Holiday essentials

[HampshireMummyof2]

Got our first proper family camping trip booked in August. (Can't wait!!!) Have a list of normal things to get but Can anyone give me any ideas of must haves, hacks or anything off piste that that have found usefully.
Thank you in advance.

Blatantly following as we are in exactly the same position!

Have you tested your tent yet? Particularly in and after rain/heavy dew. Find out if opening the door causes vast amounts of water to splatter inside! If it does, consider getting an extra porch. I have used the one that went with an old six man tent for the next tent even though it is a distinctly different shape.

Something to hang wet washing/towels etc on. If it's going to be the guy ropes on the tent itself, that's fine but don't forget pegs!

We have camped in the garden in our new tent when it was sunny and a bit dewy in the morning and all seems ok but not in rain. Have a door mat on my list getting 2 one for inside door and one to put muddy boots on etc.

Pegs!! Did not think of them. Thanks! (Adds to list)

Rubbish sacks... washing up stuff.... solar powered fairy lights so you can find your way ‘home’ after a late night toilet trip.

Those collapse fabric-mesh laundry baskets you find in pound shops and bargain shops.
Useful for shoes, coats, toys, towels, dirty laundry etc etc.

Flip flops/crocs/sliders or similar. Something you can slide on your feet to nip outside on the damp grass without the palaver of tieing laces, being unaffected by water helps.

Tray/chopping board or similar to use as a kitchen worktop. Great to put your cup on whilst making tea, or to make sandwiches on.

Rubbish bags, washing up stuff and tray. So many simple things that you forget or don't think off.

Of (sneaky extra f )

A bucket to put dirty dishes in which you can then use to carry them to the dishwashing place, and use as a washing-up bowl when you get there.

(It's also useful to put your clothes in when showering, so they don't end up in a puddle)

Do you have electric hook up? If we do, I take my slow cooker and leave it on whilst we’re out.
For the first night I always make a chilli at home and take with, so minimal prep needed.
Huge cool box- it’s a Coleman and keeps ice frozen for 5 days, it’s amazing. Freeze 1 pint milk bottles and water and take to keep cool box cool.
Camping washing up bowl with handle for carrying back from the sinks.
Clip on lights for inside the sleeping compartments and the main sleeping area.
I have a storage table with a cupboard underneath that stores all food and plates etc. It was from blacks and is amazing. Halfords camping stove and kettle.
I don’t bother with a water carrier, I buy a 5litre bottle and then refill.
Marsh mellows, biscuits and skewers for the fire.

Collapsing crates are brilliant! I think Lidl have them in at the moment. I use one for storing shoes, one for carrying plates to the washing up area (be careful with sharp knives through - they can slip through the gaps) and one for general clutter like colouring in bits.

Lots of tea towels, a dust pan and brush, condiments, a tote bag to carry change of clothes to shower room, small mirror and two toothpastes (so men and women can brush teeth at same time) oh and camping towels to save space.

If you have kids, think about wash stuff.

When they were little I put all their toothbrushes paste and shower gel etc in one bag, mine in another and DH had his own. So whoever took them to the shower block could just pick up the kid's bag.

Once they got to the age of 8/9 they would often go to clean teeth on their own, (or boys together and girls together) and by age 11ish they started having their own showers.

So now I give them all their own wash kits with mini-shower gels etc. (Which can be refilled if needed).

Otherwise if you just have a family wash kit, the males can't clean teeth till the females are finished (or whatever) Or one person needs to wait for the shower gel to return.

Also:
• sharp knives with covers (see point above)
• a door mat (I have a carpet remnant from Dunelm) to reduce the amount of grass in the tent
• foil backed picnic blankets for under air beds to stop them feeling damp
• over door hooks for the shower block - not all of them have hooks and it drives me crackers!

Great minds thinking alike Moth
That was a cross post.

Lots of good ideas thank you. Am making another list to go with old list.

I have an old sleeping bag which I lay out under boys beds so they have something soft to step on when getting out of camp beds. Plus adds a layer on floor.

A potable bin toilet thingy...for 3am wees without having to treck to the loo block especially if you have young children

Get the kids surf change robes (Decathlon do cheap ones) so they can go to the showers in just that and crocs, sling it on again after the shower and walk back to the tent. Saves them dropping their clothes on the floor, and the microfibre means you are dry by the tent and they dry quickly. Microfibre hair wraps for anyone with long hair.
I have no shame and do the same thing with my swim change robe and it is sooo much easier. But hammam towels are far better than normal ones for anyone who wants/needs a towel
Drawstring bag for your toiletries - much easier to hang on a hook. I get cheap ones on ebay so we all have a different colour

Loads of great things on here. My list would include:

• £1 packs of glow sticks (depending on how old your kids are)
• collapsible crates for shoes / storage
• keeping clothes in those big bags for life - they can squish in the car, be moved to a corner in bedroom and take up much less space all round. Different pattern for each family member.
• those bags of charcoal that you self light, and self lighting logs (where you light the corner of the paper) for BBQ’s and fire pits. We’ve found a cheap folding BBQ does the job for both!
• Marshmallows!!! The Rocky Mountain ones are the best in my opinion!

Enjoy!!!

This will sound bizarre, but the one thing I never forget when camping is my handheld Dyson, (we always have EHU). We take a door mat too, but it means any bits of grass, sand etc can be cleaned up straight away. The first time I did it everyone laughed, now they all borrow it!
Also a big YES to an electric cool box or camping fridge - I don't know how we managed without one for so long.

We took a couple of those flexi buckets (like builders use) last time we went camping. We used one as an ice bucket (went to a small festival) but they had 101 uses including keeping stuff in to stop it getting wet in the porch area where there was no built in ground sheet. They take up no space (pack stuff in them in the car) but very handy.

Got the bbq ready to light bags and portable bbq. MUST NOT FORGET MARSHMALLOWS!!!! Was thinking bags for clothes as easier to store. Looking for a decent cool bag (non electric) if anyone has ideas. Don't know if a storage unit will be too much or help?