Ok - I’m going to preface this blog with the admission that we are by no means experts. That being said, my experience is quite extensive, it’s just that it’s never led to an expert level of always having everything we need. I mean, I used to take 150 kids camping in the Swiss Alps twice every summer for 9 years, I’ve camped at tons of festivals and taken my kids to most of them and as a family we’ve been on about 4 camping holidays. Despite that, I don’t feel like I have it nailed, so while this blog will be INCREDIBLY useful to you, it’s also going to serve as my planning tool for the camping trip we are going on in the middle of August.

So, first things first. I’m going to divide this up into two categories:

1. Shit You Cannot Live Without

2. Nice To Have But Don’t Have A Shit Fit If You Can’t Fit It In, Afford It Or Remember to Take It

So, let’s get on with it:

SHIT YOU CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT

• Tent

• Gazebo - definitely worth making sure you’ve got some extra dry space. Those tents can get pretty claustrophobic if it’s raining all the time.

• Sleeping bags (and some extra blankets!)

• Pillows

• Table and chairs. Our table folds away to almost nothing and camping chairs.

• Windbreakers

• Mallet

• Picnic blanket

• Lanterns/fairy lights. This may seem like a ‘Nice to Have’ but if you are sitting outside your tent and the only thing you have is head torches, it’s not terribly sociable when you blind everyone you speak to. Plus, waaaaaay more instagrammable to make it look pretty. I also pack bunting but I’m kind of a dick.

• A tarpaulin - super useful for covering things in emergencies, laying outside the tent to cover mud or popping under your supplies tent.

• Spare tent pegs

• String and pegs for wet clothes/swimmers/towels

• Duct Tape

• Bulldog Clips

• Cable Ties

• Head torches (one for every person). They do these cute ones for kids!

• A supply of AAA and AA batteries

• Camping beds of some sort (i.e. we are all way too civilised/pampered/knackered to be expected sleep on a fucking karrimat. For ages we’ve used blow up mattresses but after it punctured in the middle of the night last time, we are investing in fisherman’s beds. There are lots of lux options though do do your research!)

• Sleeping bags (if you’re on the floor or a blow up mattress because they stop the cold from coming through underneath) but if you’re on a raised bed then duvets etc. Whatever you fancy.

• Wellies for everyone

• Sliders/flip flops for everyone (super useful but especially necessary in the showers. Verrucas are so 1980s)

• Supplies tent - we use one of those pop up beach ones to store plastic storage boxes with food/cleaning materials etc and it stops you clogging up all the space in your tent.

• Waterproof jacket and bottoms for everyone - they may not look cool but when it’s chucking it down and you have to cook or take down a tent, you’ll be glad you’re not doing it with soggy knickers.

• Bin bags

• Baby wipes

• Tea towels/washing up liquid/sponges/scourers/washing up bowl (we have a collapsable one that’s ace).

• Microfibre clothes/chamois

• Individual wash bags for everyone with toothpaste/toothbrush/shower gel/flannel etc.

• Camping stove

• Spare gas canisters

• Charged power banks and plenty of charger cables

• Portable bluetooth speaker

• Cutlery and crockery. These individual sets of cutlery are super cute and so reasonably priced and also really useful for packed lunches, picnics etc. As far as crockery goes, we just take the plastic plates and bowls we have for picnics etc.

• Mugs

• Wine glasses

• Water bottles

• Water bag with spigot

• Saucepans and utensils (spatula, fork, tongs, wooden spoon, ladle). We have an all in one set that all tucks into each other like this one and it packs into a drawstring bag! Super handy.

• Knives

• Can opener

• Bottle opener

• Cool box - so far we’ve only used a regular cool box but I am thinking of investing in an electric coolbox. No one wants a warm beer after all…

• Dustpan & brush

• Electric pump

• Some sort of option for a nighttime toilet. We take a wee-wee washing up bowl as well so that the kids can pee in that if they need to go in the middle of the night. Sometimes you don’t want to be trekking through the night (especially if it’s raining) to take a kid for a wee at 3am. You can also get these camping toilets. We haven’t got one but we may do for this time around.

• Kebab sticks (wooden), marshmallows, milk chocolate digestives.

• Insect repellent & citronella candles. Make sure the candles are well protected so that the wind isn’t constantly blowing them out like these ones!

• First aid kit

• Sunscreen/bite cream

• Toilet roll and kitchen roll

• Towels

• Earplugs

• Pop Up laundry bin. Put all dirty clothes in there and then just chuck them all in one bag (or, more likely, more than one bag) when you leave. Makes it so much easier to throw them all in the wash when you get home!

• Ziplock bags

• Foil & Cling film

• Kettle - we always assume we’re not going to have electricity because I’ve yet been organised enough to book a spot with power so we use a stove top kettle.

• If you’re allowed to light fires take firelighters!

• If you do get a mains hook up then your going to want something like this too.

• Coffee maker - we LOVE our coffee so instant just doesn’t cut it which is why we always travel with an Aeropress. Excellent coffee and so easy to travel with and use!

• Cards/Dobble/Football/Frisbee

• List of jobs for the kids to do when you get there. It’s a nightmare trying to get everything out of the car, a tent up and all the rest of it if your kids are constantly asking you for a snack. Have something prepared to keep them occupied. Failing that, chuck a screen at them until you’re set up.

FOOD AND DRINK

Obviously, this is very much down to personal preference but there are a few things that I would definitely recommend having on hand! I’d also say that you should plan your meals beforehand…but also research good local pubs too!

• Boxed wine - there are some great ones. I can highly recommend Laylo (if you want to go luxe) but you can actually get some great boxed wines these days. So much easier than bottles and last longer! An amazing hack is to freeze the wine bags before you leave so that they stay cold for a long time!

• G&T cans (or whatever cocktail you fancy!)

• Take a frozen chilli/Spag Bol with you for the first night (you can even pre make the pasta/rice) because by the time you’ve set everything up, you’ll be too knackered to want to start cooking from scratch.

• Mini cereal boxes - it’s the only time our kids get to have Coco-Pops!

• Canned foods are ace because they keep really well and don’t leak - tuna, sweetcorn, soup, baked beans.

• Frankfurters

• Spray Oil

• I always bake a few potatoes before we leave and take those with us and heat them up on the fire.

• Oat milk is by far the best milk alternative I’ve found (and I’m really fussy). The only thing I can’t use it for is tea but most campsites will have a coffee shop/small grocery shop that you’ll be able to get a bit of fresh milk from if necessary.

• Snacks - snack bars, crisps, mini chocolate bars etc. Anything to bribe the kids with when they don’t want to walk, help wash up etc.

• Grated cheese - either buy it grated or grate it before you go and put it in Tupperware. Much easier than taking a grater.

• Tea/coffee/hot chocolate. Obvs.

• Corn on the cobs

• Lurpak

• Pasta sauce

• Porridge

• Crisps

• Collect (read: steal!) miniature condiments from fast food places and take those!

NICE TO HAVES

• A She-Wee - camping toilets are not always that clean so you might not always want to park your arse on them. Alternatively, they are also useful for middle of the night wees. Don’t judge me.

• Blow up furniture. I’ve been itching to get my hands on one of these corner sofas but Jimmy says I’m being too extra. He makes a good point. There are lots to choose from.

• Rugs. Again, this may seem a bit extra but they are great for keeping your tent warm. Most of the cold comes up through the ground.

• Doormat for muddy shoes.

• Welly/boot rack. This very much depends on the space you have in your car, but it’s so worth it if you can squeeze it in.

• Projector screen and portable projector - really great for the evenings!

I am sure there are loads of lovely luxuries that I’ve missed but please feel free to add anything in the comments section!

This blog post contains affiliate links!