A Mountain Hearth

Tales of Modern Homesteading and Outdoor Adventure

Getting Organized and Coming Prepared With Camping Bins

A few years ago, I realized that it was taking us a very long time to pack for a weekend camping trip. Our goal was to get out more frequently, as many weekends as possible, and no less than once per month. We had friends who went nearly every weekend (who did not have kids), and we decided we could do it too if we could just get organized and always be ready to go. I remembered when I was in college, I used to keep my backpack all packed in the back of my truck for any trails that might suddenly call to me. While we couldn’t keep the car packed for camping all the time with it’s many other uses during the week, we decided we could keep some gear packed up and ready to go in one place. We already kept our tent, sleeping bags, and other larger gear in one area of the garage. It was the cooking gear and smaller miscellaneous items that needed rounding up every time. We bought three Rubbermaid storage bins that were stackable. Two were the same size, and one was half-height, but still stackable.

In the smaller one we put general camping gear. One of the larger bins was stored empty for packing food in on each trip and keeping it a little more critter proof (Note: the bins themselves are NOT critter proof, nor are coolers. We put the bin and the cooler in our car each night. If you’ve ever had a critter incident, you’ll know why!). The final bin was the camping kitchen. I began acquiring the gear I needed to fill the bin at thrift stores and occasionally a hardware store if the thing I was looking for was elusive second-hand. I used baby food jars, small glass juice jars, and plastic honeybears to keep oil, spices, syrup and vinegar. I learned over time that honeybears eventually leak oil or syrup in the bin and are maybe not a good idea, and honey sticks are a good way to bring along honey because long-term storage in your bin will cause it to crystallize and no longer be runny. I stocked the bin with a roll of paper towels, coffee filters, aluminum foil, plastic baggies, rubber bands, and twist-ties.

We were set. These bins brought about great ease and streamlined our camping lifestyle. After each trip, we assess and re-stock the bins for the next trip. We manage to fit all of the bins and gear in our Subaru Forester with a car top carrier. The next step would be having a camping vehicle (the V6 Toyota Tacoma of my dreams) in which the bins and gear are always kept and only clothing and food need packing. We just work away at improvements a little at a time.

Camping Kitchen Bin Contents:

large enamelware soup pot, small enamelware pot with handles and a strainer basket, enamelware coffee percolator, 4 enamelware bowls, 1 large enamelware bowl, 4 enamelware dinner plates, 2 enamelware coffee mugs, 2 small enamelware espresso cups (kid sized), 1 giant enamelware mug, enamelware skillet, cutting board, spatula, serving spoon, stirring spoon, ladle, bread knife, tongs, steak/cutting knife, can opener, veggi peeler, cheese grater, salad tongs, miscellaneous silverware, tablecloth, hot pad and mit, 4 dish towels, tiny salt and pepper shakers, Dr. Bronner’s soap, dish scrubber, coffee filters, foil, paper towels, lighter and matches in bag, assorted tea bags, coffee, dehydrated milk, brewer’s yeast, olive oil, balsalmic vinegar, salt, pepper, summer savory. A dish drying rack will be our next addition.
*Note: Why all the enamelware? After looking into cookware options, I didn’t feel okay with aluminum or Teflon. I needed something not easily breakable. Enamelware is made in a process similar to making glass, and includes water, clay, borax, feldspar, quartz and granite. The enamel coating covers a base of steel or other metal. It withstands high heat, is tough, smooth, stain-resistant, easy to clean, and non-porous (germ free). It’s only fault I have found is chipping when banged around, but a few chips are not a big deal.


Camping Bin Contents:

clothesline, wooden clothes pins, rope, flashlights and headlamps, t.p. emergency reflective blanket, first aid kit, hatchet, rain coats in pouches, candles, books of campfire stories and folklore, pocket knives, bathroom trowel, lighters.

Other Equipment:

tarps (large and small), cast iron skillet and dutch oven, iron fire tripod, propane lantern, sleeping bags and air mattresses, tent, 5 gallon water jug, 2 1-gal. glass jugs of drinking water, Coleman propane stove, 2 dish tubs, firewood

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. softearthart says

    Hi, I am not a camper, but love to walk in our native bush. I will be showing a photo of a little Koru forest princess soon on my blog, a creation I made while walking in the bush and seeing all the lovely ferns. Cheers and "Happy days" Marie

    Reply

  2. Julia says

    I love this, Lara. You are so organized and I really can see how it would make a difference to the camping experience. How many times have I forgotten some essential piece of equiptment? Matches, flash lights, can opener, etc. I'd love to hear how you prepare for backpacking trips sometime!

    Reply

  3. Kaimyn says

    Lara, did you find any particular enamelware better than others? For example, I can find it at Cost Plus World Market but I'm not certain that I should buy it made in China. Did you find yours from a US company, by chance?
    Happy Camping!
    Kim

    Reply

  4. LaraColley says

    Kim,
    I got this particular set of enamelware at REI and I think at Big-5 or another sporting goods store. I think a lot of it is made in China, but I was hoping that the companies I bought it from would regulate for safety. I was weighing enamelware against plastic and aluminum, so I felt good about it. There is another place online where I've gotten some enamelware for my kitchen, and I will post that website shortly.
    Happy camping to you as well, and if you find a US company making enamelware, let me know!

    Reply

  6. Yi Stowe says

    Hey, I’m a regular reader of your website. I find it really interesting & informative. I value your views and would like to hear your feedback. I’m planning on going camping with my family and am looking for a suitable camping axe or hatchet to help to chop the firewood for the campfire. I was looking at some reviews but I am still confused about which one to buy. I read this review https://www.toolazine.com/the-best-axes-hatchets-for-camping-backpacking-hiking-survival-buying-guide/ and considering to get the hatchet that he recommends but am not 100 sure. I maybe can go with the cheaper option. What do you think? Is it really worth it to buy a more expensive one if I am only going camping a couple of times per year? Thank you very much for your feedback and thanks for the awesome articles that you write.

    Reply

    • Lara Katherine Mountain Colley says

      In my experience, any inexpensive hatchet will do just fine for camping. I just picked one up at our local hardware store. Especially since you’re only going a couple of times a year, you don’t need anything fancy. I hope that helps, and I’m glad you’re enjoying the blog!

      Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *