O don't let me forget...

@tammyr (5946)
Etowah, Tennessee
May 28, 2007 8:36pm CST
I love to go camping and spend a week thinking about what all I need to take, but I still seem to forget some very important item. Usually it is the TP but I put that in the car the moment I decided to go. I NEVER want to go with out that again. Please help me thing of things that are often over looked. What have you forgotten, or what can you not do with out on a long camping trip??
8 people like this
13 responses
@bluewings (3857)
29 May 07
I'll feel lost without my mobile charger.I won't forget my mobile when going on a trip, but if I pack my luggage in a hurry I sometimes forget the charger and the mobile becomes a waste.
2 people like this
@tammyr (5946)
• Etowah, Tennessee
29 May 07
LOL The phones do not pick up where I am going, AT ALL! I am taking mine, but it will be off unless I need it for some reason. Even them I will have to go out to the road to get a signal.
2 people like this
@bluewings (3857)
30 May 07
Lol You are lucky! One less thing to worry about.I would love to camp in areas where the network is missing,lol.
2 people like this
@macubx (11414)
• Philippines
29 May 07
why not try mking a list and write them down.. or better yet have an organizer (ie. gadgets) to list all things you need and alert you over time...
2 people like this
@tammyr (5946)
• Etowah, Tennessee
29 May 07
I am in the middle of a list. I can never keep up with one. I should keep it in the camp bag I guess!
1 person likes this
@tammyr (5946)
• Etowah, Tennessee
29 May 07
Now just how can I tell you are not a blond?LOL My daughter is making the list, and when we get done I will add everything to a MS spreadsheet. I love playing around with that. I think I can save it as a template, but have not tried it out yet. That would be a good one to try it on.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (157027)
• United States
29 May 07
Do not forget sunscreen and insect repellent. the most memorable forgetful camping trip was when my friend and I both forgot to bring a can opener. We had canned baked beans on the menu. Innovative woman that I am, I sterilized the screw driver and the needle nose pliers. I poked a hole with the screw driver, then stuck the needle nose pliers in to the point where it cuts wires, and cut that lid almost all the way around. Then, since I also forgot a hot mitt, I flapped the lid up, and used it like a handle, lifting it with the needle nosed pliers once the beans were hot. That is not the only time I ever forgot a hot mitt. Another time, camping with hubby, I forgot the hot mitt, but as I realized this, one blew up to our camp site, and it said something nice about meals being seasoned with love. Felt like God sent that one to me.
@tammyr (5946)
• Etowah, Tennessee
29 May 07
Oh yeah the oven mitt, gotta take that! That is one I always forget. I end up using whatever is the oldest shirt and it gets ruined. God does work in mysterious ways!
1 person likes this
@villageanne (8553)
• United States
29 May 07
Well you are going think this is not true but I dont forget things when it comes to camping. I take a piece of paper and post it on the fridge for a week before we leave and as we think of something we go write it down. We use this same list the next year. We put it out and add to it as needed. We are pros when it comes to roughing it. LOL
1 person likes this
@tammyr (5946)
• Etowah, Tennessee
29 May 07
I learn so much from you,thank you. I have not been on a real camping trip in a few years, but use to go all the time. I did have a list but that was long ago.
2 people like this
• United States
29 May 07
Are you camping in a tent or RV? Are you going to a campground or along the river somewhere? How long are you going to be gone?
1 person likes this
@onabreak2 (1161)
• United States
29 May 07
We went this weekend in the RV, I know that isnt roughing it but still the same I forgot to bring soap to wash the dishes and garbage bags. I remembered the TP though. Plus took things that we didnt use.
1 person likes this
@tammyr (5946)
• Etowah, Tennessee
29 May 07
AHHH! I almost forgot dish soap, bless you! That would be the pits.
1 person likes this
@tammyr (5946)
• Etowah, Tennessee
5 Jun 07
I remember that when I got the soap. I actually just put a little in a baby juice bottle. I like to take smaller containers.
@onabreak2 (1161)
• United States
30 May 07
You are welcome and bring a sponge along too.
@susieq223 (3742)
• United States
29 May 07
Heavens! You name it, I have forgotten it! I make a written list before we go anywhere and mark things off as I pack. One time I forgot misquitoe repellant! That was bad! I'm always forgetting some medicine someone needs! Never forget matches, especially if you are really roughing it! Usually, the things I forget most often are condiments for the food. Things like salt, pepper, butter, mustard, etc. Happy Camping!
2 people like this
@tammyr (5946)
• Etowah, Tennessee
29 May 07
Oh bless you butter was not on my list and I will need it. I also had not thought about advil for those sleeping on the ground blues. I have some small bottles of Ketchup, mustard, and spices, but staying for a week I think I should take the big ones!
1 person likes this
@gabs8513 (48686)
• United Kingdom
29 May 07
Ok you asked for this Sweetie lol are you ready? Cooker cups Plates fresh Underwear, clean Clothes Wellington Boots Washing and Shower Kit Food that you are able to cook at camping Sleeping Bag Headache Tablets pyjamas raincoat tent hair brush porta loo swimsuit well that is all I can think of at the moment lol
1 person likes this
@tammyr (5946)
• Etowah, Tennessee
29 May 07
I have all that but the boots. I hardly even wear shoes and don't think I will need boots. Thank you for helping out!
@koikoikoi (1246)
• United States
29 May 07
Well their is bug spray, sun block, food, drinks, toothbrush and toothpaste, toilet paper, some cleansing lotion, snacks, cell phone, flashlight, light bulds, batteries, camera, hat, socks, an extra wheel, a phone charger, radio, laptop? and well that's about it for what I can think of, hope this helps. Have a nice and safe trip!
@tammyr (5946)
• Etowah, Tennessee
29 May 07
The extra wheel threw me for a second!!LOL But yes a spare will be handy if I have a flat, but useless with no jack, luckily I have both! No cell, laptop or radio for us, primitive at it worse, I mean best!
@patootie (3592)
29 May 07
I hate camping .. however I willing did it for a few years as it meant I could go and watch my passion of motor racing on the cheap .. We had a pretty fool proof way of making sure we had everything .. make a checklist of all the things you MUST have and can't do without .. at the end of each camping trip .. check each item to make sure it goes away again .. and pack away the checklist with the camping gear .. Next camping trip use the checklist to make sure everything gets put into the car and only tick it off once it's safely installed in the car .. Over the years we had a number of 'secondary' checklists .. to these lists we added all the things we missed having on a trip .. then we would take them on the next trip .. if they proved useful they made it onto the MUST HAVE checklist .. It only takes a few moments each time to read through the list .. get stuff sorted .. and packed .. and we hardly ever forgot anything ...
1 person likes this
@tammyr (5946)
• Etowah, Tennessee
29 May 07
I will have to do that. I am going to keep a copy on my computer and in the camp bag
1 person likes this
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
29 May 07
Gee, where to start...lol. Books, sunscreen a hat, enough food. Our camping trips were always well planned but not spur of the moment getaways. Everything was stored in a crate in the garage so we could just put the food together, (remember the coffee!), pack the vehicle and go. I would do a room check for items required .... bathroom stuff like toothbrushes, hair brushes, deodorant, soap, towells; from the bedroom, my doonah, decent walking shoes, pillows, clothes...making sure I had something warm just in case. Everything else like plates, mugs, torch, matches etc, was in the crate ready to go. We had it down to a pretty fine art. Don't forget to stop at the pub and pick up the grog for around the campfire at night. Happy camping.
@tammyr (5946)
• Etowah, Tennessee
3 Jun 07
We have not been in a while and we only had the one bag of camping gear. I thought there were more than one tent in it and there are a few other things that I had to replace or refill. The spices in there had no flavor and even the salt was useless.
@kelly60 (4547)
• United States
2 Jul 07
It depends on the type of camping trip that we are taking but we usually don't need much. We take the tent and sleeping bags. I use an air mattress because of my back so I have to take that, and our little air pump to blow it up with. Our first aid kit contains all of our daily medications plus things like motrin, bandaids, etc. I always bring along toilet paper because you never know whether or not it will be available, even if there are restrooms there. We brink extra clothing, including swim suits and towels, warm clothes for the evenings, and shorts for the daytime. Lighters, flashlights, extra batteries, and bug spray are also important. Aside from that our food and drinks are the only other thing we really can't get by without. We always make sure that we start getting things together well in advance because there have been too many times when something has been forgotten. It isn't much fun to get to the campsite and realize that the tent isn't there, or that you have no toilet paper. Eventually we learned our lesson.
1 person likes this
@tammyr (5946)
• Etowah, Tennessee
3 Jul 07
Don't forget all the things needed to cut wood, and tend the fire, charcoal just in case,, Pans and utensils to cook, sun block, the food is the hardest part. I always take too much!
@byfaithonly (10698)
• United States
29 May 07
Tent, sleeping bag, air-mattress, blow-drier (never use it for my hair but great for blowing up the air-mattress), swim suit, change of warm cloths, food and I'm set to go.
@tammyr (5946)
• Etowah, Tennessee
5 Jun 07
I wish I could get by with just that!
@tammyr (5946)
• Etowah, Tennessee
3 Jul 07
**WARNING** Some hair dryers get hot enough to burn a hole in the bed. Do not use it on high, use cool if available! Just in case there are any other blonds reading this!!LOL
@byfaithonly (10698)
• United States
3 Jul 07
Opps forgot not everyone is as sensitive to heat as I am - learned that the first time I tried it, the opening to the mattress was too hot for me to hold on automatically turned down the heat on the blow drier :(
• United States
29 May 07
I also have a master list. But it never fails that I will forget something. But the thing that was forgetten last year was the worst. The can opener. Try finding one of those in a hurry!
1 person likes this
@tammyr (5946)
• Etowah, Tennessee
29 May 07
I pack that in the camping 'bag'. It stays there so it is never forgotten, well as long as we remember the tote bag!LOL
1 person likes this