the number of clothes you take. If camping slobbing is the order of the day - clothes can be reworn many times. Same jeans all week...

After all if it pours and you get soaked the best think is a launderette wash and dry unless the weather cheers up fast. Keeping soggy clothes around for days is nasty.

Packing cube???

We will definitely be packing light in terms of clothes, I've told DH he'll have to streamline his usual 3 pairs of trainers, smart shoes and sandal/flip flops that he feels are necessary for a weekend away "just in case"

Yeah, you know, these

Sorry link fail. these

I'm watching with interest too! I can open your link
We are off camping in two weeks too. 😀

I don't even attempt to pack coats, blankets or towels. These are the last thing to go in and they are wedged into gaps or used to stop other things falling down.
Try to put the things you need first e.g. tent, groundsheet, pegs & mallet somewhere very accessible so you can get them out quickly at the other end, that way you can get the tent up ready to unpack the other stuff into it.

So bedding, blankets etc in the car or a vacuumm bag thingy

Clothes, pack as light as possible

Use up all the space at people's feet, doors etc

Take minimum amount of food and decant out of boxes and shop when we get there

Are the cubes worth investing in? We have a lightweight canvas holdall that would easily hold all our clothes at the moment

Thanks again for the great tips 🙂

We keep all our cooking/food stuffs in one of those plastic storage boxes. It was useful in that everything could just stay in there while camping too. And the box could be used as a wee table too. We kept all the tent stuff in the roof box so it was easy to access at the campsite then put the box in the boot and packed around it. Yy to bedding towels etc being placed around the car.

We lift the carpet in the boot of the car and there is a huge space around the spare wheel. Also agree about going shopping once you get there if possible. Wine and beer take up a lot of space!

Lifting the carpet in the boot, will have to have a nosy and see how much we can squash in there as well, thank you

I even pack in around the spare wheel!

This is probably a tad indulgent but we are only going camping 90minutes away so we have decided rather than stressing out about getting everything in we are going to take 2 cars......cheating I know.

Sleeping bags laid flat on the back seat,
Clothes in squashy bags (I am currently using the supermarket 'bag for life' types - no more than one per person, Incl shoes).
Coffee and tea decanted into Ziploc bags. sachets of ketchup from Burger King etc
If you are enthusiastic wine drinkers, freeze the inner of a white wine box, and this becomes your ice pack in your cooler as you slowly drink it.
I have toiletries in ordinary plastic carrier bags rather than bulky sponge bags. Pop in a butchers hook, dry towel fits in carrier bag, hook on to door and it all keeps dry in the shower.