How to Store Camping Gear

Camping is a joy. A weekend (or longer) away in the great outdoors, experiencing the world in all its natural glory. Sunshine, sea views, wildlife… but there are potential pitfalls – and we don’t mean bad weather.

While it’s incredibly exciting to pack your vehicle for a camping holiday or a festival, it can be a huge pain to find the equipment in the first place if you didn’t store it away properly last time you used it. We get why – your last adventure was over, you were tired, and down about the prospect of returning to work – so, you might have been tempted to just throw everything in your garage and forget about it until next time. But when it comes to next time, you’ve given yourself a bigger task.

Failure to store camping gear correctly can put you at risk of mislaying essential items. You can waste valuable time getting onto the open road by angrily crouching around a never-ending amount of stuff – so much so, your plans could get severely delayed. You might even end up having to drive to your nearest camping store to waste money buying replacement essentials that you simply can’t find. And you can bet when you get back home, those missing items will turn up after all!

Don’t worry, help is at hand. We’re here to show you how to store camping gear. We’ve got all kinds of camping gear storage ideas, from cooking gear to camping chairs, tents and sleeping bags. Like a tent when you’re on vacation, we’ve got you covered.

Storing Tents

This is a very important part of correctly storing camping gear. Knowing how to store a tent will help prevent the growth of mildew or even material breakdown of your tent. And depending on the size and quality of your tent, this could lead to spending lots of money on a similarly expensive replacement.

Make sure your tent is clean and completely dry

You should always make sure your tent isn’t put into storage (in a cool, dry spot) until it’s totally dry. And it doesn’t have to have been out in rainy conditions to be wet. If you’ve packed it away early in the morning, it could be a little damp.

Put a tent away damp and it can develop mildew, which will make your tent smell. Moisture can then cause damage to the polyurethane waterproof coating of the tent, which cannot be repaired.

So, before putting your tent into storage, set it up either indoors or in a shady outdoor area. If you don’t have the space to do so, drape or hang it out until it’s completely dry. If your tent fabric got dirty on your last trip, making sure it’s clean afterwards can help it last longer:

• Use cold water and mild, non-detergent soap on dirty fabric.
• Remove sap by letting it dry and then cleaning it with alcohol-based products like wet wipes.
• Rinse well afterwards.
• Use an old toothbrush to remove grit from your zippers.

Be careful to ensure there are few to no hard creases when packing up your tent. Rolling instead of folding it can help keep it from tearing at crease points. 

Want to make your tent poles last longer? Take tension off the shock cords inside by collapsing the poles evenly, starting in the middle and working towards the ends. This way, tension is distributed evenly.

Storing it loosely, in a cool and dry place

Although you might assume the bag that your tent came in is the right way to store a tent, you can do better. Ideally, the fabric should be able to breathe, which isn’t doable in such a tight space. Use an old pillowcase or mesh bag instead. This is doubly handy because it’s a lot easier to pack a tent away when you’re not driving yourself crazy squashing it back into a tiny bag!

Storing Cooking Gear

First of all, it might seem like a no-brainer, but it’s best to store all your cooking gear together. That way, you’re staying organized and minimizing the chance of mislaying an item. You’ll know all your cooking gear is together, so you’ll save time in the long run.

Providing your cooking gear is also clean and dry, then you’re ready to put it into storage. Most rooms in your house should be suitable but it may depend on when you next intend to use your cooking gear. If your next camping vacation isn’t far away, don’t hide it away in your loft. But if it’s the end of the summer and you’re not expecting to be lighting your camping stove until next year, then your basement is going to be a better storage space than your bedroom, for example.

However, some items will need to be stored separately in a climate-controlled unit. Camping stove fuel shouldn’t be stored in a place that can get cold. It should be stored at normal room temperature. But don’t place camping stove fuel where it can come into contact with direct sunlight. Avoid electrical outlets, too.

If you have bladders and/or water pouches, those should be sterilized using warm and soapy water, before being left to drain. Store in a fridge over winter, to avoid mold growth.

The best way to store a camp kitchen is either in a large plastic bin you can easily put in your car, or a camp table and organizer. The latter feature handy compartments for items. Consider a small zipper bag for all your utensils and smaller items.

Storing Camping Chairs

Camping chairs are more than just handy. If you’re at a muddy music festival and all you want is to sit and rest, they can help you rest for a while. Or you can use them if you’ve got extra guests in your garden. But the problem is, when they’re folded away, they can take up a lot of space. Knowing how to store camping chairs can save valuable space.

Luckily, there are many ways to store camping chairs. They are prone to rust, and mice and rats can get a taste for them. So, you’re best finding a dry, arid place and sealing them up. Large storage bins, lockers, and heavy cargo cases with pull handles are useful options. If you have a large cardboard box that’s in good condition, that could also be used. Though make sure that if you do use one, it’s away from an area prone to vermin and/or dampness.

Stacking folding chairs away on shelves, in a loft or attic, is also a good idea. Just make sure you cover them in trash bags or similar if you have uncovered insulation in these areas. Or, a wall rack or hooks, such as the kind you get for umbrellas, are also handy for hanging camping chairs on.

Got space under your bed? You could pile camping chairs up there, out of the way.

Storing Sleeping Bags

Buying a good-quality sleeping bag is a sound investment. Look after it and it will look after you, giving you years of comfort and good sleep. But neglect it and it can soon get ruined. So, storing sleeping bags correctly is also very important.

First things first though – many campers don’t bother to clean their sleeping bags, and that’s a bad idea. Not only will it make your bag start to stink but it can also ruin the fabric. A spot wash is simple enough, simply a small amount of downwash and use a toothbrush to scrub at small areas. Then use a wet sponge – trying, if possible, to avoid getting the down wet. If it does get wet, just make sure you give it plenty of time to dry. A full wash is best done with down soap, as those feathers are delicate. This could take a few hours, but it’s worth it.

The best way to store a sleeping bag is to store it somewhere dry and give it space to be spread out. That’s right – don’t store sleeping bags compressed in the bags they came in if you can help it. As with tents, it’s best to let the fabric breathe. So, store sleeping bags hung up on a hook in a dry place like a closet. Avoid the temptation to pack away in a plastic trash bag or storage container that’s non-breathable.

Storing sleeping pads is similar. Avoid damp basements, but also avoid garages, attics, and car trunks, because moisture and temperature extremes will do harm. A closet or under your bed is a better idea.

Camping Gear Storage Ideas

There are lots of cool, unique storage ideas out there, that you can either buy or use by utilizing existing space. Large waterproof duffel bags can be bought that are larger than the bag your tent came in, which will allow the fabric to breathe. Just be sure to compare the dimensions with those of your tent before purchasing.

Tote boxes and collapsible storage bins with lids can be stacked together, off the ground, reducing required space and keeping items warm, dry, and organized. Or how about a small clip box, for smaller items? You can store your camping cutlery, toiletries, lighters, and more.

Shoe organizers can be used for more than just shoes! They’re great for keeping all kinds of smaller items organized, such as dishwashing supplies, cooking utensils, and insect repellent.

How to Pack the Car for a Camping Trip

So, you’ve followed our tips on how to store camping gear. But we’re not going to stop there. What’s the best way to pack the car for a camping trip when spring and summer roll around once more?

• Before you get started, make a checklist organized by category, and pack together similar items.
• Storage bins are perfect for keeping supplies organized. And they also make it easy to neatly pack the car. 
• When packing a car, the same rule that we use for storage units applies: first in, last out. So, pack the things you will need first (like your tent and camp set-up items) with that in mind. 
• If you have limited car and trunk space, buy an exterior cargo carrier. 
• Pack heavier items on the bottom if you’re stacking.
• Start with a cleaned-out car, lay out all your items before you start putting them in the car to make sure nothing is missing before you start. 
• Pack layers for multiple temperatures, such as the shift from day to night, but don’t overpack clothing. Pack smarter, not more. 

Hopefully, you’ll now know how to store camping gear like a pro. And if you need storage space, there are plenty of options here.

Remember to keep an inventory to take with you to remember what you’ve got and what you’ll need for next year. Keep everything organized, clean and dry and you’ll have years of fun in the great outdoors to look forward to. Visit CubeSmart for more great storage tips and solutions.