53 Nifty Camping Hacks​ You'll Use All the Time in 2025

Your favorite outdoor activity just got a little bit easier with these camping hacks​. Many people love spending time in the great outdoors, but camping takes a lot of preparation.

From scoping out a location to ensuring you’ve packed everything, planning in advance has major benefits. Including planning out a few hacks to make the trip a lot easier. Camping hacks can make the trip more comfortable, more affordable or simply help streamline the process for even the most experienced camper.

Camping has plenty of benefits, including stress reduction and improved sleep quality, according to KOA. And there are hacks that can help benefit each of these. There are ways to make packing and camping less stressful and make your sleep more comfortable. Most are easy to implement and don’t cost a ton, so you can easily add them to your established camping routine.

Enjoying the fresh air, taking in the view and spending time in nature can all be made easier with the right camping hacks​. Whether you’re an avid camper or a beginner looking for tips, we’ve rounded up 53 of the best camping hacks​ for you to use the next time you’re exploring the great outdoors!

Jump to Section

• Genius Camping Hacks
• Tent Camping Hacks
• Camping Hacks With Kids
• Camping Hacks for Food
• Camping Hacks for Comfort
• Dollar Store Camping Hacks
• Camping Hacks FAQs

Genius Camping Hacks

1. Pre-Cool a Cooler

Avid campers will tell you that you must pre-cool your cooler. If you just add ice with your food to your cooler without pre-cooling it, that ice will chill the cooler and leave little cooling for your food. Instead, put ice in a cooler a day before your trip to chill the cooler before adding a new bag of ice and your food and drinks.

2. Dishwashing Liquid on Pots

No one wants to end the night by scrubbing the soot from the fire off the bottom your pot. Instead, with this camping hack,​ rub a little dishwashing liquid or soap on the bottom of the pot before putting it over the fire. Cleanup will be so much easier.

3. Use Glow in the Dark Rope for Guy lines

Guy lines are important for maintaining a tent’s structure. However, at night, they can become nearly invisible. One of the most genius camping hacks is to use glow-in-the-dark or LED ropes to prevent tripping over the cords at night.

4. Use Soap Flakes

Instead of a full bar of soap, shred the bar into soap flakes. This way, you won’t risk losing a whole bar. You can take a few shreds when washing your hands or your body. 

5. Make a First Aid Kit

This is an essential camping hack for every trip. Make a first aid kit every time. You’ll want bandages, gauze, antiseptic, personal care items, ointments, burn gel, gloves, CPR masks, medications and more. You’ll also want to replenish your kit after every trip.

6. Make Coffee Tea Bags

Waking up with a cup of coffee is even more relaxing when camping. One of the best camping food ideas is to make coffee tea bags. Portion out coffee grounds into sealable tea bags. Then, you’ll be able to drop it into a mug or a pot of hot water and have coffee in minutes. 

7. Cotton Balls as a Fire Starter

One of the most genius camping hacks is to use cotton balls as a fire starter. They’re light and small, so they won’t take up a lot of room or add a lot of weight to your pack. Cotton balls can be made even more effective as a firestarter by adding a little petroleum jelly.

8. Store Spices in Tic Tac Containers

Going camping doesn’t mean you don’t have to season your food. Use TicTac containers to store all your spices. They’re small and light, so they’ll be really easy to pack. Make sure to label them with masking tape or a label maker so you know what each is.

Tent Camping Hacks

9. Candles for Sticking Zippers

If your tent zipper gets a little sticky, candle wax can help it glide more smoothly. Pack a candle made of beeswax of paraffin wax. If your zipper starts to stick, rub a small amount of wax on the zipper to get it unstuck.

10. Wrap LED Lights Around Tent Stakes

Another way to ensure you’ll see your tent stakes and prevent trips at night is to use LED lights. Look for solar-powered LED lights you can wrap around tent stakes. This can also help make your campsite more visible overall.

11. Tape Mylar Blanket to Tent Ceiling

Using a mylar blanket on your tent ceiling can help reflect heat back down on you. This is an especially great hack if you’re camping in the winter or in cooler locations. It’ll ensure you stay comfortably warm all night.

12. Make a Floor with Play Mats

Whether you’re with kids or just want a more comfortable base, you can use play mats on the floor of your tent. This can add some padding that’s more comfortable to sleep on or sit on, especially if you’re using a sleeping bag.

13. Bring Duct Tape for Quick Fixes

There’s a saying that duct tape can fix anything and that can be true when camping as well. Pack a roll of duct tape for quick fixes like small holes in a tent, preventing blisters or mending tears in sleeping bags.

14. Put a Sheet on the Floor

Another item to add to the floor of your tent is a flat bed sheet. Spread this out before adding your sleeping bag or dragging in your pack. This is one of the best tent camping hacks for cleaning up. When you’re ready to go, pick up the corners of the sheet and carry it outside the tent. You’ll be able to get rid of all the dirt without having to sweep.

15. Use Foam for Insulation

Foam is one of the best camping hacks​ to improve your comfort. Add some foam to the sides and ceiling of your tent to add some insulation. This’ll help keep your tent warm, especially during the winter.

16. Add a Pop-Up Awning

One of the best tent camping hacks is to add a pop-up awning outside the front of your camp. This is ideal for keeping the rain or dew away from your tent entrance. It’s also great to protect anything you keep outside your tent, like shoes.

17. Use a Tarp Over the Tent

The last thing you want is a leaky tent, and holes can be sneaky. To be safe, you can add and tie down a tarp over your tent. This will ensure water and, even morning dew, roll off your tent and onto the ground.

Camping Hacks With Kids

18. Use Glow Sticks to Spot Kids at Night

Camping with small kids can be fun but it also requires vigilance. Glow sticks create one of the best camping hacks​ for child safety. Have them wear them at night so you can easily spot them whether they’re walking to the bathroom or around the campsite.

19. DIY Games from Pool Noodles

Entertaining kids on a camping trip has never been easier. Make DIY camping games with pool noodles. Cut the pool noodles into pieces to make tic-tac-toe, checkers or hopscotch.

20. Hanging Storage to Stay Organized

Kids require a lot of items and staying organized can be tricky at home, let alone on a campsite. Use hanging or over-the-door storage to stay organized and save floor space. You can hang them on the inside wall of a tent to store toiletries, toys and other camping supplies.

21. Consider a Bunk Camping Cot

Sleep multiple kids without taking up a ton of floor space in a tent with a bunk camping cot. This can be a major benefit if you’re sharing a tent with kids or have a small tent.

22. Use Multi-Room Tent

Having a multi-room tent is one of the best camping hacks with kids. The extra space is a great way to have the whole family stay together but still have some space. A separate room is great for kids who don’t need to be right by parents but aren’t yet ready for their own tent.

23. Use a Bath Caddy

One of the best camping hacks​ for organizing and hygiene is to use a bath caddy. Add soap, sponges, toothpaste, shampoo and more. This way, everything a kid needs is kept together when they go to shower.

24. Pack Outfits in Resealable Bags

Use resealable bags to pack your kids' outfits. It makes it easy to find each outfit every day and also helps ensure the clothes stay dry.

25. Make Hand and Foot Washing Stations

Kids get dirty without being outdoors. Set up separate hand-washing and foot-washing stations throughout your campsite. Camping hacks with kids to help keep them clean and tidy will always come in handy.

26. Bring Plenty of Entertainment

Keeping kids entertained can be difficult on any given day but especially when they’re away from home. One of the best camping hacks​ with kids is to bring plenty of entertainment. Have board games, coloring books and scavenger hunts to do during downtime.

Camping Hacks for Food

27. Shower Caps to Keep Bugs Away

Place shower caps over cooked food or plates of food to keep the bugs off. This is one of the best camping hacks​ for when you’re serving large amounts of food.

28. Turn Foil Pans into a Charcoal Grill

If you place foil pans over an open flame, it can act like a charcoal grill. This is also one of the best camping hacks​ to cook a ton of food at once. Cook your burgers, hot dogs and sides in one foil pan.

29. Food Prep with a Planner

Going camping with a plan is essential. One thing you can plan out is your meals. Use a planner to choose dishes for each day. This can also help you keep track of ingredients or recipes you’ll need for each dish.

30. Bring Two Coolers

If you have room, bringing two coolers is one of the most suggested camping hacks​. Use one cooler for food and the other for drinks. This way, food won’t lose any chill when everyone goes in for water bottles or cans of soda.

31. Swap Butter for Ghee

Unlike butter, ghee doesn’t need to be refrigerated. Swapping the two is one of the best camping hacks​ because you won’t have to risk ghee going bad if the temperature in your cooler drops.

32. Freeze Food Beforehand

Avid campers say freezing food beforehand is one of the best camping hacks​. Freeze foods like meats, soups, sauces or pre-packaged vegetables. This allows the food to stay colder longer and can be ice packs for other items.

33. Wear Gloves When Handling Meat

Staying sanitary is essential when camping. Using gloves is one of the best camping hacks for food. Wear disposable gloves whenever you’re handling meat. This way, you can remove them and prevent cross-contamination.

34. Use Shelf-Stable Milk

Instead of traditional milk, use a shelf-stable milk. This is one of the best camping hacks for food because it’ll prevent milk from souring if the temperature in a cooler drops too low.

35. Spray Bottle of Soapy Water

Make cleaning up a breeze by adding liquid soap to water in a spray bottle. Use this to clean up your dishes, utensils and cooking supplies with ease.

Camping Hacks for Comfort

36. Use Sage or Rosemary as a Bug Repellent

Bugs are one of the worst parts of camping, especially the biting kind. Use fresh sage or rosemary to help repel mosquitoes, moths and flies. It’s one of the best natural camping hacks​, especially when you burn the herbs.

37. Sleep with a Hot Water Bottle

If you’re looking for hacks to stay warm during the winter or colder weather, consider sleeping with a hot water bottle in your sleeping bag. It provides localized heat, so it’s great to keep by your feet or around your core.

38. DIY Toilet from Gallon Buckets

The question of how to go to the bathroom when camping always comes up. One of the best camping hacks for comfort is to make your own toilet. Use a gallon bucket from a hardware store, a biodegradable bag and cat litter. The cat litter will help absorb everything and the bag makes cleanup a breeze.

39. Use Regular Bed Pillows

Sleeping comfortably is essential when you’re camping. One thing you can do to accomplish that is use regular bed pillows. This will ensure your head and neck are supported so you don’t wake up sore, even if you’re sleeping on the ground.

40. Have a Headlamp

Having a headlamp is one of the best camping hacks​ around. This tool will help light whatever you’re looking at while keeping your hands free. It’s perfect for going to the bathroom or cooking at night.

41. Permethrin to Get Rid of Bugs

Avid campers swear by permethrin to get rid of bugs. This is one of the best camping hacks for comfort as it can help repel ticks, mosquitoes and other biting insects. Add it to your clothes and shoes for even more repellent qualities.

42. Indoor Doormat

Opt for a doormat right inside the door to your tent. Here, you can keep shoes inside during the night so they don’t get damp with dew or rain. These camping hacks also help keep dirt out of the rest of your tent.

43. Wear Quick-Dry Clothes

One of the worst feelings is being in wet clothes. So, one of the best camping hacks for comfort is to wear quick-dry clothes. These wick away moisture like sweat and can help keep you cool because they’re breathable. Quick-dry clothes can also help prevent chaffing.

44. Bring LED Candles

LED candles run on batteries, so they’re easy and safe to have outside. Use these at night when you need more light or in your tent for a quick night light. Opt for rechargeable batteries and a solar-powered battery charger to reuse them night after night.

Dollar Store Camping Hacks

45. Bring Microfiber Cloths

Microfiber cloths are highly absorbent and therefore one of the best dollar store camping hacks. It’s a great way to dry off equipment or tools with ease without bringing bulky towels.

46. Keep Toilet Paper in Plastic Containers

Purchase plastic container bins and toilet paper from the dollar store for one of the best cheap camping hacks​. The plastic containers will help keep the toilet paper, napkins and paper towels dry, especially when it’s raining.

47. Mesh Laundry Bag for Drying Dishes

Use mesh laundry bags for drying dishes. After you’ve washed and wiped them down, place them in the bag for further drying. It’s a cheap camping hack that won’t take up that much room.

48. Pool Noodles for Tent Lines

Pool noodles are great for cheap camping hacks​. Add pool noodles to the tent lines and poles to add cushioning. It’ll help prevent injuries, prevent kids from running into the lines and make the tent more visible.

49. Use Solar Lights Around Your Campsite

You can purchase inexpensive solar lights from the dollar store to use around your campsite. Use them to mark tent stakes or simply to light up the space.

50. Cake Carrier for Plates and Napkins

Purchasing a cake carrier is one of the best dollar store camping hacks. You can use this to store plates, napkins and utensils and easily carry them all to the table at one time. Plus, it’ll keep them from blowing away in the wind.

51. Stacking Bins for Organization

Stacking bins are one of the best camping hacks​ for organization and they’re quite inexpensive at the dollar store. Use them to store tools, toiletries and more. Using stacking bins will help you keep floor space in the tent or around the campsite.

52. Bring Utility Knives with Refillable Blades

The dollar store is a great place to purchase tools at low prices. Purchase a utility knife and a couple of refillable blades. Use it to open packages, cut food, cut rope or for first aid.

53. Lint Rollers for Tick Control

Bring along a lint roller for tick control. After taking a hike, use a lint roller on clothes and body to remove any sneaky ticks that might have crawled on you.

Camping Hacks FAQs

What Is the 3-3-3 Rule for Camping?

The 3-3-3 rule is mostly for RV camping, but could be used for any type that involves driving. It’s a general rule to help reduce fatigue and make the trip more enjoyable. The 3-3-3 rule states you shouldn’t drive more than 300 miles in a day, you should arrive at your campsite by 3 PM and you should stay at your location for at least 3 days.

Not driving more than 300 miles helps to reduce fatigue. Arriving by 3 p.m. means you’ll have daylight to set up camp and explore before the sun goes down. And having at least three days at the campsite gives you ample time to relax and do activities like hiking and fishing. Pair this with a few camping hacks​ and your camping trip will be set up for success.

What Is the Most Forgotten Item When Camping?

You often need a long list of items for a multi-day camping trip. While it might be easy to remember the tent and fishing rods, smaller items are often forgotten. Think of items like batteries to power your lights and electronics, your toiletries, first aid supplies, prescription medications, portable power banks, emergency whistles and extra layers of clothing.

One of the best camping hacks​ is to make a camping checklist a few days before your trip. Write down all the essentials you’ll need, then consider the smaller items. Creating a checklist a few days in advance gives you time to add items as you remember them. That way, when you’re ready to pack, you’ll have everything you need.

What Is the Golden Rule of Camping?

Avid campers consider the Golden Rule of Camping to be “Leave No Trace.” This principle is meant to leave your campsite better than how you arrived there. In order to do this, you’ll want to clean up and remove all of your trash and any debris on the site. Respect nature, meaning don’t pick any flowers or break branches off trees. And extinguish your campfire completely. The goal is to leave the campsite in the best possible state for the next campers.

What Are the 3 C’s of Camping?

The three C’s of camping are comfort, cooking and communications. You’ll need all three of these to have a successful camping trip. And, luckily, there are camping hacks​  to help improve all of these.

Comfort includes having a shelter, good sleeping arrangements and the right clothing for your trip. Shelter can be a tent or RV; sleeping arrangements can be a sleeping bag or mattress and you’ll want to have clothing that agrees with the season.

As for cooking, you’ll want to fuel yourself so you have the energy for camping, hiking and other activities. This means bringing he right ingredients, storing them properly and having the proper tools and meals to prepare a meal.

Finally, you want to have good communication. Have good communication with your group if you’re going with other people or with emergency services. This ensures your safety and proper navigation throughout the trip.

Camping is a favorite pastime for many people and the right camping hacks​ can make it even better. There’s a camping hack for nearly every aspect of your trip, whether you’re looking to sleep more comfortably, make your site feel homier or simplify the process with kids. Get inspired by these camping hacks​ and make your next trip the best one yet.

For even more fun things to try, check out other experiences happening on Classpop!