Packing for Vacation at Rustic Remote Cottage Cabin or Camping

 

This guide is a basic informational guide to help you pack for either the summer or just a short trip.  Adjust your amounts for the length of time you will be staying.  We pack enough to last a good solid month - but may never make it more then 2 weeks.  What ever the time frame - everything we need (not including fresh foods) is ready and waiting for us.

 

Lets start with some basic information.

Our cottage is a fully stocked - dishes, cooking ware, cleaning tools, hand tools and furniture.

 

Throughout the winter I watch for sales on many things.  Fall I might find lamp oil or torch oils. After holidays there are great selections of paper products ( I don't mind using Halloween stuff on the 4th of July)

 

I HATE washing dishes when on vacation so save the real dishes for special meals or company.

 

I pack one large tote full of paper plates, napkins, plastic silver ware and cups.  We have a recycle center near that takes cardboard, plastic, glass and tin cans - this saves a great deal on trash.

 

Another tote (or 3) will hold clean linens - sheets, towels, washcloths and the such that did not make it to the laundry mat before we headed home last trip. I save every old towel and wash cloth.  When your camping it is so nice to not worry that you just spoiled a new towel or it flew off the boat and is gone forever. 

Oh yea   how about when the kids use it to carry their rock collection back to the cabin??

 

Toilet paper I buy a case or large pack to keep stock for the summer.

Large pack of tooth brushes - every one forgets it now and then so is nice to have new available

 

First aid supplies - Including Tylenol, Advil, Cold / Allergy meds, Diarea and Heartburn meds, and tons of bandaids of various sizes.  Remember to put in finger tip end bandaids and the kind for holding together gashes.  Water proof may be a good idea but we buy cheap ones since the kids will change them every 4 hours anyway just to see how it looks.

 

Basic fresh supply of spices - salt, pepper, garlic and any other spices you might use regularly. I add in lemon and lime pepper for fish frying.

 

Other kitchen dry goods will include Sugar (lots for the Humming birds), coffee creamer, flour, powdered milk, powder mash potatoes, stuffing mix, cereal, pasta and any other pre-pared foods your family likes.

I add in cans of veggies, a good variety of soups, an assortment needed for chili and spaghetti sauce.

Drink mixes, hot chocolate and tea bags.

Bring fresh coffee with you each trip - it is well worth it for the flavor!

 

The main idea here is to have a fully stocked pantry so you can come up any time and basically get through a weekend with out ever having to get to the local store and pay exuberant prices.

 

Ziplock (or cheap brands as I do) bags of every size - open cereals or pretty much anything you open you want to seal back into a bag.  I keep in totes, coolers and the non-working fridge because of those lovely little mice that take over when we are not there.

Tin foil - plastic wrap for left-overs and wax paper for the kids to press leaves with.

 

By now you know I have an area just to put all this crap till it moves into the hall just before we leave and then into truck/trailer as the day arrives.

 

Fresh foods are a matter of choice and location.

We have a very small propane fridge so can bring very little with us - we also cross an international boarder so have to keep in mind what is permissible to enter the country.

So far we have had no issues bring with us - butter, lemon juice, potatoes, fresh vegetables for snacking bottled water (till we can get to the artisan well for fresh drinking water), Juice packs, potato chips and an assortment of food bars, candy and other light snacks.

 

Some items that should be sealed and left would be feminine supplies - We have 3 girls in the family and the price of these supplies is outrageous in the local store! - If you don't have girls with you, think about who may visit and if there might be an emergency need.....  (Have a Girl friend or relative help you choose these items and pack in a marked container)

 

Add in shampoo, conditioner, bars of soap, dish soap, lotion and HAND SANITIZER for those quick moments.

 

I like to bring up a bottle of bleach, bug spray by the gallon and sun screen.

We have started to use the giant storage bags for keeping linens clean and still use a great number of totes, all mattresses are kept in those plastic zip on covers. I like to bring my pillows but keep a couple sealed in bags just in case any one forgot theirs.

Bring a box of fabric softener sheets for when you pack these things back up - it makes a nice scent when you open them back up.

 

Yes My husband asks if I left the kitchen sink!  I remind him he put one in for me so that is already there!!

 

Now   if you have room for clothing...   yea you might want to toss that in too

I am sure I am forgetting something - I always do - we make it just out the driveway and remember something else.

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