15 essential caravan and camping hacks
With limited room and weight to consider, being smart in small spaces is the key to caravan success.
To help you get the most out of your next caravan or camping adventure, check out these 15 completely essential and not at all bodgy camping and caravan hacks.
1. Legitmate storage solution
Running out of space in the kitchen?
For a quick and easy storage hack, use a vertical shoe organiser to store kitchen utensils, sauces, or bread. Why not?
Not only can this mobile hanging unit be moved around, it can easily be folded down and put away.
2. Keep your valuables hidden
Got an empty Pringles can lying around?
Use this popular brand of chip recepticle to disguise your valuables from greasy thieves. Just be sure your travelling companions aren’t hungry!
3. Corn chip kindling
While we're talking snacks, did you know that corn chips are useful firestarters?
A high fat content means your average corn chip is quite flammable.
Can’t find any dry wood or paper for your fire? Grab a stale packet of corn chips from the car and start lighting up! You’ll be barbecued in no time.
4. Sage repellent
It's not hippy-dippy to take along a few bundles of sage the next time you go camping.
Mosquitoes are naturally repelled by sage smoke, so you’ll find a lot less of them buzzing around with some delicious sage smoking away.
For a longer-lasting effect, set some sage on fire and let it smoulder by the edge of the campfire. Almost sounds like a song.
5. Milk bottle ice
In this instance, milk is a good choice!
Simply fill your empty milk bottles with water and freeze overnight. That's it.
Not only will this mean no loose ice leaking on your journey, you’ll also be able to drink the water once the ice melts. Two birds, one stone people.
6. Snap-lock phone case
This one is truly genius.
Keep your phone safe from sand, water and intergalactic invaders. Find a ziplock bag and hey presto, a DIY snap-lock alien-proof phone case!
7. Key floaties
Tired of losing your keys in the water? Try key floaties!
Not only is it one of the most Aussie things we've heard of, you can avoid drowned keys by attaching them to champagne corks.
Plus, key floaties are another reason to celebrate champagne happy hour more than once a month. Just kidding, we mean more than once a week.
8. Light up my beverage
Say goodbye to cold hands from rummaging around the freezer while searching for your drink of choice.
Whack in a few glow sticks from your old rave days and locate your tasty beverage without the need for a torch - or freezing hands! How sweet is that?
9. Crack your eggs at home!
No need to get violent, but bringing eggs on a camping trip is always risky business.
To avoid an eggymess, try this campfire cooking hack instead.
Simply crack as many eggs as you need beforehand and store them in a water bottle or snap-lock bag (see hack #6). Why not add milk for scrambled fans, cheese, ham and any seasonings you like!
10. Bug-free mocktails
Who doesn't want to keep bugs out of their drinks?
No one. That's why you should take a cupcake liner, turn it upside down and poke a straw-sized hole in it. Place it on top of your glass and then insert a paper straw. The results will speak for themselves.
11. Pack lighter without pillows
Save weight and space by packing your clothes into a sleeping bag case and using it as a pillow!
No need to schlep an actual pillow around with this handy hack.
You can even remove uneven pressure points by making sure that all your sleeves are unrolled and socks remain un-balled. If you want more support, just add more clothing! Nobel peace prizes have been awarded for less.
12. Create a DIY hot water bottle
Newsflash: feet are always the last part of the body to warm up after you get into your sleeping bag.
To combat this strange biological discrepancy, keep your insulated water bottle handy just before you retire.
Fill it with hot water and toss it at the foot of your sleeping bag. No need for space-invading rubber kidney beans here, just enjoy that water bottle cosiness all night.
13. Go easy on the taps!
More of a recommendation than a hack, but only turn on your taps on a little bit whenever you need to use water.
Turning taps on full blast is for kids, and the quickest way to drain your tanks. So just chill out and make your water last!
14. Single use soap
Liquid soaps are convenient on the road, but to lower your environmental impact, bar soaps are the way to go.
To conserve the soapy goodness, slice up a full bar into individual single-use portions, then wrap them in wax or baking paper and store them in a waterproof jar.
No more sharing a wet bar of soap - not even with your best travel partner.
15. Take your belt off!
Don't get mad, but why not use your belt to hang washing or cookware out to dry?
Simply attach several pot-hanger hooks to the holes and hang the belt from the nearest appropriate tree.
You can buy pot-hanger hooks from anywhere that sells crockery or from your local hardware store.
Pro-tip: Hang your pots facing away from any bark. This will discourage bugs from taking up temporary home.
