Why I Always Pack Resealable Bags When I Go Camping

If you’ve ever been camping, you’ll know how quickly your nice, tidy packing turns into a bit of a muddle. You start off with everything neatly put away, but after a couple of days you’re rummaging around looking for clean socks, trying to find the torch and wondering how everything seems to have got damp.

It’s usually the little things that catch you out.

One thing I’ve found really useful is taking a selection of resealable bags. They’re not particularly exciting, I know, but they’re one of those things I wouldn’t want to leave behind now. They take up hardly any room and I seem to find another use for them every time I go away.

Keeping things dry and separate

Anyone who camps in Britain will know that you can’t always rely on the weather. You can wake up to sunshine and blue skies and be packing away a wet tent the following morning.

I like to keep a few spare clothes in separate bags, particularly socks and underwear. There’s nothing quite like pulling on a dry pair of socks when everything else feels a little damp.

They’re also handy for putting wet swimming costumes, muddy bits and pieces and anything else I don’t want mixing in with my clean belongings. Just remember to take damp clothes out when you get home rather than leaving them sealed up.

Food always seems to take up more room than you think

Packing food for camping can be a bit of a juggling act. You want enough to last, but you don’t want half the car taken up with open packets and containers.

I like to get a few things ready at home before setting off. Portioning out snacks, preparing ingredients and separating food for different meals saves a bit of time when you’re at the campsite.

For everyday snacks, biscuits, nuts, dried fruit and other bits and pieces, food storage bags are worth having in your camping box. They’re handy for keeping opened packets together and making it easier to grab something when you’re heading out for a walk.

If you’re taking food for several days, vacuum sealing is another option worth considering. I’ve found it particularly useful to think about preparing certain foods at home, rather than trying to do everything once I’ve arrived. Have a look at the range of vacuum seal bags if you use a vacuum sealer for preparing and storing food before a trip.

Of course, anything that needs refrigeration still needs to be kept properly chilled in a suitable cool box or fridge. Sealing food doesn’t replace safe food storage.

All those little bits you can never find

Why is it that the smallest things are always the hardest to find when you’re camping?

Spare batteries, tent pegs, cable ties, little repair bits and torch accessories all seem to disappear into the bottom of bags.

I’ve found that putting these things into smaller clear bags makes life much easier. You can see what’s inside without tipping everything out, and you can keep similar things together.

I particularly like having one bag for little repair items. When something needs fixing, at least I’m not searching through the whole camping box trying to find a cable tie or spare part.

The toiletry bag

Shared campsite showers are one place where I like to have everything together.

Shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrush, soap and all the other bits are much easier to manage when they’re organised rather than rolling around loose in a wash bag.

Smaller bags are useful for keeping little toiletries together and separating anything that might leak from the rest of your belongings. They’re also handy for cotton wool, hair ties and those small things that always seem to get lost.

A little tip for rainy days

I always think it’s worth having a few spare bags tucked away somewhere in the tent.

You never know when you’ll need one. Perhaps you’ve picked up something muddy on a walk, you’ve got a wet cloth to put away, or you simply need somewhere to keep a few bits and pieces together.

They’re also useful for keeping paper instructions, campsite information and other small items organised. For anything that absolutely must stay dry, though, I’d use a proper waterproof pouch.

Which bags are worth taking?

I wouldn’t bother taking just one size. A mixture is much more useful.

Smaller bags are great for batteries, accessories, toiletries and snacks. Larger bags are better for clothes and bulkier items.

Clear bags are particularly handy because you can see what’s inside. If you’re using them regularly, a resealable zip style closure is useful because you can open and close the bag without needing a new one each time.

For food, always make sure the bags are suitable for food contact. And if you’re storing anything sharp, choose suitable protective packaging rather than putting it straight into a thin plastic bag.

Something small that earns its place in the camping box

I know resealable bags aren’t exactly the most exciting thing to pack for a camping holiday. They’re never going to be as interesting as choosing a new tent or buying a decent camping chair.

But they’re useful, and that’s what matters.

They help keep the little things together, save rummaging around when you’re looking for something and make packing up at the end of a trip that bit easier.

I’d rather have a handful tucked away in the camping box than find myself wishing I’d brought some when I need them.

It’s funny how often the simplest things turn out to be the ones you use the most.