How to simplify/streamline camping!

[Laquila]

We love camping but Christ we seem to take a lot of stuff. We have a 5-berth tent (2 x adults, 2 x small kids); a double and a single airbed; a thermarest for the youngest; sleeping bags and pillows; a kitchen box with crockery, cutlery, pans etc; EHU cable; a dual gas burner plus bottle; a cool box fridge; 3 x camping chairs and a folding table; and what feels like a boatload of other STUFF.

We could buy an electric hotplate, on the basis that most places we go have EHU, and nix the chairs and table, but realistically we enjoy sitting around chatting and drinking once the kids are in bed.

Is this a hopeless cause?! Should I just buy a bloody van and be done with it?? My husband and I used to go with nothing but a tent in our backpacks and a meths stove many years ago, but we couldn’t do that now. Maybe we need to find a happy medium! Any advice appreciated 😃

No idea, but watching with interest. Having done very spare camping with dh in our pre-dc days, we now tow a trailer (and 2 teenagers) to accommodate tent, awning, gazebo, Cadac bbq, EHU, table & chairs, pop-up tents for dc, duvet for me & dh instead of sleeping bags etc. Camping is not a luxury holiday by any means, but I find as I get older that I want a bit more comfort (in addition to guaranteed sunshine) and the days of roughing it and sitting on the ground are over. On the other hand, I'm beginning to think it would just be easier to tow a caravan!

It can be done but you have to be ruthless :) going somewhere warm helps as you need less layers ...there are only of us but can now pack down to 3 packs..
1 bag tent + tarp +mallet+pegs
1 bag - kitchen+lights equipment- my kitchen box had got too full as I love a gadget but have stripped back to single burner/kettle/cafetiere/ a cutlery roll and enough just enough plates/bowls/cups that we need with a chopping board and collapsable colander 2 pans that stack and a frying pan...3 torchs one table lamp one lamp for in teh tent that is like a lampbulb so small (and fairy lights )
3 SIMs 2 sheets 3 sleeping bags
If we are in the car do also had proper pillows - if train/plane just take pillowcases and stuff with clothes.
1 bag bedding/clothes..
I think EHU makes you take more stuff we geerally dont use it and also do a wash if going for more than a week

It took a while and at one stage had all my stuff all over the living room floor - but it can be done...you really have to focus on whats essential and also what you can get when you get there....

It’s a nightmare trying to pack light. We gave in and bought a trailer.

we fly with our camping stuff so that limits it somewhat - but its 3 bags too.

we go somewhere hot so less clothes and to the type of site you can hire a fridge with your pitch which helps so much.

we dont take a table or pillows and we just have a single burners and then budget a bit for eating out occasionally. I think simplifying the food we ate helped a lot.

I kind of think if you are taking a car you may as well fill it up

We used to go to Eurocamps/Keycamps (with 3 children) where obviously the tent, table and chairs and kitchen stuff was already provided, but we still managed to fill a people carrier and a roof box full of stuff. I tried to keep clothes and towels to a minimum though and always did a couple of washes over the holiday. I remember one year keeping a note of all the things we actually used and the clothes we actually wore and cut it down massively the following year.