How to avoid precamp stress?

[CampinCrazy]

Okay, as campers well into our second season it seems we would have the "prep" part of camping down better.  

It seems like I spend the better part of several days planning menus, guessing and second guessing the weather, shopping and packing.  By the time we are hooking up the camper I'm ready to tell DH just where he can go (and I'm sure he feels the same)! :mad:

By the time we get set up we are all too busy having a blast to remember the horror of the beginning of the trip....but I am SURE there is a better way!

For those of you who have NO IDEA what I am talking about....how do you do it?  We have two young kids (4 & 6) who try to help, but finish their jobs long before the camper is clear for play.  It seems everyone is always hungry, and somehow we trash at least 3 sets of clothes a day.  There isn't room to pack enough clean socks and shoes for this family.

Anyone have any pearls of wisdom for this crazy campin' family?

[tlhdoc]

Keeping a list of camping meals with a break down of everything needed to make the meal.  That makes shopping or collecting the items from your cupboards easier.  If the kids are wearing dirty clothes, it is OK.  Keep a clean set in case you go out, but if you are staying in camp let the kids be dirty.  Don't check the weather until the day before you leave.  It changes so often looking at it ahead of time is a waste.  Keep rain boots and ponchos in the PU for everyone so that you don't have to pack them if the weather calls for rain.  I hope this helps.

[Opie431]

I have a small Rubbermaid box of non-perishable food in the PU all of the time.  When we come home I restock it.  I keep another box of canned food that goes in the basement when we come home.  I bring it up and add to it the last few days before we go.  The last few days I put fresh and frozen foods in bags so everything is together and they just have to be taken out at the last minute.
It is a lot easier to camp with only two adults but when we take a young grandchild we take a extra Rubbermaid box that 40 pounds of sand goes into to make a sandbox.It sits on an old shower curtain so all of the sand that falls out can go back into the box.
Take a box of baby wipes, it will get a lot of the worst dirt off clothes and child while on the child.  
What takes me time is that I have to bake all of my bread, cookies, etc. because I cannot eat anything with wheat flour in.

[slowpez]

There is just the two of us but we still found just getting ready to go caused some stress.  I think it was do to the fact we had no idea what we were doing.  Anyhow, we keep one large sterlite container full of all camping staples.  This gets refilled every time we come back home.  I keep things like cleaning liquid, dish soap, sugar, salt, etc.  in it.  It also contains granola bars, pancake mix, cereal, coffee, chips, marshmallows, and other items that we take no matter what.  I usually pack the day before we leave - almost all food stuffs fit into the PU.  The day we leave, we pick up ice, fill the coolers (all cooler stuff is on one shelf in the fridge).  We do keep handy wipes in the car and in the PU for quick clean-ups but on the whole, we figure we are camping, having fun and who cares how clean we are!!  Keep it simple and don't worry.  The worse that can happen is you forget something and that is what they have WallyWorld for.

[PopUpTrio]

I thought your name implied how you felt about camping, not that it actually made you crazy!  We all take flipflop shoes instead of socks/tennies all the time.  That way they go on/off easily to go in and out of the camper.  Also, they just rinse off and socks aren't needed.  In the winter, it's different of course.  But, here in Texas, we can wear flipflops most of the year. I guess, for us, the best pre-camping stress reliever was to get our hybrid.  I take cheese, lunchmeat and cereal for snacks and I've quit cooking 3 meals a day when we camp.  I usually cook breakfast or lunch and grill at night.  The hybrid has made the cooking situation much easier having a real fridge/freezer and an oven.  It has really cut down on a lot of the pre-trip packing as I can leave many things in the camper and go in and out between trips without having to popup.  With such small children, I can imagine that it is more difficult.  Hopefully, you came to the right place for suggestions and you will get some helpful tips.

[ForestCreature]

I beat pre camp stress by never unpacking anything but the clothes and food. The rest stay in the van for eternity.

[wynot]

Unfortunately, we're probably more like you than not like you, but I'll tell you some of the things we've done.

We have sterilites and rubbermaid containers kept in the camper and some that aren't, but are dedicated to camping and kept on a camping shelving unit in our garage.

One of the best things we did was invest in a 5 shelf Rubbermaid shelving unit for the garage.  We keep the dog crate, the steel icechest, a couple of large Sterilite drawers, and other things that are specific to camping, but need to be kept out of the camper when not in use.  We stock our perishable dry items and other consumables in one and use the other one to put other 'last minute items'.  These then get moved into the camper once popped up.  

We use Sterilites for the clothes, each of us has one, but we put the clothes in clear plastic zipped bags (like comforters/bedspreads etc. come in.).  That's what we use for the car.  What doesn't need to go in the camper, gets kept in those bags in the car, and being clear, you can find them.

The biggest challenge in camping is keeping things where you can find them and not having to move them more than once once you get ready to pop down.  DW has developed the knack of sorting stuff onto bunk ends - one bunk is dedicated to being taken to the car, the other is stuff that needs to be packed down in the camper interior.

Our major challenge is that regardless of camping or just taking a trip, I generally am prepared for most anything.  Which means - I have a full dedicated toolbox of tools/spares, extra 30 and 20amp extension cords, extra water hose, bottle jack, etc..  We probably have at least 3 jackets apiece, and we've learned to pack enough clothes for another Delaware weekend of 6-7 inches of solid rain.  Of course, we have a microwave, and percolator (both electric and stovetop) which are dedicated in the camper.

One of our best trips thus far?  A trip that started with my 10 yr old daughter and me, we used nothing but the microwave for cooking, paper plates, and very little else AND since we didn't drag out a lot - we didn't have a lot to put away, and minimal cleaning.

Thank goodness tlhdoc was there when we were setting up, otherwise, I probably would have unhitched everything else but the safety chains.  We also take turns in the stress dept.  DW stresses getting the food, ice, clothing, washing, etc. done and then she pretty well is stressfree.  I get the adventures of packing, hitching, driving, and putting it in the site.

[Campaholics]

I have a different point of view of the planning and prep phase,  it's half the fun.  But, I am the guy on another thread asking for camping tips said "check lists, check lists and more check lists."   The use of check lists eases some of the stress of forgetting important items, or worry that you might for get something.

We have separate dishes, pots, etc for camping.  Some stuff stays in the PU, some is stacked in the garage ready to be checked and loaded.  Dedicated camping stuff makes the packing job a lot easier and faster.  

We keep the rain gear in a nylon stuff sack in the TV within reach when we get to the CG, just in case.

Just waiting until May,
Bob

[JonesFamilyJayco]

I think the best thing that has helped me is to enjoy our trips more has been to simplify everything!  When I got started, I would pack so much stuff thinking that I might need it.  Most times I never did.  Now I plan my trips almost "bare bones".   I stoped setting up the awning on most short trips, I stoped setting up the porti-potty if I could use the campground bathrooms, and we streamlined our luggage into one duffle bag.  Also, I find set up is best if my wife & the kids explore the campground for about an hour so I can set the camper up myself & just take my time (no race/no stress).  Same for take-down.

Our trips are pretty short, 1-2 nights.  We have been able to go about once a month all year.  With those short stays, I have found that I have more fun staying close to home-less drive time, earlier arrival.  We have the best time together at just a  simple state park or quiet KOA, than when I try to plan too complicated a trip.  

I have a tendancy to get stressed out-finally discovering the simple side of simple camping has been a blessing.

[campingboaters]

Getting our hybrid has made my life SO much more pleasant before camping trips (and during, of course).  Most everything stays in the camper except food.  I even try to keep certain clothes just for camping in the camper.  After a trip, I wash everything and it all goes back into the camper. I take one set of clothes per person per day and pack an extra day's clothes for everyone.  If the kids get dirty, I leave them that way, unless it's REALLY bad, then I dip into the extra day's clothes.  While camping, I'll even try to use the pants unless they are dirty -- my shirts tend to get dirty with kids around.
 
As for food, I have found that making VERY simple meals ahead of time is best, but if not, I have lists of foods needed for my camping menus and I just throw all of that food in the camper a day or two before.  I have pared down the amounts of food I take and make because I found that I was bringing WAY TOO much food and ending up un-packing a lot of it when we got home.  Take ONLY what you KNOW you will eat and a snack or two.  Unless you are going out into the wilderness, the chances of you getting stranded (and needing a huge supply of food) is pretty slim.
 
When we had the pop-up, I found that setting up the camper the weekend before a trip and leaving it up all week made my life easier as I could do a little each night and I wasn't worried about everythign all at once.  Making sure everything has it's place either in the camper or in a tote is KEY to keeping things organized and sane.
 
It's taken me 3-4 camping seasons to FINALLY get in the swing of things and I consider myself VERY organized.

[Homerden]

I actually like the preparation phase leading up to our monthly trip out.   We have been using a "checklist" for about 2 seasons.  We leave it on the fridge, and if we restock an item we check it off the list and put it directly in the camping box in the garage.

We tweek the list every once in a while to reflect what we are actually using and delete things I have been dragging with us and never used (a second stove ?? I dragged that for a year !!!).

Like some of the other posts, we have tried to simplify set up and take down by not moving things several times.  With the exception of the cooler's and chairs We don't put things in the popup that need to be dragged right back out during set up.  This really cuts down on the traffic inside the PU during set up.  Also, things that I put in the van last minute such as food, clothes, tool box, outside table etc. stay in the van.  We found it is much easier to keep the camper organized that way.  We only have to unpack the van when we get home.  

We also work together on opening the camper, but then divy up the remaining tasks.  I tend to like setting up the outside area (power, water, grounds) and DW tends to sets up inside.  When we used to do everything together, by the time we were done bumping into each other we wanted to scream.  As time goes by we have become quite quick and can do eveything in about an hour.

Once the camper is closed upon leaving the site, it stays closed.  We make the beds up with fresh linen when closing up.

My first year, We prepoped the camper every trip and post popped to clean and unpack. We were exhausted and wanted our tent back.

[hoppy]

What is all this pre-camp stress stuff all about.

  That is the reason we all camp to begin with..... to get away from the everyday stress. No sense creating undo stress.

   Just keep the camper loaded with all your "stuff", pull some food out of the  ol' refrigerator ( it's in there, and you were going to make it any way if you stayed at home), pop some clothing in the duffle bag, and your gone.  

    As for stressing out over the weather, seems it never changed the outcome of the weather anyway.  Play the hand you are delt.... sometimes this is more exciting than folding your hand.


    Keep your kindling dry,

     Hoppy

[byrdr1]

That's why we went to the dark side..
Less moving in and out of boxes, tubs and bins of clothes.
We have clothes in the camper ready go now.
Food in the pantry ready to go. Staples in the frig ready to go.
all we have to do is pack the extra clothes we will need and hit the road. We have always shopped for groceries at where ever we were camping so that hasn't changed.
But is is nice to hookup and go..
The full size camper has made the only two trips we have made in it better.

[forestwalker]

That's why we went to the dark side..
Less moving in and out of boxes, tubs and bins of clothes.
We have clothes in the camper ready go now.
Food in the pantry ready to go. Staples in the frig ready to go.
all we have to do is pack the extra clothes we will need and hit the road. We have always shopped for groceries at where ever we were camping so that hasn't changed.
But is is nice to hookup and go..
The full size camper has made the only two trips we have made in it better.

Are Aliners and Chalets on the "dark side" ? Sounds like they fall somewhere between pop ups and TTs. Seems like it would be pretty easy to pack them before a trip too.We really dont mind the pre-trip prep much now with our pop up.May get an aframe in the future for mainly other reasons.For now,we love our pop up experience.

[Gone-Camping]

I guess my approach is a little different than what I've read so far. As for meals and food stuffs, I don't use any list, and really don't do a lot of planning. I keep certain things onboard the trailer during the season, such as coffee, sugar, seasoning, and all the paper products. The only thing I really have to do is buy staple products, and generally do that the night before departure. Since I have a full size fridge/Freezer in the Hybrid, it's been a little easier, all I gotta do is pre-cool the Fridge/Freezer and load it with the groceries when I get home with them. Like I said, I don't really plan out the meals, I just buy staple goods and do things on the fly.

As for the kids and their clothing... well... they are old enough to know they don't like what I pack for them, and too young to pack for themselves properly. So we have it worked out that they pack what they want, then I do a bag inspection. I learned last year to watch the 9 year old niece closely, she has no idea what she needs to pack! If they get dirty, no problem, they are in a campground. The only time they really need an extra pair of shoes is if they get into a mud bog like the niece did at Newport News this spring. Why keep changing them into clean clothing just so they can soil that too! They both are directed to the campground showers in the evening, and get one set of clean clothes in the morning!

The trick of the whole thing, is to keep it simple!