Space saving tips for car camping please?

[KingLooieCatz]

We were doing okay space wise until we got a new and bigger tent. We're building up the length of camping trip and therefore the activity based stuff we want to take e.g. DS bike (on the roof).

So does anyone have any space saving tips for me when packing the car for camping?

First stop will be a proper cook set that packs away into itself, instead of normal kitchen stuff.

We take trugs for washing up, water play by tent, beer cooler etc and holding kids toys. They stack so save lots of space. Dc have them between them in the car with their toys in top one.

Thanks Kahlua. I initially read that as "we take drugs...". Bit hardcore for me. Maybe time for new specs.

😀😀 would certainly help with washing up!

Explore what is beneath the base in the boot of your car. We can fit loads of stuff around the spare wheel!

And we use big blue Ikea bags to hold clothes

Packing cubes are worth investing for under car seats

Buy your food when you get there, extra cool bags, bottles etc take loads of space.
We also couldn't manage without our roof box. Definitely worth getting. Our kids are out of Car seats so they sit on blankets /duvets. We have also used vacuum bags for clothes & bedding as the pump we have for the air beds also sucks the air - hey presto!

Kids sitting on blankets or duvets is dangerous if you crash or break hard because the blanket or duvet will slip

Bluedoglead

Hadn't thought about that so I will investigate, thanks.
They are young teens so fairly large. It's literally one blanket or duvet, they aren't like the princess and pea with multiple layers so could this still be an issue I wonder?

I don’t know but I was at a safety roadshow thing years ago where they said it was a bad idea.

Not wanting to scaremongering though.

Thanks guys. I might be able to part DH from his current camping chair of choice, which is "Director's Chair" style and get him into an umbrella fold type.

He is not god's gift to packing my any means, but I shy away from just taking charge of the entire operation, perhaps could get him to bring stuff out while I get it into the car.

We're in a second floor flat to add to the fun.

Under the front seats is definitely underused, thanks for that one, and will look under the mat in the boot.

*Cut down on clothes, many sites have a washing machine which you can use halfway through.

*Get your food shop delivered or use click and collect.

*Try to use squashable items where possible- the ikea blue bags or supermarket bags for life are perfect for clothes and a lot of other things.

*If you do want to take and use plastic boxes for storage when there, place each box inside each other and fill just the one box, remembering to pack the lids, or stack these on top, When you get to the site you can unstack them and use in the tent but they have only taken the space of 1 in the car.

*Use every last bit of space, you might get a tin/gas canister in the nesting cooking pans, roll teatowels etc into spaces.

*We've just got some hamman towels, I am amazed how much smaller (and lighter) they are. 3 bathsheet sized towels take the space of a normal one.