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We have a couple of tupperware boxes (10ltr) that contain all crockery, cutlery and cooking stuff (including kettle, pans etc) and another that has all the washing up stuff etc - we use this as a washing up bowl on site. We use things like mini graters and whisks (came with an individual capuccino making gift set), camping salt & pepper dispenser, an Avent baby bottle with screw lid (marked down the side) for a measuring jug, small tupperware containers and sealed bags for food and drink items, splash guard with central knob type handle, folding single slice toaster - all of this fits within the 2 tupperware containers...

The bedding (for 3 of us) is all compressed within 1 XL large drybag, saves space and handling. We also have ready packed sample size bottles for our washing kits from superdrug and use UFO lights from Wilkos rather than bulky camping lanterns.

Then for everything else we keep it minimal and choose things with more than one use - eg our folding night toilet which takes up hardly any space doubles as a waste bin (with lid) during the daytime. All our furniture is fairly basic and umbrella style collapsing and we've avoided the need for a camp kitchen etc by getting the Campingaz Kitchen Extra with integal legs and shelf. For the low tent we have the fabric Highlander low/beach chairs and the Gelert backpackers table. We are also going to get one of the Outwell or Kampa folding stools that double as a table.

We do have the bulky Columbia 600 carpet, but to compensate we have the lightweight Vango Adventure Tarp and 1 windbreak that creates a cooking/door shelter for all our tents including the Columbia 600 (no canopy needed).

Basically, I've kept my eyes open over the years for miniature kitchen accessories that can replace full size versions and things that can double up... saves so much space.

Helen

Our Westie had a seat belt and sat on the backseat no problem, although his preferred place was on the floor between the back and front seats. He went to sleep with the vibrations of the car and his head under the seat.

After our son was born until our Westie passed away (only 4 month's later), he shared the back seat with the lie-flat baby carrier - our son and the dog seatbelted into their respective sides of the back seat.

Helen 

(our Westie even had a red life jacket with retrieval handle for when we went canal boating just in case he fell in and we had to fish him out. A really cute sight - lots of Ahhhhs from passing boats - and he thoroughly enjoyed it!)

Quote: Originally posted by Speedcamp on 26/3/2010

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(our Westie even had a red life jacket with retrieval handle for when we went canal boating just in case he fell in and we had to fish him out. A really cute sight - lots of Ahhhhs from passing boats - and he thoroughly enjoyed it!)

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Quote: Originally posted by tentguy on 26/3/2010

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Quote: Originally posted by Speedcamp on 26/3/2010

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(our Westie even had a red life jacket with retrieval handle for when we went canal boating just in case he fell in and we had to fish him out. A really cute sight - lots of Ahhhhs from passing boats - and he thoroughly enjoyed it!)

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Sorry to hijack the topic, but do you recall where you got it from....we're thinking of getting one for our dog (much bigger than a westie, though lol)?

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Here's just one option:

http://www.canineconcepts.co.uk/item--Dog-Life-Jacket--lifejacket

Just type in google - dog lifejacket  and you'll find loads for small and larger dogs. Can't remember the make of ours, but it may still be around somewhere as I doubt that we've got rid of it. Hope some day to get another dog - but life's too hectic at the moment so it wouldn't be fair.

Helen

Thanks everyone for the tips I am going to use some of them.

Unfortuntely I can't leave the husband at home, otherwise I would have no one to put the tent up . The dog is a greyhound so we wouldn't be able to fit a cage in the boot, it would be huge. Also because shes a greyhound she sits funny and therefore I don't think the dog seatbelt would work.

I have managed to collect some free shampoo samples and acquired some sachets of ketchup etc to save a little space. I think the big space taker is that we take the quilt and pillows instead of sleeping bags. We really need to make the switch and i have been trying to sleep with a camping pillow and inflatable pillow to see if i can get used to them.

I think i will try the three piles of defintely-maybe-dont need though, and we will have to be ruthless.

thanks everyone.

Quote: Originally posted by brumb11 on 26/3/2010

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I think the big space taker is that we take the quilt and pillows instead of sleeping bags. We really need to make the switch and i have been trying to sleep with a camping pillow and inflatable pillow to see if i can get used to them.

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We use 2 Vango moon pillows each, but you may want to try either a L/XL drybag for all you bedding and squash out the air or use vacuum bags and suction to get the air out of your bedding. If you have a battery powered airbed pump that sucks as well as blows you can use it to vacuum pack the bedding when you decamp on site. This will cut down on space substantially. I manage to compress all our (winter) bedding for 3 in one XL dry bag, which reduces its size by around half. The vacuum bags will compress it even further. Its saves handling multiple items too when setting up and decamping.

Helen

Quote: Originally posted by Smiledmb on 26/3/2010

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I've just bought these !!! Fab and tiny!!! About the size of ur little finger :)
http://www.dpbolvw.net/click-1428744-10475506?url=http://www.outdoormegastore.co.uk/scripts/sh000001.pl?REFPAGE=http%3a%2f%2fwww%2eoutdoormegastore%2eco%2euk%2facatalog%2fOutdoor_Megastore_Camping_Department_1%2ehtml&WD=salt&SHOP=%20&PN=Easy_Camp_Salt_and_Pepper_Mill%2ehtml%23a4591#a4591

not sure if I've done the link right but they're easy camp salt pepper grinders :) another bit of space freed up towards something else ;)

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lololol...have been looking through this thread HOPING amongst hope to find some handy ideas.. unfortunately, with the amount of us, we have to take full size (and oversize) everything!!

like the idea of the 'cheap' pillows and disposing ! but then when you are buying at least 7 pillows, its not that cheap!

Anything that has at least 2 uses is a space saver.

• Fire bucket doubles as beer cooler
• Picnic blankets double as carpets and ground insulation when sleeping and outside picnic blankets of course.
• The most bizarre double use thought up by the kids. They use my trangia strap as a clip on tail for their game of "pull the tail off the donkey".

In addition we make our own pillows by stuffing clothes in the sleeping bag stuff bags.

me my mum dad two sisters and my brother used to go camping for our 2 week holidays all together in a vauxhall omega and we had a trailer on the back it was wooden and jam packed i think the lid was home made!!!  But it did the job we got all the way from merseyside to devon with it and we had two weeks worth of gear with us!  That was 15 years ago, trailers now are much better so I would get a small trailer very good for space.

BTW we dont all go together now mum and dad upgraded to a caravan!