Pack away for summer

[webbmom]

I live in So. Florida so our camping season is over till september.  Any suggestions for cleaning/packing up for the summer?

[ILUVTHEBEACH]

I live in So. Florida so our camping season is over till september.  Any suggestions for cleaning/packing up for the summer?

Wow that really stinks!  We are just getting ready to camp for the season.  I know how you feel about not being able to camp for a season due to the weather.

I suggest taking all you linens (sheets, towels, pillow cases, etc.) and washing them and put them away.  Make sure you don't leave any food behind, canned or otherwise.  I don't think canned food would have a great shelf life in the heat but I am not sure.  Better to be safe than sorry.  If you have time just go through everything and see if there is anything you don't need and get rid of it.  We keep all of our stuff in 2 plastic bins that can either stay in the camper or in the attic over the winter.  That way when we are ready to go all of our camping stuff is ready to go.

['tiredTeacher]

I live in So. Florida so our camping season is over till september.  Any suggestions for cleaning/packing up for the summer?

Over? Why?

[PattieAM]

Darned shame you don't have AC in order to extend your camping season!

I'd take out anything that would be 'melted' by the extreme heat (candles, food).  As to linens (bedding/towels, etc.) I'd zip lock them with maybe a dryer sheet to keep them fairly fresh smelling.

Critter control - some folks recommend using dryer sheets.

I'd most likely drain the water tank to keep it from getting scummy, and maybe put a little bleach water down the drains.

[webbmom]

I do have ac but   it still gets to darn hot and to deal with the golf ball size bugs  no thank you.  This is our first year and we camped an average of 3 nights once a month September - April.  Now I just need to know what to do to keep things in good shape for next september.

[CajunCamper]

I do have ac but   it still gets to darn hot and to deal with the golf ball size bugs  no thank you.  This is our first year and we camped an average of 3 nights once a month September - April.  Now I just need to know what to do to keep things in good shape for next september.

I live in South Louisiana, but we camp 12 months out of the year, as a matter of fact we have two trips planned for Florida this summer, one in late May early june and one in late July. Sorry I can't help on the putting a pop up away for a season.

CajunCamper

[Old Goat]

I grew up in southern Florida [Miami and the Keys] and we looked forward to summer time camping. Hot weather? no problem. We camped in tents and could always find a way to stay cool and cope with the bugs. Back then, AC in homes and vehicles was unheard of. We spent alot of time outdoors and were accustomed to warm weather so did not have any problem with it. We took what we had and made the best of it and still had a lot of fun. Many of my fondest camping memories were made in Florida's "to hot to camp" weather....

BTW The hottest, most humid 4th of July weekend I ever experienced was in Hartford, Connecticut back in the sixties....

[ScouterMom]

How about heading NORTH to camp? or up into the mountains?

Heck, I've been dreaming about heading SOUTH to get somewhere where it wasn't snowing for MONTHS!

I was hoping to get my camper out this weekend to start working on putting in a new floor and painting the cabinets, and the weather man is prediciting rain/ snow!  

However, if you're serious about putting it away - I would do as suggested - take out anything that might mildew, attract critters, make good 'nesting' material, etc.  If you have high humidity, it might be a good idea to get some of those odor/ mosture absorbent tubs and leave them on the camper floor or in the cabinets.  Cedar repels insects and smells better than mothballs.

Since it IS summer, even if it's too hot for you to camp, if it were me, I'd try to open the camper up once a month or so and air it out, even in camp driveway.

Laura

[luvtocamp]

I also live in Florida and usually don't camp from June until Sept. unless we go up north. It's not so much the heat (we have air), but the bugs and mosquitos. Once the mosquitos get in the pop-up, at night your forced to sleep with your face under covers or wake up with a million bug bites. I usually take linens, candles, batteries out. Make sure water tank is drained. Spray to keep bugs out and put a Damp-Rid in there, they sell big ones for campers at Walmart last I checked.