There are 15,466 official campgrounds and RV parks in the US, but there are countless other private areas and opportunities for those looking to veer from the beaten path. Whether you’re looking for a place to pitch your tent for the night or prefer to travel by RV and spend your days doing extreme outdoor activities, learning how to store your gear like a pro is important. In doing so, you’ll keep everything in great condition and make it easier for you to pack your bag, hit the road, and find your next adventure. To help, we’ve put together a short guide on camping gear storage solutions for outdoor adventurists.
How to Prepare Camping Gear for Storage
Spending time outdoors can be extremely refreshing, but it’s often quite messy. As any outdoor or camping fanatic knows, this is part of the experience. But that doesn’t mean you should forgo cleaning and organization. To keep your camping equipment and outdoor gear in the best condition, you should do a few things to prepare for storage. After every trip, take the time to:
Clean and De-Grime Everything
The first step is to thoroughly clean and dry all of your gear. When you’re camping or doing any type of outdoor activity, dirt can easily build up and get into the small crevices of equipment. However, camping storage preparation requires you to clean these areas or else deal with expensive repairs and replacements down the line. Putting away dirty or grimy equipment can lead to rust. It can also harden, making things difficult to open or maneuver the next time you use it. This, in turn, increases the risk of damage. Clean things according to their manufacturer’s instructions. Then, make sure everything has time to completely dry before you store it. This will reduce the risk of mold and mildew and ensure that your belongings are ready to go when needed.
Put Things Into Categories
Organizing your gear into categories will help ensure that you’re able to find everything you need for your next camping trip. Some ways to organize include by activity (e.g., hiking, kayaking, climbing) or by identifying core gear (e.g., sleeping, safety, bags, kitchen). You can also organize even further if you need different essentials for each activity. There’s no 100% right way, so try to learn how to organize in a way that works best for you.
Declutter Unnecessary Gear
How often have you packed your bag with items you think you’ll need, only never to take them out? Any avid hiker knows that even smaller items can take up a lot of space when combined. Plus, everything you don’t need is an extra lb. added to your pack. So, when you’re ready to store things, consider putting aside those unused items.
Make a Trip-Ready Bag to Set Aside
If you’re an outdoor enthusiast who loves spontaneity, consider making a small day-pack or multi-day pack with your essentials. This way, you’ll be able to easily grab it and head out for some outdoor activities without wasting time digging through your complete inventory. Keep things like a first aid kit, mug, soap, utensils, a sleeping bag, and any other necessities in your bag for easy retrieval.
Tips to Keep Your Camping Gear in Good Condition
Each item requires unique care to avoid damage and elongate its lifespan. Even the most durable equipment can be prematurely worn down by improper care. Every category of items will be unique regarding storage best practices, so always check with the manufacturer’s recommendations and guidelines. Tents, sleeping bags, folding chairs, and cooking gear require specific handling. Although cleaning hiking boots and backpacks may seem like an unnecessary step, doing so will help you maximize longevity and get the most out of your purchases. When in doubt, store your camping gear in climate-controlled areas for the best long-term care.
Camping Gear Storage Solutions to Consider
Once you’ve gone through the preparations and understood the specifics of all of your camping stuff, you’re ready to explore your storage options. It’s best to store things in climate-controlled areas, but some items can be placed in the garage or attic if you live in certain areas.
Evaluate Your Storage Space at Home
Before stressing out about camping gear storage ideas, evaluate the space you have at home. While not everyone has the room to store kayaks, camping chairs, and tents, you may have enough space for a trip-ready bag or some essentials for short, day trips. These can usually fit in a closet or under your bed, so your gear storage at home won’t take up too much space. You can also rotate seasonal storage from your home to a self-storage facility to help you maximize your living area.
Choose the Right Storage Containers
Storage bins are great for keeping sleeping gear inside, but they can also be used for items like your camp kitchen and repellents. Just make sure to separate bins based on the interior to avoid cross-contamination or damage from the chemicals. If you have specific toiletries that you bring on your trips, get a smaller container and keep it inside so the ingredients remain stable and aren’t affected by changing temperatures or humidity.
Keep Like Things Together
Ideally, try to keep similar gear together. You’ll save time looking for things and also help ensure that climbing clips or hiking poles don’t damage certain, more sensitive materials. Bins are perfect for this and can be bought in different sizes to accommodate the varying amounts of each item. To make storage and transport easier, you may want to look at a carrying bag for long items like trekking poles, oars, and more.
Label Everything
Regardless of the containers you use, always make sure to label things. This storage tip can be applied in any situation, including smaller totes or bags you bring on your trip. Keeping things organized while on the trail is one of the best ways to keep you safe and make your packing more efficient.
Keep Dangerous Items Out of Reach from Children
Kitchen fuel, propane, medicines, and repellents should all be kept out of reach of children. If you have any other dangerous items, such as knives or sharp objects, these should also be safely stored or locked away. You may also want to consider keeping flashlights with batteries out of reach of children, depending on their age.
Store Things Inside of Backpacks
Another great storage hack is to store things inside of your backpacks. Fill them up with sleeping bags or towels, then place a desiccant packet inside to keep things fresh. You could create a backpack with interior storage based on the activity or use a bigger backpack to store off-season clothes and equipment. Just make sure that you don’t overstuff the bags, as this can lead to damage. When you have your backpacks filled, put them in your self-storage unit or store them somewhere easily accessible within your home.
Store Camping Gear in a Storage Facility
Store your equipment in a nearby self-storage facility to help you keep everything organized without using the valuable space in your home. A storage unit gives you plenty of space to keep your things with the added luxury of safety and protection. To find the right facility, make sure you look at sizing options and whether they have climate-controlled units. Although sleeping pads, tent poles, and chairs can brave the elements when you’re in the wilderness, they should be kept in a stable, dry place when not in use.
To ensure your adventure gear stays in good condition while not in use, explore the self-storage solutions at The Lock Up Self Storage. We offer flexible leasing options alongside various sizing options to fit everyone’s budget and needs. All our units are temperature-controlled and climate-controlled to keep your camping gear in the best condition possible, regardless of the time between your adventures. To give you even more peace of mind, all our locations have top-of-the-line security features, such as controlled gate access, motion-sensor lighting, 24-hour camera monitoring, and perimeter alarms. To find a self-storage unit in your State to accommodate your camp essentials, contact one of the representatives at The Lock Up Self Storage. Give us a call at 1-866-327-LOCK or browse available units online today.
