following on from the 'what type of camper are you' thread......

[princesscc]

I'm starting camping this year. We've research and bought the tent, got the cooker and the airbeds and sleeping bags. I've got all the basic stuff I think we will need, but what is the one thing that you have found really useful to have, that I won't think of?

Nappy bucket with a lid to wee in - so you don't have to make the trek to the loos in pjs and wellies with a torch at 3am. You can pretend it's for the kids

I was just about to post the same thing! Taking DS1 (8) to the British Grand Prix in July, staying in a tent for 4 nights. I've bought a tent but that's as far as I've got!

Doormats. 79p or thereabouts from Ikea.

Seriously if it rains they're really useful. We use one to wipe our feet on and one to put wet shoes on.

There's a basic list somewhere on the UK camping site of more sensible things - tin openers, bin bags, that kind of thing....

One of the joys of camping is the gadgets. I love it. Last year I bought a special camping pillow - one of the bolsters from Ikea in a really flowery pattern. Not really necessary but takes up half the room of a normal pillow in the car - so of course it's now Essential.

I'm too good at this already! Got a door mat, got a tin opener. I've even got some rope (just in case of I don't know what) and a pile of batteries (various sizes). Oh and I found some spare bbq skewers yesterday and I put them in the camping box!
DcMM Nice idea to blame the kids....but she's 11!

Oooh I think you'll be just fine

Now, if you ever find some decent melamine plates that don't make the food look revolting, just let me know...

Lots of plastic carrier bags to put rubbish or dirty clothes in.

dustpan and brush - 69p from Asda to get the grass out of the tent - if you don't it will end up in your wine

one of those sock hangy up things to dry them.

proper mugs - can't abide tea in a melamine mug - i do take my special blue tea mug from home - but that's on a whole other thread

collapsible crates
blue IKEA bags, great for the beach

oh i could go on and on.....

kitchen roll/loo roll - for trips to toilet, sniffles, quick wipe ups of spillages/vomit

rug to sit on outside ( waterproof ideally)

At least 2 more layers of clothing than you expect to need...it can get coooold at night...

Clothes pegs for pegging up wet tea towels etc.

Enough plastic bags to use for rubbish.

Wind break to cordon off cooking area, makes the stove more efficient and stops the kids getting too close

Oh.... yes...

one last thing...

A hat that covers your ears! To sleep in cos cold ears are the WORST!

thankyou everyone! I like the hat tip and I do get cold, so I will put one in the box now.

Blankets, lots of them.... you can never have too many

Also take salt/pepper/dried herbs and garlic paste. Mind you, I know people who take a window box with fresh herbs on their camping trips. But then they do spend weeks on the road during the summer...

My other two essentials are a decent bottle (or three) of wine, and some chocolate, hidden away and just for me!

Don't do chocolate very much, but I do wine, so I better take 6 to make up for the lack of chocolate!

OMG i cannot believe no-one has said corkscrew/bottleopener yet.

One of those stove top espresso makers-lovely to have real coffee and you can feel smug as other campers get whafts of coffee.

I keep one of those in my handbag just i case of emergencies, so that's not a problem!!

corkscrew that is, not coffee maker!

LOL, but no-one mentioned it because the OP was looking for unusual suggestions. Corkscrew is one of the first things I pack!!!

From my perspective, yu can never have quite enough lamps. Its something we are constantly upgrading. We're qyuite apreed down campers (to do with car size LOL), we take tents, a roll up hi gear trable, our fold up chaiirs, our acmping gaz party grill (the bigger one), basic cutlery and plastic plates,corkscrew / bottle opener. sleeping stuff plus blankets to place on the SIG for heat retnetion (the big size fleeces from mothercare are ideal for this, compact but warm), lamps a plenty, and that's it.

Before we go, we always check on the net to find a camping store local to where we are heading just in case. In the past we have had air bed deflations etc, so has been a useful trick.

Ooh like that one Peachy - check net for camping shops!

Make sure it is red wine - doesn't matter if it ia a bit warm then.

Nothing worse than warm white....

I've found that the tesco's bags for life make excellant coolers to keep your wine / beer nice and frosty. Just stop at a garage once your close and get a bag of ice and hey presto, chills it real quick too, by the time you've put the tent up, blown up the air beds the wine / beer will be just right for consumption.
Get an electric (either 12V or battery) pump for blowing up the airbeds, makes life a lot easier.
Ohh and a radio.