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Mt St. Helens

OK, so we have learned a few things over the years. A lot of people don’t camp (or sometimes stop camping) because of the preparation involved. So take a look at this, read through, and see if it doesn’t help you with some preparation. If you are super organized, and have some things to add in the comment section to this BY ALL MEANS, PLEASE DO. I have learned a lot, but there are people out there who have camped a lot more than I have and I am always open to new ideas. And by sharing your ideas you may just encourage some one to go for it, and get out into the great outdoors.

 

At the end of this article I am going to add my camping file that I use to keep me organized. So feel free to copy and print, or just use the template to do your own. Believe me, I’m sure there are some things on my list that you won’t need to worry about…….like worming the goats. Ha ha!

 

 

My file is divided into 7 sections:

 

Camping Menu

Food List (things to pack into the coolers and grocery bags)

Kitchen List (there are a few things I have to take with me from the kitchen)

Don’t Forget List

Things To Do List

Hubby’s “Honey Do” List

Grocery List

 

1. About a month ahead I pull up the files and do any necessary updating to the lists.
2. I then decide what we are going to be having for our breakfasts, lunch, dinners, desserts, and snacks.
3. I make a grocery list
4. Tweak “Honey Do” List for Sweet Hubby
5. I go over my things to do list and tweak accordingly
6. Print the whole file and attach it to my clipboard
7. GET CRACKIN!!

 

My beautiful Beaver Bay.......

One of the things on my “Things To Do” list is that a couple of weeks ahead of time I start saving the empty milk jugs after we drink the milk. I wash them out well, fill them with filtered drinking water, and then freeze them. I use two per cooler to not only keep our food cold, but provide us with enough clean drinking water since the drinking water at the campground isn’t very good. This also saves us money that would be spent on ice.

 

I also label my coolers with the day, and then pack all the things I need for that day into that cooler. It helps the kids (and the hubby) find what they need without opening all the coolers and /or leaving them open. The fastest way to have your food go bad is people searching through all the coolers constantly.

 

The Kiddos

 

When day number one cooler is empty, I take one frozen milk jug and set it on the table for the kids to use (nice cold water-gotta keep the kiddos hydrated) and put the other one in the cooler that is marked for the last day of the camping trip, because that cooler will need the extra cooling since it will have to stay cold the longest.

 

You can also pick up extra stuff at goodwill or other thrift stores (plates, cups, bowls, mugs etc.), and all your kitchen supplies and pack them into rubbermaid totes so that a lot of your stuff is already pre-packed and ready to go. We just pull ours out, double check our supplies in it, and make sure that we have everything we need. Whatever we don’t have, we add to the grocery list. However we do try to make sure that when we get home from a trip, we check and re-stock supplies, and make sure everything is clean. Having all those items prepacked saves so much time. I will also include a list here of what we have in our rubbermaid totes that STAYS in the totes.

 

List for Rubbermaid Totes

 

Fry Pans Pots Mixing Bowls/Lids Plates Plastic Glasses Mugs Bowls Flatware Cutting Board Platter

Napkins Hand Sanitizer Lighters Plastic Storage Bags Clorox Wipes Towels/Dishrags SOS Pads Dish Scrubber Plastic Cont. w/lid 4 grease   Plastic Grocery Sacks Clothesline Clothespins

Salt & Pepper Nature’s Seasoning

Pancake Turner Steak Knives Wooden Spoons Grater Wisk Bottle Opener Can Opener Basting Brush Butcher Knife Paring Knife Peeler Rubber Spatula Ladle Serving spoon Measuring Cups/Spoons

 

Our friends that we camp with also try to at the end of the season, buy things they need for the following year. Not only does it mean they have it ready to go, but they get a great price on it because it is the end of the season.

 

I also make reservations for our animals so they can be boarded at the vets while we are gone. I do this a couple of months in advance so I can be sure I get the time I want. Summer is a tricky time to get reservations, so we plan ahead. This is also the time of year that our animals get their yearly tune-up. Shots, worming, exam, teeth cleaned, nails clipped (since they’re there). They come home in top shape, and REALLY happy to see us. (Insert big grin here…..)

 

We also make sure we have plenty of medical supplies, and more than we think we’ll need. There was one year where several of us got hurt, and there have been years that none of us got hurt. One thing we were discussing adding to our medical supplies though is an epi-pen, the injection pen that is for allergic reactions. Since we are out in the boonies, and away from a hospital, it makes sense to have one since an allergic reaction can come on hard and fast, and they can be deadly. We also make sure we have plenty of gas in the car so that if we have to hot foot it to town fast because of a medical emergency, we don’t have to worry about stopping.

 

I also makes sure that all my work stuff is caught up, bills are paid, financial aid stuff is DONE. Otherwise I find it harder to relax when I think of what all I have to do the minute I get home. Yucky.

 

Maybe it sounds silly to be so prepared, but it makes it much more relaxing for me.

 

We also double check the “Don’t Forget” list right before we walk out the door. We have almost walked out the door without swimsuits that were washed the day before and hung up to dry, or medications that needed to be taken that morning, and then didn’t get packed.

 

So that’s it from my side of the fence neighbor!! If you have something to add, I would really appreciate it.

 

 

Here is a copy of my files, put together into one document.

 

There are times you just have to get away. I am linking up to A Beach Cottage “Good Life Wednesday”, great befores and afters, flowers, bits and snatches of beauty, taking time out to reconnect to family and the great outdoors! Let’s get back to the good life!

http://www.abeachcottage.com/2011/02/beach-cottage-good-life-wednesdays.html

Go check it out!

 

Camping Info

 

Menu

Monday

Lunch                        Dinner

Sandwiches          Burgers

Carrot Sticks       Chips

                                Salad

Snacks: Chips-Muffins-Granola bars

 

Tuesday

Breakfast                       Lunch                                                     Dinner

Eggs/cheese                 Sandwiches                                         Porkchops

Bacon                              Yoghurt                                                 Potatos

                                            Chips                                                         Salad

 

Snacks: Cookies-smores-yoghurt

 

Wednesday

Breakfast                     Lunch                                                     Dinner

Bacon                            Sandwiches                                         Steaks/Hot Dogs

French Toast               Carrot Sticks                                        Broccoli

                                           Yoghurt                                             Fruit Salad

 

Thursday Breakfast

Cereal

 

PS On the above menu, I couldn’t get the file to transfer with the nice vertical lines I had, so just pretend. OK? OK.

 

Food List

Coffee	Bread-4	Carrots-2	Chips
Hot Chocolate	Lunchmeat	Bananas	Ham. Buns
Milk	Cheese	Apples	Hot. Buns
Juice	Shredded Cheese	Grapes
Tea	Eggs-2 dozen	Salad-3	Mayo
Bacon	Yoghurt	Cranberries	Ketchup
Ham. Patties	Peanut Butter	Potatos	Mustard
Porkchops	Jam	Broccoli	Chocolate
Steaks	Cereal	Granola Bars	Marshmellows
Hot Dogs	Muffins	Graham Crackers	Basil
Natures Seasoning	Olive Oil	Lemon & Garlic	Salt & Pepper
Pam	Sugar	Syrup	Butter
Cinnamon	Vanilla	Marinade

 

 

Kitchen Supplies

Dishpans-2	Tongs?	Dish Towels	Paper Towels
SOS Pad	Sm Pot	Dish Soap	Grease Containers
Big Pot	Water Filter	Napkins	Lighter
Mugs	Syrup Container	Bottle Opener
Clothes Pins	Sm Juice Pitcher	Can Opener
Tin Foil	Butter Container	Pancake Turner
Sm Canner	Plastic Storage Bags	Big KNife
Irish Toast Corningware	Spatula	Wooden Spoon
	Hand Sanitizer	Serated Knife
	Rubber Gloves	Paring Knife?
	Plastic Grocery Bags	French Press
	Funnel	Zip Bags

 

 

Don’t Forget List

Cell Phone Charger	Tylenol	Inhaler	Sunscreen
	Ibuprofen	Cough Drops	Drinking Water (not fr)
Magazine	Allergy Meds	Cough Medicine	Blankets
Flashlights	Thyroid Meds	Kids Medicine	Water Floaties
Ins. Cards/Purse	Pain Meds	Band Aids	Medical Books
Walkie Talkies	Notebook/Bible/Journal	Pillows	Warm Coats
Batteries (WT & lights)	Sleeping bags	Towels	Hydrogen Peroxide
Air Mattress	Camera	Water Bottles	Antibiotic Ointment
Garbage Bags	Bug Spray	D’s Meds	Cortizone Cream
Swimsuits/Life Jackets	Fun Bag	Clorox Wipes	Water Socks
Razor	Water bottle	Broom/Dustpan
Baseball Cap	Kleenex Box	Nail Brush
Camp Chairs		Toothpaste /Brush
Table	Aloe gel	Campho Phenique
Phone Book	Clipboard	First Aid Supplies

 

 

 

To Do List

 

Make Vet Reservations

 

Costco Shopping

 

Winco Shopping

 

Check Horse, Goat, and Chicken supplies

 

Worm Horse & Goats

 

Dukies Shots

 

Wilco

 

Bank

 

Stalls

 

Financial Aid Papers

 

Check Camping Boxes

 

Animal Schedule

 

 

Sweet Hubby’s List

Take Vehicle to mechanic

Oil Change

Look Over

 

Fill Propane Tanks

 

Pull Out & Check Camping Gear

 

Check out Utility Trailer

Wash and/or sweep out

Check Lights

 

Wash Vehicle

 

Check Emergency Roadkit

 

Load Up Wood

 

Fill Vehicle with Gas (night before)

 

 

Grocery List

 

 

 

 

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