How Do You Store Clothes For Camping? (Helpful Tips For You)
Are you in the mood for camping this year but still can’t seem to figure out how to store your clothes appropriately? Worry not, I’ve been through the same fiasco myself and therefore tried a lot of different methods on how to store my apparel. Here’s the best method on how you can store your clothes when camping!
To store clothes for camping, I recommend using a hanging wardrobe closet organizer or an organizer bag. When placing clothes, roll them instead of folding them and use vacuum bags for winter clothes and pillows.
With that said, there’s much more to storing your clothes than what I’ve just mentioned. Read on to learn everything you need to know, and more!
What You’ll Need To Store Clothes for Camping
Simply storing your clothes is not all that you need to do. You also need to ensure that your clothes are neatly organized, remain relatively wrinkle-free, and that clean clothes aren’t jumbled up with dirty clothes.
Moreover, if you are camping with multiple individuals like I often do, wardrobe management can turn into a bit of a mess. This is where a handy wardrobe organizer comes into play. With different sections for each type of clothing, you can just hang the organizer in your car or RV using a standard hook.
For items that tend to be higher in volume than density, like pillows and coats – I recommend using vacuum bags. With the help of compression, you’ll be able to store multiple pillows or coats consuming a significantly lower amount of space.
For socks, I’m a big fan of shoe boxes, ironically. They’re a great way to place small items alongside a few pairs of socks rolled up together. For even smaller items, like sunglasses and accessories, a tote bag is easily accessible and doesn’t occupy much space.
Lastly, for clothes that have had their fair share of wearing or have just gotten dirty, plastic bags are your best friend. Besides just using them for waste disposal, you can place all your dirty laundry in the bag and zip it up, not worrying about them jumbling up or smelling.
So, for a quick primer, here’s how you can store your clothes and other accessories for camping:
| General Clothing | Wardrobe Organizer |
|---|---|
| Pillows / Coats | Vacuum Bag |
| Socks | Shoe Box |
| Accessories / Jewelry | Tote Bag |
| Dirty Clothes | Plastic Waste Bag |
Best Clothing Storage Tips for Camping
From my camping endeavors, I found that there are multiple ways for you to store your clothes. I’ll be listing down a few of my personal favorites. Each of these methods have pros and cons, which I’ll try to signify too!
1. Invest In a Hanging Wardrobe Closet
If you are going camping with a larger group of individuals and have a relatively big tent, a hanging wardrobe closet is great for organizing your clothes.
You’ll be able to take clothes from your suitcase and then neatly hang them in separate containers while placing all your socks and accessories inside easy-to-access pockets.
Plus, if you are worried about wrinkles or don’t want to rummage through endless organization cubes to get to that particular shirt you want to wear today, a hanging closet is your best bet.
2. Use Travel Organizer Bags
Travel organizer bags are an absolute Godsend. They consist of multiple compartments that allow you to place your clothes and accessories in different sections.
With cubes that consist of multiple sizes, you can bifurcate the organizers in your suitcase such that each compartment contains a specific category of clothing.
For instance, I use the following format:
| Sizes | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Small | Socks / Accessories |
| Medium | Shirts (Rolled Up) |
| Large | Pants |
3. Roll, Don’t Fold!
Folding clothes works great when you want to organize your clothing and save time. But, when camping, space is of the essence. This is where the rolling technique comes in.
I’ve been able to smush multiple shirts into the same container, which simply would not have been possible if I just folded them. This technique works with both pants and shirts. I’ve also squeezed a few pairs of socks and even shoes inside the rolls.
However, one apparent caveat is that our clothes wrinkle quite quickly when rolled. So, if you are going to be attending a formal event right after your camping trip, I suggest folding that particular outfit instead.
If you don’t know how to roll your clothes, I recommend learning the army roll.
4. Put Winter Clothes in Vacuum Bags
Winter clothing, while extremely cozy and comfortable, can take up a lot of space. If you are camping somewhere snowy, you might not be able to pack a lot of clothes compared to the amount of space they’ll end up taking.
To aid with that, I recommend using vacuum bags (like this one). With them, you’ll be able to compress all your clothes such that they take up a lot less space and are much easier to pack in more confined spaces.
Another added advantage is that they keep your clothes free of any smells or odors since the air is completely sucked out of them.
List Of Essential Clothes For Camping
I always had a worry about whether I’d packed properly for camping. Therefore, I’ve compiled this checkbox that you can use to ensure you are packed for every occasion that camping may entail:
- Full sleeve and sleeveless shirts
- Pants (preferably Denim) and shorts
- Sunglasses
- Warm and light socks
- Gloves
- Jacket
- Long boots
- Flip flops
- Sun hat
- Raincoat
How to Pack And Organize Your Stuff for a Camping Trip:
Now that I’ve gone through some of the basics, there’s a lot more to cover to ensure your clothes remain organized and clean when on a camping trip.So, here’s how you can handle packing and organizing your things for a camping trip:
Bag First, Clothes Later
When you go camping, take a look at all the storage options you have before you go about and pick your clothes. Oftentimes, you may end up underpacking or overpacking, leading to you either wasting or needing more space.
Bring Lesser Clothes
When I was a beginner at camping, I had a habit of bringing too much clothes which ended up being a pain to pack and unpack. So, when camping, bring only the essentials. A good rule of thumb is to pick one outfit for every day and then bring 1-2 extras.
Stash Your Wet Clothes In Plastic Bags
Wet clothes can be a pain to handle, especially if they’re heavily soiled. Placing them back in your closet or organizer is a recipe for foul odors and smells. To alleviate that, place them in plastic trash bags and zip them up so they don’t leave your entire tent smelly.
Conclusion
A camping trip is easy if you’ve packed all your essentials and stored them in an organized manner. Otherwise, you might be spending half your time trying to find the outfit you wish to wear for the day rather than camping.
I’ve used all the tips I mentioned above and have finally been able to rid myself of the all-consuming stress of packing and storing clothes and can finally feel free when I go out on longer trips.
Happy camping!
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