Camping-I Need Your Help!

Hello to you & happy hot summer in Eugene! Love this weather we are having.
We love to camp as a family, but the only way a mother can have fun camping is if she is organized! I have been working on this for years, I still am not an expert. Thought i would throw ya some tips.
1. never camp in Oregon w/out bringing a tarp for your tent….stake the tarp over tent the first night…even if you have a expensive tent..tarp the thing
2. leave all cloths & towels in back of car…to stay dry!
3. if you are staying in park w/showers have flip flops for each family member to wear in shower
4. i like to roll my kids/hubby towel up in plastic Winco bags and so they can hang them in shower & then put their dirty cloths in them
5. bikes & helmets are a camping must for children
6. supply each person w/flashlight
7. place daily set of cloths in plastic Winco bags for each family member
8. I like to have shower bags for each kid/hubby- small shampoo/toothbrush ect…saves you the hassle of everybody asking for soaps towels ect.
9. You do not need coats at the coast just lots of hoodies & socks
10. i like to have a basket on my picnic table (everybody can help themselves) every time i
camp it contains- mosquito repellent, sunscreen, small baggie of band-aids, toothpicks, lighter or matches, container of Clorox wipes, roll of paper towels, ink pen, black permanent marker….if you do not have canopy over pic nic table just set basket out each morning & when you go to bed put it somewhere dry…i have found this little basket to save me from “Mom where is the?” the clorox wipes are great for wiping dirty hands & bloody cooking hands
11. i have a fold able garbage can…nice to have garbage can
12. prior to camping i like to freeze milk jugs, juice jugs, water bottles & little baggies full of water….i use the jugs for ice in ice chest, the water bottles for the drink ice chest & the little baggies full of water i layer between meat & on top of meat ice chest. Block ice is nice but hard to squeeze in ice chest. Crushed melts super fast. I put my ice chest in the shade & place a heavy wool blanket over the top for more insulation.
13. Freeze all meat before heading to the coast….put the first meal on top and layer them in order of eating.
14. This year i froze 1/2 a gallon of milk & when we left poured the milk that was unfroze on top and it stayed cold & de-thawed well..we camped for 9 days & i did not want to buy 30 dollars in ice
15. I have a cook tote that sits right by barbaque..totes keep everything dry & varmints out. Inside tote i have my barbaque tools, grill spray, seasonings, ziplocs, tinfoil, pot holder, apron, disposable gloves, pancake griddle, crockpot, pot w/lid tea picture, i have a little tote w/steak knifes, stir spoons, spatulas, can opener, watermelon knife ect..The less running around finding things for people the more fun i have. The cooks can easily find everything they need.
16. I bring 2 cheap coffee pots, i have a little fold able stand just for them. 1 coffee pot is for coffee & 1 is for cocoa, i bring an extension cord for these w/a splitter. I keep a small tote w/all hot drinks supply’s, filters, cups, ect. I use the coffee pots for heating dish wash water also.
17. I bring 2 dish pans, inside is bottle of dawn, 1 scrubber (plastic not cloth), 1-2 beach towels for drying…these dishpans will get used for everything, cleaning fish, soaking feet, ect. 1 is to wash 1 is for rinse, i dry my dish washing towels out daily and reuse
18. We usually camp for several days w/lots of people so i like to have 3 ice chest…1 for meat…1 for drinks…& 1 for veggie/buns/fruit/condiments. By doing this my meat ice chest dose not get opened very much. The hubby & kids usually just need to know which one is the drink chest..I like to put frozen bottles of water in this one cuz they are small & keep the temp down & they are drinkable. I pack all condiments in ziplocs, i take a gallon tea jug & put my pre-patted out hamburgers in it so they do not get yucky. Hot dogs go in ziplocs, ice chest are drained of water each morning.
19. I always have a designated Snack tote. Totes keep chips from getting crushed, varmints out & stay dry. The kids do not have to find me for snacks, i like to have a shoe box tote inside this for my smores, that way people can grab it to take to fire..no searching around for..no marshmallows getting hard or dirty on the ground, just pass it around.
20. Cups-i try to bring all bottled, cans ect camping. We use disposable cups for hot drinks which i make in the morning & evening. The kids can make their own cocoa if i turn the coffee pot on & have all items insight…less work for me than heating up water & finding them cups, cocoa ect. We use one spoon set it on plate and everybody uses it to stir.

Liz,
Thank you so much for your comments… This is so helpful! Between your list and the response on facebook, we are going to be so prepared!!! Thank you!