Getting Organized For Summer Camp: Part 2
You’ve followed all of the tips in Getting Ready for Summer Camp Part 1, and now you’re ready to pack it all up! Part 2 is all about the camp trunk. Buying it, packing it, and getting it to/from camp.
Happy Camper Steel Footlocker Trunk
Invest in a quality camp trunk. -- so it will survive camp (and last several summers). The Happy Camper from Everything Summer Camp is an excellent option. At camp, trunks are used for both storing clothes & gear AND as furniture, so getting a high quality trunk that can withstand kids standing/sitting/jumping on it will be worth the investment. This trunk is sturdy enough to survive shipping, so if you child is flying to camp this is a great choice. (Note: The first year my son went to camp, I bought wheels to make it easier to move it around. At the end of camp, my then-9-year-old decided that he didn’t have enough space in his trunk to bring them home so he THREW THEM AWAY. Sigh.)
For those driving to camp, another option is a plastic trunk like the Sterilite Footlocker Plastic Trunk from The Container Store. It’s about the same size as the Happy Camper, but it’s much less expensive and not nearly as heavy. (It also has wheels built in so your kid won’t toss them!)
Sterilite Footlocker Plastic Trunk
Ship the trunk to camp. If your child is flying to camp, consider shipping the trunk separately. Shipping costs less than oversize/overweight luggage fees PLUS no one has to haul it through the airport. Lugless offers discounted shipping through the big carriers (UPS, FedEx, etc.). You can purchase one-way shipping or round-trip.
Use packing cubes / clear plastic bags for clothing. Packing cubes (or clear plastic bags) make it easier to pack clothing. Once your child arrives at camp, it will also be easier for him/her to find what they need if each category of clothing is in a separate, labeled cube or bag.
Send a collapsible car trunk organizer. Having everything in the camp trunk can be super convenient — or super overwhelming for some campers. These big trunks don’t have smaller sections to keep camp gear organized. And, some campers bring more to camp than will fit in a single trunk. (My son goes to camp for a month, so he takes a trunk for gear and packs clothes in a rolling duffle.) A car trunk organizer provides extra under bed storage that’s easily accessible.
Now that your trunk is purchased and packed, it’s time to count the days until camp starts!
What are your go-to camp packing tips?