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Camping

Our UK Camping forum has all the information you need on finding the right equipment for your tent or caravan.

Mid size tent owners, how do you store clothes when camping?

29 replies

blackteaplease · 16/04/2023 08:16

I'm looking for ideas on storing luggage and clothes while camping for a week or two without taking over the entire inside of the tent.

We're looking to downsize from an outwell vermouth to a tent with a smaller footprint, alongside a pup tent for the teen and a gazebo kitchen.

The vernont has a very handy wardrobe with space for all our bags. I've camped in smaller tents pre kids but can't figure out solutions for manging all the stuff.

OP posts:
TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 16/04/2023 08:26

How much do you take?! We each take our clothes in a hold-all or rucksack. Unless there are as many of you as the tent claims to sleep there should be somewhere to put the bag.

PuttingDownRoots · 16/04/2023 08:30

How small are you talking?

We now have 6 tents plus a gazebo and toilet tent (we don't take them all with us!!) But they have very different uses. We know the hike tents have a lot less space than the Big Tent and pack according for example. Similarly we don't take a hike tent for a week long trip!

gkd1234 · 16/04/2023 08:45

Every camper gets one of these jumbo laundry bags for their clothes and other personal items - if it too big to fit inside, you can't take it.

We have different designs to it's easy to identify your own bag. There's usually plenty room to rummage around and find whatever it is you're looking for. They're waterproof and zip up for tidiness and pack neatly in the car. They work so well I use them for other UK car holidays too.

https://www.rexlondon.com/vintage-ivy-design-jumbo-storage-bag

Vintage Ivy Design Jumbo Storage Bag | Rex London

Vintage Ivy Design Jumbo Storage Bag from Rex London. Shop now for gifts of random kindness. Free UK delivery available.

https://www.rexlondon.com/vintage-ivy-design-jumbo-storage-bag

blackteaplease · 16/04/2023 09:28

Re how much stuff, everyone has enough clothes for a week to reduce laundry trips, 2 sets of swimmers, towels x 2, raincoats, washbag. I'm assuming the teen can store that in her pup tent but that still leaves stuff x 4 for the main tent

OP posts:
blackteaplease · 16/04/2023 09:29

Ideally looking for a 6 x 4 tent

OP posts:
JustGotToKeepOnKeepingOn · 16/04/2023 09:54

I've always camped with the car next to the tent and used the car for storage. I've never stored clothes in the tent. Probably because the tent is very small! Everything stays dry and out of way in the car.

stringbean · 16/04/2023 10:11

Clothes storage was one of the things that aggravated me on camping holidays in Europe - nowhere to hang anything and clothes always crumpled. After a lifetime of camping, we recently bought a caravan - storage and somewhere to hang up clothes is sheer luxury Smile

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 16/04/2023 10:12

gkd1234 · 16/04/2023 08:45

Every camper gets one of these jumbo laundry bags for their clothes and other personal items - if it too big to fit inside, you can't take it.

We have different designs to it's easy to identify your own bag. There's usually plenty room to rummage around and find whatever it is you're looking for. They're waterproof and zip up for tidiness and pack neatly in the car. They work so well I use them for other UK car holidays too.

https://www.rexlondon.com/vintage-ivy-design-jumbo-storage-bag

This is exactly what we do.

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 16/04/2023 10:13

Also, microfibre towels to cut down on the volume of "stuff".

Okunevo · 16/04/2023 10:15

We have backpacks at our feet, two of us in a three person tent with living area for longer trips.

AngelsWithSilverWings · 16/04/2023 10:21

The kids keep their stuff in their hold-all inside their sleeping pod and just take out what they need as they are getting ready. DH and I have used the large laundry bags already mentioned. I've also used a tall/slim folding kitchen larder cupboard which worked well. Just folded the clothes into the different sections.That was also handy as I used the top of it for my make up mirror , hair brushes etc.

DumDeeDoh · 16/04/2023 10:29

I got a small clothes rail and put (wet) coats and towel in the porch of the tent. Ours is a 6 man tunnel tent. Everyone has a holdall which is stored on their bed during the day and in the eating area at night. Try to limit clothes 😆

Windingdown · 16/04/2023 10:29

Another Rex laundry bag fan here. Big enough to be organised and fold away to nothing when stored. Mine has fairies on. I'm 58.

EyesOnThePies · 16/04/2023 10:48

Clothes in a blue IKEA bag.

I have a couple of these that fit on my centre pole (Pyramid tent) and hang anything I don’t want creased etc on a hanger from it. https://www.wowcamping.co.uk/productDetail/robens-pole-lantern-hanger/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIqqufoY6u_gIVDd7tCh1jew9oEAQYAiABEgKa1vD_BwE

Waterproofs: on a folding washing line / coat rack thing .

I avoid thick bulky towels and use Decathlon microfibre.

Dirty stuff gets decanted out to a laundry bag (IKEA bag) to live in the boot of the car.

Robens Pole Lantern Hanger

Robens Pole Lantern Hanger - Wow Camping

Robens Pole Lantern Hanger Price: £4.49 SKU: 316599

https://www.wowcamping.co.uk/productDetail/robens-pole-lantern-hanger/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIqqufoY6u_gIVDd7tCh1jew9oEAQYAiABEgKa1vD_BwE

SkankingWombat · 16/04/2023 10:54

We have a camping cupboard that we keep in the communal space. It has 6 shelves (2x3), so DCs get 1 each and DH and I have 2 each. We keep a dirty laundry bag on the top and once that's full, it is transferred into one of the empty suitcases in the back of the car to save space. We also have 2 of those fabric boxes that fit Ikea Kallax units - 1 for shoes, one for coats.

gogohmm · 16/04/2023 11:14

How much do you take? We go away for 2 weeks camping on a motorcycle and fit it all on. If it doesn't fit in the panier it doesn't go! I usually have to do a wash half way through admittedly. I store the clothes in my bag I brought them in (that fits exactly inside the panier.) the tent we have is a vango galaxy 300.

blackteaplease · 16/04/2023 12:38

Some good suggestions here, have 3 youngish kids and camp for a least a fortnight so there is a lot of stuff. I'll look into microfiber towels, a clothes rail and maybe storage bags. Can't store anything in the van, the surfboard and bikes are in there.

We do also do smaller trips with 2 pup tents and keeping everything the in car with minimal stuff. That's fine for a weekend but I'm done with minimalist longer holidays. It's not relaxing for me.

OP posts:
crossstitchingnana · 16/04/2023 13:13

Just keep it in my suitcase, either in a spare bedroom or the boot of the car. Wash bag etc gets put in those pocket things xx

PuttingDownRoots · 16/04/2023 13:32

I have a theory that camping equipment expands to fill the space available to store and carry it.

Talipesmum · 16/04/2023 15:25

I wouldn’t downsize. You really appreciate the size of a bigger tent on horrible days especially with kids. Fine to downsize for short trips, but if you’re going to base yourself somewhere for a week or more, just keep a bit more space.

We got a large tent recently ish which has a sort of side bit off it, and we keep all the suitcases and bags in there with a little inflatable sofa in front of it. Key is keeping discarded / yesterdays clothes etc in the bags - no stuff out on top or in heaps on chairs. Militant putting away.

Tarantella6 · 16/04/2023 15:29

There's 4 of us in a 6 man tent so we have space each side of the sleeping area for the holdalls. Dirty washing goes straight in a bin bag in the corner of the main tent (we have table and chairs outside so the main tent space is just for sitting around in). I also don't mind doing a wash or two in a 14 day holiday, I'd rather do that than run out of clothes.

I know it is a bit of a faff pitching a massive tent but I can't think of a less relaxing holiday than not having enough space for everything!

Shortpoet · 16/04/2023 15:33

Small packing cubes for clean clothes so it’s not a jumble of clothes inside one big bag.
R.g. One for underwear / socks. One for t-shirts, One for leggings / trousers.

ItsCalledAConversation · 16/04/2023 15:35

Each person has a laundry basket. Bag inside for pants and socks. All dirties go in one big bag to take home.

BigTedLittleTedCardboardBox · 16/04/2023 15:37

We've used one of those canvassy hanging wardrobe shelf things, but just lying down on the ground rather than hanging. One section each with everything folded on its end so you can see what you've got. One section for towels, one for swimming stuff, then when we get there they become the laundry basket sections, and it comes home ready divided into different washes 😆.

Needs two people to transfer it when it's full, but very accessible and takes up minimal room.