Let’s get this straight, there are two major things you do not want happening on that camping trip you’ve looked forward to. One of them is remembering you forgot to pack essentials much too late, the second is struggling with organizing your camping gear. With the right camping gear storage, you’d eliminate these issues, guaranteeing you never have to worry about these issues.
We’ve been there too! Organizing the perfect camping gear isn’t a breeze for many people and it is easy to get overwhelmed by the many choices available. Not to mention there’s also the possibility of running out of space for all your essentials.
VEVOR camping gear is an absolute lifesaver when managing your outdoor gear storage ideas and expectations. From its envious inventory to mouth-watering quality, these items are truly the best thing for your outdoor adventure.
This guide is tailored to help you understand all there is to know about outdoor gear organization, and how to extend your gear lifespan through proper storage and thorough cleaning.
Table of contents
Understanding Camping Gear Storage Needs
While it may appear tough and built to last, storage is still crucial in getting the most out of your camping gear. This is why understanding the right storage type for your chosen camping gear is very important.
Several components make up a standard camping gear, these include clothing, cookware, shelter, and navigation tools. They require you to draft and maintain an efficient storage plan to maintain peak performance and easy access.
Your backpacks, hydration equipment, electronics, sleeping bags, and boots all need the right storage space when they’re out of use in preparation for the next camping session.
Proper camping gear storage is important to extend each gear’s shelf life, saving you tons of money and trips to the store. In addition to this, with the right camping gear storage, you’d be able to take proper inventory of your gear, declutter your space, and save time digging through unorganized camping gear.
It’s undeniable that organizing outdoor gear isn’t exactly fun, especially for first-timers, but it is absolutely worth it, and the pros outweigh the cons. Read on for more outdoor gear storage ideas.
The Essentials of Organizing Camping Gear
This section unlocks the ABCs of organizing camping gear. You’d get intimated on how to sort and categorize your items the right way and maintain them properly.
Sorting and Categorizing Your Equipment
Proper sorting and categorizing of camping gear is the first step to an excellent camping experience. Sorting begins with getting everything out of your storage and arranging in sections. You may choose to divide them into two categories first and then smaller piles. Here’s how to go about this.
Tip #1:
- Get out your camp kitchen utensils, and water filtration system and place them together
- your clothing items should also be grouped into another
- camp furniture should also be placed together.
By following this recommended step, you get a clear picture of the type of gear you have and get to know the right storage type for your trip.
Tip #2: Resist the urge to attach sentiments to items during the organizing process of your camping gear. This will only weigh you and your vehicle down, so resist the urge to pack three of everything. Also, do not be afraid to leave not-so-essential items at home, no matter how much of a hoarder you are.
Best Practices in Cleaning and Maintenance Before Storage
The next step towards ensuring the best camping gear storage is following our recommended cleaning practices.
- You’d want to start by cleaning your chosen gear storage. This ensures you don’t have to worry about cleaning your gears again because they have come into contact with a dirty surface, grease, or a damp spot.
- In addition to this, wipe out your bins and tubs, storage boxes, cupboards, and shelves with cleaning solutions and leave them to air dry so moths won’t feast on your gear. You can also throw a few packets of desiccants into your storage bin to curb moisture.
- After this is done, proceed to clean your camping gear, ensuring it is completely dry and keeping items like tents, foldable chairs, and stoves loose to reduce tension and bending of sensitive parts.
Step-by-Step Guide to Packing Your Camping Gear
Organizing outdoor gear appropriately is the first step towards having a great time outdoors, so pay close attention to all the details in this section. They’ll come in handy.
Choosing the Right Containers and Bags
The right containers and bags are important during outdoor gear organization. They are essential for safety and easy access to your items. We’ve curated some ideas on how to choose the right bags to store your items.
#1: Try getting a few square storage bins to prevent dirt from coming into contact with your tent, tarps, kitchenware, sleeping items, and other clothes. Ventilated boxes are great for this purpose, as airtight containers can lead to high humidity and ruin your stuff either way.
Storage bins with lids will keep water, loose particles, and moths away from your apparel, so get a few and make sure they fit inside your storage space and your car. A recommended personal pro tip is to stick to clear storage bins and tubs so you can spot their content easily and save time.
#2: A laundry basket is another trusted partner for gear storage, and keeping your poles, filming tripods, oars, skis, and other items you mostly use for outdoor activities. VEVOR laundry baskets are tall and durable enough to withstand the weight of these items and can stay outdoors for a very long time.
#3: Keep things fun and packed with stuff sacks and dry bags, especially if you’re not so generous with storage space. You can fit your heavy gear and essential items like first aid tools and toiletries into these dry bags, which prevent water from touching sensitive stuff.
#4: Organize your camping gear in color codes to help you find them much later when you need them, especially if you’re the type to have planned for a trip weeks or months earlier (which we duly recommend, by the way). A color-coded system is the way to go if you’re passionate about organizing and getting flawless results.
Efficient Packing Techniques
As much as you want to pack everything you need, you also want to maximize available space, and the goal is to stack your items facing upward instead of keeping them on a flat line. This way, you can fit 2 to 3 items in a space you’ll typically use for just one.
- Storing camping gear on shelves is a brilliant way to save space. You can clear out your garage or a spare room indoors, especially for your sleeping bags, and get shelves already made at the store for great gear storage.
Keep the heavier gears on the bottom layer of yourself as they’re the heaviest; the lighter gears should stay on your middle layer as they don’t hold so much weight, and the rarely used items should stay on the first layer of your shelf.
Ensure they’re items you don’t use much, as you don’t want to use a ladder every time you need to get something.
- Another great technique for organizing camping gear is hanging your camping clothes instead of throwing them in a container or stacking them in a corner.
Hang your base layers (the lightest clothing) on the left and keep the heavier stuff (jackets) on the right. You can also find a hanging space for your backpacks; just pack loads of hangers for this process. Hanging ensures that your wears also get proper ventilation, so you won’t have to worry about mold.
You can also utilize the stitching loop or the tag on the neck of your jacket. Simply loop it through the top section of your hanger, leaving out the shoulder. This is your cue to opt for thicker hangers, as you’ll be dealing with bulky outfits.
- If you run out of hanging space for your clothes, you can get creative by stacking them by the seasons. Label them for easier reach, and keep them containers close to the gears you will be using the most for the period. Some smaller gears—like tent pins, hammers, screwdrivers, and the rest—can also fit into these storage pins.
- Pegboards are one of the best storage ideas for vertical spaces, and they can hold your sleeping bags, small tents, and gear in place.
All you need is to make a frame on the back of a pegboard with two-by-two-inch wood strips for your pegboard to sit off the wall. VEVOR pegboards have sturdy hooks to hold your tools in place and ensure organized camping gear storage.
Pro Tips to Enhance Gear Longevity
In any scenario, camping gear is a pretty serious investment, so longevity is an important aspect of its usage and storage. Trust me, no one wants to purchase camping gear every year or every time they need to go camping outdoors.
- Issues like mold, rust, and wear and tear during storage are camping gear’s biggest enemies. You can prevent these by ensuring your gear storage is cleaned and completely dry, especially if you’ll be storing it for a really long time.
- To prevent items in your gear from rusting or forming mold, you can store them under your bed at home, in a spacious garage, in your closet, or in any decently cool yet dry area.
- Attics, basements, or car trunks are not your friends for storage. Apart from getting damp and hot, they can also cramp up your camping gear, thus causing it to lose structure and decline in quality.
Creative Hacks for Camping Gear Storage
If the items listed above are too fancy for you, you can get innovative with random household items and turn them into excellent gear storage facilities to add to your camping gear. You can repurpose your shoe hangers as a vertical storage pocket for small items like headlamps, sunglasses, battery packs, screws, nails, and much more.
If your closet is full, a laundry bag can be the perfect storage space for your sleeping bag. Put it loosely in a large, breathable, or mesh bag and keep it in a cool, dry place. If you no longer have space to hang your camp clothes and other hangable camping gear, use curtain rods or steel pipe as extra hangers.
Conclusion
Effective outdoor gear storage ideas offer great comfort and functionality while outdoors, ensuring you and your loved ones have every essential item within reach.
You can have the weekend of your dreams in the woods or wherever with your family and friends. Explore VEVOR’s efficient range of camping gear that will ensure you stay protected and proactive and no longer have to worry about how to organize camping gear.But talk is cheap. Walk into a supply store near you and get started on how to store camping gear and get the most suitable range for you, or do all the buying from VEVOR’s website today!
