You know it’s inevitable – after the anticipation of planning the trip, the date finally arrives bringing with it the reality of loading the car! Hopefully, it will all be part of the excitement, but just in case the enthusiasm is starting to wane as the available space doesn’t seem to be enough for your kit, here are a few ideas to help make packing a little easier.
- A camping trip away means packing the car with everything you need for your highly anticipated break.
- The amount of kit might feel like too much for the room available
- Following these tips for packing the car should help you fit in more than you think.
If the tent takes up a great deal of space which, if it’s a family or friends trip, or it’s for a longer holiday it’s likely to, you’ll need some spacial creativity.
From a comfort perspective, it’s probably not ideal to fill the passenger spaces with items and you need to make sure that you’re not overloading the car, so how should you load up?
- Make a list of what you need and plan the order you’ll need them in, ticking them off as you pack them.
- Load the things that you’ll want to get out first, last (think kettle, mugs, teabags and biscuits…).
- Use a screen, nets, or straps to secure heavier items such as gas cylinders or stoves and try and put them over the wheels to keep the car balanced.
- If you’re buying new kit to take with you, consider collapsible or space-saving options (chairs, camping tables, kitchen equipment), or even invest in collapsible storage boxes to keep groups of items together.
- Utilise the glove compartments and side pockets but try not to fit items in around the passengers as they can cause injury in a collision or emergency stop if they’re projected around the car’s interior.
- Many modern don’t have spare wheels as they are fitted with run flat tyres but if you have a full size or space saver spare or make sure they’re easy to get to (this is where being able to lift out plastic storage boxes is a bonus) as well as the tools and jack.
- Finally, although don’t overload your car goes without saying, it’s always tempting to squeeze more in ‘just in case’ so try really hard not to overpack. The chances are you won’t need those ‘just in case’ items anyway and whatever they are, they’re likely to be pretty easily available.
And in the end, if you just don’t have room yet you can’t do without it, there’s always the option of a roof box…