Message Forums

Have a flask of boiling water handy, along with your teabags/coffee milk, then you can have a cuppa before you start setting up, or half way through.

Make list of the things you need, and that way you can tick them off as you pack them.

Make sure that you have some food for that night's meal and the next day's breakfast - espcially if you have kids, as it saves the worry of finding an open shop when you arrive.

a tent first aid kit.......tenacious tape.....we punctured our SIG years ago and the water oozed through........saved by the tenacious tape a neighbour gave us.

Always put the tent / footprint / mallet so you can get it out first......nothing like unpacking the whole car for a mallet in a downpour to cause the first row of the trip

Pack the tent towards the rear of the vehicle (along with mallet as mentioned) so you don't have to bother unpacking the entire car when you set up.

If space is tight when packing, don't bother taking food with you, buy it all when you get there, as and when you need it. Most campsite supermarkets are not too expensive, and even if there is not an on-site shop, most places have a supermarket/shop not too far away.

REMEMBER THE TOILET ROLL!!!!

My son hasn't stopped teasing me since our last trip... we had a new camping toilet to save trips to the loo - but I forgot the toilet roll!

Tesco value baby wipes are very cheap and excellent for a quick hand/face wipe.

If you want to go away at the drop of a hat and dont want to spend all the time scrabbling round the house for cutlery, plates, kitchen, utensils etc Store it all in some plastic draw unit similar to this.

http://www.tkqlhce.com/click-1428744-10294381?url=http://www.argos.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10001&catalogId=1500001501&productId=1500372003&langId=-1&engine=froogle&keyword=Argos+Value+3+Drawer+Slim+Tower+-+White

You can buy double of the stuff (even just tesco value) you need then just take it out when you want to go. We store spare gas canisters in their for the lamp and also all our pots and pans. You have it all neatly packed away when you get there and also when you get back. This has saved huge amounts of time and space in the car!