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Camping

10 Camping Hacks for the Avid Camper

Tent with a hammock set up in Los Padres National Forest, Goleta, United States

Are you someone who loves being in the great outdoors? There are many ways to partake in the greatness that is camping, whether traditional pop-up tent or RV camping is your go-to, we could all use a few hacks here and there while roughing it in the wilderness! Check out these 10 DIY camping hacks to make your outdoor adventures just a little bit easier. Who knows, they may come in handy one day!

  1. Egg carton briquette fire starters– An old cardboard egg carton makes for great fire starter briquette storage! Plus, you’re doing the Earth a favor by recycling that old cardboard.
  2. DIY key flotation device– Create a DIY flotation device with your keys by using an old wine bottle cork! Attach it to your keychain and never worry about your keys floating to the bottom of the lake/river again. Now, if there’s a current, you’ll still have to chase those suckers down- but at least they won’t sink!
  3. DIY bug bite sticks– Make your own DIY anti-itch bug bite sticks for quick relief from those pesky bites we all get while out in the wilderness. To create your own, you’ll need just a few things- calendula infused oil, beeswax, peppermint essential oil, lavender essential oil, tea tree essential oil, and balm tubes. See the full recipe here.
  1. Gallon jug lantern– Turn your headlamp and gallon jug of water into a lantern! Simply attach the headlamp to the jug so that it is pointing into the water and VOILA- DIY lantern. It may not sound like much, but the water really helps to disperse the light.
  2. Gallon jugs as ice– Freeze gallon sized jugs of water to use as ice in your cooler! This gives you more room for storing food/drinks and you can drink the water when they melt. Win-win!
  3. Dry shoes with clothes– If you’ve been hiking all day long and have some water-soaked shoes, you can dry them overnight using clothes! Simply remove the insoles, then place dry, used clothing inside and let them sit overnight. The moisture will spread to the clothes and your shoes will be good as new.
  4. Burn sage– Sage makes for a great mosquito repellent (as well as a great energy cleanser). Add some sage into your already burning campfire and you won’t have to worry about carrying around those chemical bug repellents. Plus, it smells nice!
  5. Single use soap– Create single use soap shavings with a vegetable peeler and a bar of soap. These are great for easy storage and to conserve your soap.
  6. Shower cap shoe covers– Keep the dirt out of your tent/camper by placing your dirty used shoes inside of a shower cap.
  7. Dorito fire starters– Don’t have any decent sticks or fire starters around? But have some Doritos or corn chips? That’ll do the job! Doritos and corn chips make for surprisingly great fire starters.

Now that we’ve given you these amazing (and handy) DIY camping hacks, are you ready to get out there and try them?

Book your next camping adventure with us and start enjoying the great outdoors (and these camping hacks) in no time