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I still feel pretty new to this camping malarky - well as a camping "grown up" anyway. We keep ending up with a car fit to burst that is so disorganised and stressful and I can never find anything. I blame OH for rushing me... and insisting on "packing" the car.

We have a vauxhall vectra hatchback and there are 3 of us (me, OH and DD who is 2) with a baby on the way. We have:

our clothes and toiletries (not excessive) in 2 hiking backpacks which compress a bit

the tent (takes up quite a bit of space)

sleeping bags

air beds

camping chairs

folding table

waterproofs, wellies etc.

camping stove, 4 plastic plates and 4 bowls and 4 cups (we're not hot drink people) 

I'm guessing all that is pretty normal but I'm not really sure what's the best way to store water - do you take lots of little bottles or a big bottle, or have a large container? How do you keep it cool/cold? Last time OH just bought a big mulitpack of mineral water which I thought seemed a bit silly but didn't really have any better ideas

And also food - I've read the food thread so I know the quantities vary but what do you take it in? We do have a hard cool box but it's rather bulky.

Also do people take normal washing up bowls from home and large washing up liquid or are there space saving ideas there?

I might just have to really annoy OH for our next trip by standing over him as he packs the car (I'd do it myself but I'll be heavily pregnant so not allowed!) because I think he has the tendency to just shove stuff in wherever.

I'm sure there are more things that I'm confsued about but I have fuzz brain at the moment so I'll leave it at that!

I've collected sample size bottles of all sorts of things including washing up liquid(dates back about 10 years or so - just keep refilling it). Superdrug do loads for shampoos, deadorants etc... I have found tiny graters and wisks (supposedly for cappuchinos) and use a baby bottle with liquid measures on the side etc as a measuring jug. Its a challenge to find compact versions of most things - and its not something you can do instantly. You just spot things over time. We use nesting saucepans and pack all our cooking, crockery, etc in a couple of 10litre tupperware boxes. We use a tupperware box with lid as a washing bowl and carry plastic bags, tea-towels, sponges, liquid etc in it and then put these into the pockets in the tent to release the box for washing up.

We have two hard cool boxes - one for cold stuff and one for package stuff, bread, veg, etc that animals would otherwise sniff out. These have a set place in the car when packing (footwells) and were chosen to fit. If we need more, we use fabric cool bags for food rather than boxes. My OH won't let me pack above the parcel shelf in the boot, so its compact packing throughout. We have two pull-along crates that have to house all the smaller stuff including the tupperware boxes- so we have a folding toilet (that doubles as a waste bin during the day), a folding bucket, a small camping dustpan and brush, use UFO LED lights rather than lanterns... If I need to add to the camping gear, I have to be creative and find things with a double purpose and collapsable or small that will fit within these crates. These crates are just transfered from the storage hatch, to car, to tent and items are only taken out when used.

Bigger items are kept to a minimum - we have the Campingaz Kitchen Extra stove with its integral stand to avoid a kitchen unit, a roll-up alu table, umbrella style chairs and airbeds (and that is it). Bedding goes into dry bag/compression bags.

Packing the car is a case of putting what you need first most accessible, using every inch of space, keeping things to a minimum and planning your items relative to the space. There is a temptation to take more than you need or to add a roof box or trailer... With a modern large tent, plus carpet and canopy and all the extras its hard to manage without. We have been camping with a small tent for a week in a mini and could do it again, but we'd have to be selective what we took. We've also avoided the temptation to buy a canopy for our tents, using the tiny Vango Adventure tarp instead.

Helen

You could save a bit of space by taking crocs instead of wellies - they do let water in but they let it out just as fast and can act as both wet and dry weather shoes. Waterproofs should be pac-a-macs then they don't take up much space.

I have a collapsible water container (need a new one as its just sprung a leak) which we fill on site. Lasts about a day. I do have a much bigger harder one but I can't fit it in so easily.

As for food - I have a small cooler which fits between the kids car seats. I put food in there for the first day or so. Tea powder goes under the seats. WUL - take a full bottle but one of the smaller flatter ones as they don't take up much room. We take a washing up bowl which goes on the floor in front of one of the boys with a bucket (called Billy) in it which has pots and pans, tea towels and sponges shoved in it as well and plastic bags for shopping underneath

Ah yes I still need to get pots and pans... we've previously been away with people that we shared them with. No idea where to start with them!

I have the campingaz grill and double burner (can't remember the proper name) but i didn't splash out on the full frame which I'm now regretting  as I currently have no suitable table (ours is plastic - not good!) and I can't imagine squatting to cook with our little terror running around... I'll get OH to do as much as possible, he's pretty good to be fair.

Hmm I don't actually own any crocs... may look into getting some. I know they'd be handy for DD. Which reminds me, my wellies have sprung a leak, sad times!

Pac-a-macs are also a good idea, I've been using my berghaus 3 in 1 and its so bulky - great for colder weather just not sure I'll need it in July! I'm a generally cold person though so might need the warmth at night times...

Once my exams are over I'll start collecting bits and bobs then hopefully I can become a super packer extraordinaire like you kind folk! Thanks very much for all the advice so far, it's much appreciated,

Phoebe

Lose the rucksacks unless hiking.  Pretty but not practical.  Bin bags for clothes take up little room and will  squash into corners.  At the moment sounds like OH has the right idea, if there's a gap fill it. 

You need to think about the packing and how you will get everything in as when you take the new  young  'un, your kit will treble and you will have less room.