How to organise your tent

Camping is all about freedom and relaxing but that doesn't mean you shouldn't be organised. A little advance planning can make setting up go a lot more smoothly and family camping trips will be far more enjoyable if you arrange your tent properly and keep it clean and tidy, especially if you're on a longer break.

Here are our tips to getting organised for your next big trip away.

1 When you pack your car, put the things you’ll need first (e.g. your tent) into the boot last so you don’t have to drag everything out and leave it in the rain.

2 Set up beds and sleeping bags as soon as the tent is pitched then you can use the bedrooms to keep gear out of the way as you set it up.

3 Keep a small box next to each sleeping bag where torches, water bottles, phones, books and other personal belongings can be stored safely. Really Useful boxes or Lock & Lock are perfect for this. Alternatively use the storage pockets built-in to most tents.

4 To avoid unnecessary fumbling around in the dark, always make sure your head torches are easy to find. Store them in the same place every time – ideally hung near the main door or in one of the tent’s storage pockets.

5 Tote boxes are the family camper’s best friend; good for storing footwear, first aid kits, games, food and cooking gear. In fact pretty much everything. Filled properly, they make finding stuff much easier, especially if you label each box with its contents. Boxes with lids can be stacked neatly inside your tent.

6 Limit the amount of toys and other gubbins you let the kids bring and keep them in a container with a lid (the toys not the kids. Although sometimes….).

7 Put everyone’s dirty clothes in a large laundry bag and, if you’ve got room, keep it in the car

8 Place a rubber-backed doormat just inside your tent entrance to keep the floor clean and dry.

9 A small plastic brush and dustpan helps you keep the tent clean and will prevent small stones being trodden into the groundsheet.

10 Collapsible plastic boxes are brilliant to put dirty dishes in and to transport them to and from the sinks.

11 Make your kids responsible for tidying up their sleeping area every morning.

12 Store condiments etc in small plastic tubs with lids.

13 If you have a spare room in the tent, use it for storing stuff like holdalls, coolboxes and washbags. Zipping up the door will make the tent feel less cluttered. This could also be used as a kids’ playroom on rainy days.

14 If space is an issue in your tent, store your holdall containing clean clothes in the car. But to avoid having to go out early in the morning, bring in the following day’s clothes the night before.

15 Keep socks and underwear in separate zipped bags to make them easier to find.