8 Camping Hacks to Enhance Your Camp Experience

I have never been a light traveller, I love organisation and I hate feeling like I haven’t got the things I need with me. Unless you’re trekking and wild camping I truly think that just because you’re living in a tent you don’t have to battle with plastic sporks and inflatable pillows (don’t do it). It’s amazing what you can fit into a small space and there are a few things you can take with your that enhance your experience and just make things a whole lot easier!

Sometimes I camp for a week or two weeks at a time and along the way I’ve discovered some hacks that will just make camp life that little more convenient or add a touch of luxury. There is no shame in that!

Dr Bronner’s Magic Soap

Every camper should have a bottle or two of this on hand! It goes so far - a mini bottle will last me at least 2 weeks. Use it to wash hands, to wash clothes, to wash your face, as a dish rinser, mouthwash, a paw wash for dogs and anything else you might think of. It’s made of completely non toxic ingredients which is especially important in campsites using basic drainage systems. All the Dr Bronner products are socially and environmentally responsible. It’s a no brainer - in fact welcome them into your every day life, I use the soap as hand wash and it never dries my hands out!

Hozelock Portable Shower

You realise how much your wash your hands at home when you have to walk over to a tap to do it every time. I couldn't live without this now - I keep it at the side of the tent and use it to rinse hands, cutlery, crockery and pans as well as to wash my face. It saves the use for wet wipes which are terrible for the environment, even the eco ones. The PortaShower holds 5l water and can take hot water too. You pump air into it which makes it pressured.

A Clothes Rail

I know, I know, but honestly, having a clothes rail makes things SO much easier. No more rummaging around in your bag for that top, or having to shake out a couple of earwigs from your cosy jumper. This £10 rail from Argos clicks together and apart, takes hardly any room up disassembled and add hangers - my faves are these Muji ones - and you have a super useful set up. It’s not the most eco friendly of purchases but it’s been on 4 trips with me and still going strong.

AttireCare

I am so in love with these products. A spray of their Prima will keep your clothes fresh and not needing a wash (unless covered in mud of course) for your trip - it contains anti microbial agents, is non toxic and smells subtly divine (a real earthy, woody scent). I like to decant some into a mini spray bottle - again I love Muji for these - and when I take my clothes off and get into my warm evening clothes I give them a spray and hang them up. They are then fresh to wear again the next day - let’s face it we all ending up wearing one outfit for the duration of a camping trip anyway!

A She Wee

This little contraption is game changing! Ever needed a pee in the night and had to lose your heat while you unzip a wet tent and run cross a campsite to go to the loo. No more! One of these female urinals means you can go in a jug and empty it out in the morning, you’ve got your Portashower to rinse it out, no-one need know 😀 Have fun with the illustrations that show how to use these! I haven’t linked to one here as I don’t want to endorse any one company but if you search for ‘female urinal’ you’ll get lots of options.

Sleepy Head Set

On a recent shoot with SevenSeventeen they gave me a set of their eye mask and Drift Away pillow spray to take with me and it was so wonderful to have them. An eye mask is important if you don’t want to be woken by the morning light super early and these beautiful soft masks are made of organic cotton. The spray is delightful for a touch of sleepy luxury to go to bed with each evening, even Monty liked it! SevenSeventeen donate 10% of all profits to a mental charity which is the kinda business model I can get down with. Find the set here.

Muji Travel

I LOVE a visit to Muji. Every time I work in London I pop by - it’s my kinda heaven. Their cosmetic cases and travel pouches make for great camping companions. My toiletries all live in a hanging case with everything in their refill bottles - I find they last exactly two weeks in these bottles. Then I have a cosmetics pouch for washing up, cloths tucked in the side pouch, sponges and a brush in the middle with washing up liquid and sanitiser spray also in their refillable bottles. Finally, I use another cosmetics pouch for kitchen utensils - including this knife, Muji’s very useful scissors and peelers etc.

The Rok Espresso

Now this one comes with a poodle emoticon 🐩 If you are a coffee fan, like I, you’ll be wondering how you’ll get your decent coffee fix on the road. Well, I have used and loved my ROK Espresso for years - it makes a wonderful, strong espresso that can have water or milk added to. Using pure human power by lifting the arms and creating a vacuum, a creamy coffee with a lovely crema appears like magic. It doesn’t use any electricity so perfect fr on the road. Read more about the ROK in this very old post.

Do you have any camping essentials you couldn’t live without for tent or van life? Let us know below 👇🏻