Get your Camp On - Part One

Our family is really into camping. We would be out on the road and in parks/forests all the time if our current jobs/obligations allowed for it.

We went on our first camping trip of the season over the weekend. It was also our inaugural trip in "Daisy" - our long awaited camper van. We've been tent campers our entire lives, but in an effort to extend our season (we find ourselves with more time to camp in the shoulder seasons), we decided to invest in a van. She's a beaut:

Camping is a funny thing. At its core, all you need to camp is food, water, and shelter...and yet if you walk into a sporting goods store or gear shop - you will see just how elaborate your set-up can be. If you are new to camping, see what campsites you can find close to home, this can make it feel a bit less intimidating when you know there is the option to pull the parachute as needed...maybe you can even start in your own backyard! If you are looking to get started with the basics, check out our list below:

We aim to keep all of the camping gear in one place at our house...this makes the departure much easier so you aren't running around grabbing things from all over the place. We have two shelves in the garage where we keep all the sleeping bags and pads, tent, tarps, water jugs, and chairs. We have a set of plastic pull out drawers with all the kitchen supplies, and a large storage container houses the miscellaneous stuff. Maybe you can designate a few shelves in a garage or shed as "camping supplies"?

Not sure what to do about food and clothing? Stay tuned for next week!! In the meantime, enjoy the start of the summer and don't forget to get outside!!

Stay Wild and Free,

Michelle