1. Consider Your Sleeping Arrangements
When you choose what to pack for a camping trip, start with sleeping arrangements. You'll need a tent you can pitch easily, or a camping trailer. Bring along a sleeping bag, sleeping pad, pillow and a ground cloth. Shelter and sleeping supplies usually take up most of the room when packing, but they're also the easiest part of packing for camping.
2. Pack to Cook
For cooking, you'll need fire-starting equipment, such as matches or a lighter. Bringing your own tinder may also help you start a fire. You'll also need pots and pans, a grill, a stove, fuel, a utility knife and can-opener. Also, you'll need something to eat your food with, so plates, forks, spoons and cups are must-haves. You'll need water and something to hold your water in unless you're camping where you'll find your own water. In this case, you'll need to boil it with iodine tablets or a water filtration system. You'll also need food that everyone wants to eat. Canned food is the easiest to cook, but also bring crackers, bread and trail mix for everyone to snack on. Don't forget to bring drinks if people don't want to drink water.
3. Be Safe and Have Fun
You'll need more than cooking and sleeping materials. You'll need stuff to do like books, games, magazines and equipment. You'll also need chairs for sitting in the evenings, tools for putting up your tent and light sources such as candles, flashlights and lanterns. Don't forget a first aid kit with bandages, antibacterial ointment, aloe, insect repellent, sunblock, alcohol, a snake-bit kit, gauze and ice packs. Make sure you pack toiletries such as toilet paper, toothbrushes, shampoos, soap and hair brushes depending on how much you're planning on roughing it. You'll also need clothes for everyone in your party. If you're traveling with kids, bring extra clothes. Plan on layering clothes in the evenings to stay warm.
4. Organize Your Equipment
If you go hiking, or set up and break down your camp sites, you'll need to organize carefully. Consider using giant containers for your cooking implements to keep them separate from your living equipment. Make sure your tent equipment is easy to find and stays separate from everything else.
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