Let’s go camping!
The family has said, you will take us camping!
Well, I’m here to show you how to prepare and what to bring (Camping Supplies Checklist). If you don’t prepare, the camp out will not be as enjoyable and those precious family moments won’t be as precious.
When I first got back into camping, one of the first things I needed (being the engineer that I am) was a checklist. This was to ensure that I had everything necessary for a safe and pleasant trip. It also acted as a reminder of things I used to bring many years ago when I was younger and camped out with my friends. Many, many years ago!
Here I will show you tips and camping supplies list to follow for beginner campers and lists of items that are beneficial to have while out in the great outdoors. If you follow these suggestions, then your probability of a successful, fun, and safe camp out will become a reality for your family (friends and relatives).
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Who wants Tips? You need Tips!
After your family decides to go on a camp out, you need to get organized. Here are just a few reminders that will get your preparation ready for action.
Tip #1:
Make a date that is good for everyone. If you invite friends or relatives, make sure everyone’s schedule is open for the dates you choose for the camp out.
Try to leave early on the Thursday or Friday that you leave to beat traffic patterns especially if you live around or in a large city. I live north of Houston and weekend traffic is a bear (not that hope you see one during your camp out).
Try to get to the camp site before dark as setting up a camp in the dark can be challenging around unfamiliar surrounding.
Tip #2:
Invite other adults unless you plan to spend all your free time with the kids. Usually, some campgrounds will have 
attractions that will occupy the kids during free time and it leaves the adults time for themselves.
Remember, camp outs are for fun time with the family, but it is also down time for the adults from the grinds of everyday life (de-stress time).
Tip #3:
Get your camping supplies checklist out and make sure your equipment is prepared for the trip. Sometimes equipment will get “musty” from prolong storage, so make sure it is clean and ready for use.
Make sure that any equipment that you will be using to is in workable condition and fueled up. Be sure to have some form of fire starting and fuel if needed. After all, man makes fire!! Fire is essential to warmth and food preparation.
If the campgrounds are wet from raining weather, firewood maybe to wet to burn. Charcoal is a good alternative.
Tip #4:
Prepare your food and menus. Make sure that you plan each day and have foods that will be nonperishable or a good cooler(s) with ice.
If you bring meats of any kind, preparing them as to marinate is usually done better before the trip. Bring what you need to be able to prepare the food as well.
Some of these items we will discuss as part of the camping supply list, but make sure you properly pack you cooler(s). Bring eating utensils, can opener, condiments, and other household items necessary for better food preparation over a camp fire.
Good Items to pack, just don’t bring the house!
Clothes:
Make sure you pack the appropriate clothes for the season. Also remember that in some areas, the temperature can drop after sunset, so be prepared.
Personal items:
Don’t forget any prescription drugs or medicines that you or someone in your family needs. Hand sanitizer, bug spray, and a first aid kit is a must.
Bring hats and sun tan lotion if you plan to be in the sun for a long period. Lightweight clothing is usually best, hiking boots if you plan to go down that nature trail, and weatherproof and breathable jacket in case the weather runs bad on you trip.
Navigation tools:
Do not always rely on your cell phone for a compass or GPS as you may lose reception with you cell phone carrier 
depending on where you will be going.
Flashlights, plenty of lanterns, compasses, and guide maps are strongly recommended. The last camp out I went on, we did not have sufficient lanterns, so after dark, we had to rely heavily on flashlights.
Batteries and more batteries. Lanterns and flashlights are the nighttime play toys for the kids. So make sure you can have plenty of reliable lighting.
The Don’t Forgets..
Here is where the camping supplies checklist is worth its weight in gold.
If you Google or Bing, you can find many helpful camping supplies checklist to prepare you for your family camp out. There are so many available, it will be your personal choice as which one to use, however, pick one that is printable.
Too many to lists here.
Other items not to forget:
A good item to have is bungy cords and ropes. These can prove to be very helpful around any camp site and should be part of any camping supply list. Rope can also be used to make a make shift tent if needed if you get into a bind.
Before you set your tent, place a tarp under the tent to protect the tent from ground moisture. This will make the inside of the tent more enjoyable.
Tarps can also be used to keep firewood dry during the night from potential rain or morning dew. They can be used to store other camping items that you do not want to bring inside the tent.
Pocket knives are essential to a camp out. There are always something besides food that needs to be trimmed, opened, or cut, so bring all types of pocket, hunting, or general use knives.
A Swiss army knife or utility combination knife are great and every useful for any occasion.
There are camping books available that have excellent ideas and camping supplies checklist that can be printed and reused.
Here is a book I especially like and use personally.
Now go out and have FUN!
I hope you find this article very informative and useful as you prepare and plan your next camping trip. Camping supply list are a necessity of a great outing.
So the day is finally here, so go out confidently and have a safe, fun filled, and memory making time with family and 
friends.
Let the stresses of daily life be a thing of the past, if not only for a short period.
Recharge those internal batteries!
If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment below and I will get back to you ASAP.