Resourceful Camping & Backpacking Ideas

My friend, Melody, shared this today on Facebook.  It's originally from buzzfeed and I thought it was worth sharing here.

1. Use foam floor tiles for a softer, more comfortable tent floor.

Source: alittlecampy.com

2. Point a head lamp into a jug of water for an instant lantern.

Source: listorama

3. Also: Mountain Dew + baking soda + peroxide = lantern.

Source: pinterest.com

4. Make tin-can sandwich bread as a portable food option.

Get the recipe here.

Source: thereadystore.com

5. Familiarize yourself with what the poisonous plants look like.

Source: sheknows.com

6. Bring a tick deterrent.

7. Glue sandpaper to the top of your match holder.

Be sure to buy strike-anywhere matches.

Source: craftaholicsanonymous.net

8. Repurpose a coffee can to hold and protect TP.

Source: fieldandstream.com

9. Make crescent rolls over the campfire.

For maximum yumminess, fill ‘em with stuff like marshmallows and Nutella. Or wrap hot dogs with them.

Get the directions here.

10. Use Tic-Tac boxes to store spices.

Source: skruben.blogspot.ca

11. Invest in a two-person sleeping bag.

This one is $84.99 from Cabelas.

Source: cabelas.com

12. Get these seat hammocks for car camping.

Buy ‘em here.

Source: hammocks.com

13. Cut up a straw and fill the pieces up with antibiotic ointment or toothpaste for single-use packets.

Use a lighter to seal up the ends.

Source: briangreen.net

14. Make travel coffee bags out of coffee filters and dental floss.

Place a scoop of coffee grounds into a coffee filter and tie it up with dental floss. When you’re ready to brew, just make it like you would make tea in a teabag!

Source: scjohnson.com

15. Need your coffee? Bring a few of these.

They’ll keep you from going into caffeine withdrawal.

Source: pinterest.com

16. Make candle stakes for romantic nighttime lighting.

Get the directions here.

Source: asubtlerevelry.com

17. Make single-use soap leaves from a bar of soap and a vegetable peeler.

You can also rub soap on mosquito bites to relieve the itchiness.

Source: asubtlerevelry.com

18. Use an empty laundry detergent dispenser as a hand-washing station.

Source: greatwildoutdoors.com

 

Just fill it up with water.

19. Use a belt and hooks to hang up pots and pans.

Source: pinterest.com

20. Make campfire cones!

Source: kidactivitiesblog.com

21. Pack a mini first-aid kit into an old prescription bottle or Altoids tin.

Source: chasinggreen.org

22. Make pancakes with pre-made pancake mix using shortening and dry milk, which don’t need to be refrigerated.

Get the full recipe here. You can also find powdered eggs at most grocery stores (if you don’t shudder at the thought).

Source: onegoodthingbyjillee.com

23. Put a battery-powered votive candle into an empty peanut butter container to make portable lanterns.

24. Make a portable washing machine with a plunger and a bucket.

 

Get the directions here.

25. Make an easy-to-carry fire starter with a cardboard-only egg carton and match light charcoal.

You just have to light the carton and the fire will catch on to the charcoal.

Source: sewmanyways.blogspot.com

26.

Source: macbrosplace.com

27. Make pocket-sized oil lamps out of travel-size or hotel toiletry shampoo bottles.

Get the directions here.

Source: instructables.com

28. Forgo the meat marinade and put the rosemary right on the coals.

Once the coals are uniformly gray and ashy, cover them with fresh rosemary branches. Your meat and vegetables will be flavored with the taste of savory herbs.

Source: marthastewart.com

29. Bring cheeses in waxed packaging as well as hard cheeses.

Aged cheddar, Parmigiano, and/or Gruyère will keep for at least a week unrefrigerated.

Source: cutefoodforkids.com  /  via: bonappetit.com

30. Add bundles of sage to a campfire to keep mosquitoes away.

Source: google.com

31. Try roasting Starburst.

Source: clarkandsuz.blogspot.com

Source: clarkandsuz.blogspot.com

 

Sounds crazy, but it’s actually delicious. Crunchy on the outside, warm and gooey on the inside. Roast it until it’s bubbling.

32. Forgo pasta for a quick-cooking alternatives like polenta, quinoa, or couscous.

Polenta is especially versatile because it can be shaped into patties and pan-fried for a sweet or savory meal. Get a recipe for grilled polenta cakes.

Source: bonappetit.com

33. Cook cinnabuns (the canned kind) in a hollowed-out orange over a campfire.

Get the full details here.

Source: trulysimple.com

34. If you’re going to be hiking, use this biodegradable trail-marking tape.

Buy it here.

Source: gofastandlight.com

35. Keep the kids busy with a scavenger hunt.

Source: thetaylor-house.com

Source: media-cache-ec3.pinimg.com

 

Write the items down on a paper bag so they have a receptacle for the items.

36. Use a bucket and a milk crate as an emergency toilet.

Get the directions here.

Source: rootsimple.com

37. Cotton pads dipped in wax are a crazy easy way to make portable fire starters.

Source: pinterest.com

38. Bring microfiber towels — they’re super absorbent and lightweight.

Source: amazon.com

39. Freeze gallon jugs of water and place them in your cooler.

They’ll keep your food cold, and you’ll have plenty of water to drink for later.
Other things you can freeze to use for later: pasta sauces, chili, and pesto.

Source: campingblogger.net

40. Make emergency light sources out of an Altoids tin, cardboard, and wax.

Get the instructions here.

Source: instructables.com

There are some good ones in there!  The Doritos cracked me up.

Katie