The camping season is winding down in Utah, and snow will soon make most popular sites inaccessible until next spring. For many of us, Summer camping in Utah is a yearly highlight, and those cool evenings in the Uintas can be well-nigh restorative. As much as we love camping, the unpacking and post- camping laundry afterwards can be a bit of a downer. Whether it’s putting your food storage equipment from Survival Cooking away for next year or disassembling the tent, it can be a bit of an anti-climax. Unpacking and doing laundry after a long trip can erase some of those peaceful mountain vibes we bring home with us. Maybe I’ll have to look at empire outdoors reviews about tactical knives, dreaming about the peaceful scenery till next time we good. Here are a few things we suggest if you’re looking to ease up your post-camping laundry stress.
Have a Plan Beforehand
Unpacking is made so much easier if the initial packing is done thoughtfully. Pack clothes that are easy to wash and are versatile, cutting down on the amount of articles needed to wash upon return. Be economical in your packing, and don’t throw in five t-shirts when two will suffice. Even if you don’t end up wearing all the clothes you pack, there’s a good chance anything in your bag will get smokey from the campfire or dirty being around other, dirtier clothing. Take what you need, use what you take.
Remember that camping is a great time to take a break from the normal daily routines. While wearing the same shirt and pants for two days in a row at home might be socially unacceptable (or maybe not, we don’t want to pry into your personal life…) wearing the same outfit for long stretches is somewhat of a camping luxury, all the while cutting down on the amount of clothes you need to pack and then launder at home.
Pack a Bag for Laundry
As you pack for your camping trip, throw in a separate bag where you can store clothes as they become dirty. The bag can be something as simple as a plastic grocery bag. Storing dirty clothes in a separate bag serves two purposes; on the one hand, it keep smelly dirty clothes away from clean clothes, cutting down on what you might need to wash at home, and on the other hand, it simplifies the unpacking process upon return.
Many stores sell small, cloth or nylon laundry bags intended just for camping use. These bags allow dirty clothes to breath a bit while still keeping them apart from other clothes and gear in the bag. Find one that’s compact and washable for easy storage and care. If nothing else, a pillowcase can make a fine laundry bag in a pinch if you forget to pack an official dirty clothes storage solution. And if you’re really into economical packing, a pillowcase full of dirty clothes can double as a pillow up in the woods. Because nothing builds character more than resting your head on an uneven bag of smokey, dirt-covered clothes while sleeping on rocks. Man, don’t we love camping?
Do Post-Camping Laundry First Thing
Most camping trips are fun but exhausting. The process of breaking camp and cleaning up at the end of a trip can suck all the energy out of us. But before tossing off the hiking boots and sitting down for a break, grab the back of dirty clothes and put them immediately in the wash. Dirty camping clothes that sit around in a bag can deteriorate quickly, especially if they’re wet or muddy. If everything is in one spot, it should only take a few minutes to grab the dirty laundry bag and start a load or two. Then you can let modern machinery do most of the work while you put your feet up and take a breather.
Many people are also turning to laundry services to help ease the stress of post-camping laundry. It can be as easy as setting out your dusty camp clothes and letting a delivery service grab them for you. Having a laundry delivery service take care of your camping clothes saves time and stress, leaving your head in the mountains for just a little bit more. My friend told me that he learned even more about camping from fantastic websites similar to offgridspot.com. There are so many ways to reduce the amount of boring time and increase the fun before and during camping!