Fastest Way to Pack for Camping

Checklist

Make a checklist of the items you need to pack. Consider the length of your camping trip and the anticipated weather at the camping destination. Making a list will help organize your tasks, prevent you from forgetting something and realize which items you may or may not have. Categorize your list into different groups like: clothing and footwear, food and kitchen, personal items and camping gear. Keep the list for future use and just add and edit as necessary to make your next trip even faster.

Start gathering the items on your list one by one, crossing out the items as you go along. Collect them in and around one concentrated space, such as on the living room couch or kitchen table. Do not take any more than what is on the list unless absolutely necessary.

Set aside a time block in your schedule for packing. Allocate a definite time frame of the length of time it will take to gather all items and stick to that time frame. For example, an hour is a reasonable time frame for completing a packing list in a fast manner. To stick to your time frame, avoid engaging in other tasks while packing such as chatting on the telephone, watching TV, cooking, etc. Stick to your time block and time frame schedule to complete your task in a fast and efficient manner.

Pack the items inside your bags in order of when you'll need them. Throwing things inside a bag may sound fast but this can only cause you more time if you need to rearrange because of lack of space or if you can't find an item when you want to make sure you packed it in. Packing in an organized and neat manner ensures that you will only have to do this once, thus saving time. Store essentials in a compartment that is easy to access.

When packing for car camping, placement isn't nearly as important as when loading a hiking backpack for backpacking. If you are backpacking, load your pack in an organized way that puts the least strain on your back while hiking on the trails.

Put the heaviest items such as tent, food and water close to your back, centered between the shoulder blades. Lightweight items such as sleeping bag, pillow and clothing should be packed at the very bottom of your backpack. Place the medium-weight items in between the light and heavy-weight things. Medium weight items include stove, first-aid kit and canister fuel. If hiking on trails for a longer period of time, place your heavy items a little bit higher inside your backpack to focus more of the load weight over your hips.