Picnic Tub and Bags Galore to Organize Your Summer Fun

On our many outings and trips, my husband and I have found that staying organized is the key to relaxing and enjoying any experience. So if that once in a blue moon sunny day shows up in Seattle, our picnic tub is packed and ready to go at a moment's notice. Should we decide to take another day and camp on a cross-country trip, our camping gear is packed into the rooftop carrier of our Subaru. Our backpacks are perfectly sized to fill with gear and reduce the strain on our shoulders. And then there's the few lightweight bags we add to our luggage, which saves us many lost items and makes month long trips endurable.

So what's in our Picnic Tub?

We use a Rubbermaid tub to hold our picnic supplies. These include:

1. paper plates

2. paper towels

3. plastic cups

4. salt, pepper and garlic salt

5. silverware in a smaller plastic container

6. large utensils such as a fork, spatula, and marshmallow spears

7. mugs

8. pot used to heat water, do dishes and shave

9. paper bags for garbage

10. plastic bags

11. toilet paper

An additional advantage of the tub is it is heavy sided and stacks easily. It also has convenient handles that make carrying it simple. This article has some commonly overlooked food goodies to include in your menu.

So what camping gear's in our rooftop carrier?

The answer is, it varies but may include one or more of the following:

1. sleeping bags

2. pillows, sheets and beach towels

3. rubber raft

4. oars and pumps

5. inflatable mattress

6. tent

7. tent stakes

8. broom and dustpan

9. tarps

10. duffle bag with Frisbees, badminton etc.

The main thing I should mention is that every one of these items is stored in a nylon stuff sack and is labeled with a tag for easy identification. Part of the reason for putting it in a stuff sack is to keep the contents clean and dry while unloading in a campground and to protect from moisture at home. Still accidents happen and this article has good suggestions on how to clean sleeping bags. Also, if you're traveling with children, this article has some additional suggestions for family oriented gear. Another article provides some low cost ideas to include for hiking and camping.

So what bags do we include in our luggage?

1. stuff sack for dirty laundry

2. backpack, preferably one that is lightweight, with a single shoulder strap, a slot for a water bottle, and room enough to hold a camera and
binoculars

3. soft-sided cooler

4. stuff sack for socks and one for underwear

5. garment bags for pants and for tops

6. plastic bags

Often hotels have free plastic laundry bags, but they are really small and good for only a day or two. A stuff sack has the advantage that it hides the contents and is easily carried. The soft-sided cooler comes in handy for those countries where ice is sold-don't bother if you're going to the United Kingdom or Spain. Although many places that sell ice also sell coolers, they mostly sell those annoyingly noisy Styrofoam coolers that squeak mile after mile. This article explains how to make your own garment bags; we bought ours through TravelSmith. One use of the plastic bags is to rip them into pieces and use them to seal the contents of our cosmetics by placing them beneath the caps. The advantage of doing so is it eliminates the many spills caused by air pressure changes during flights. Finally, this article explains why a big handbag is bad for your health. Remember to think light when planning the bag to use on your outings for the day.

By being organized at all times, our packing activity before trips is reduced. We never have to wonder where we'll eat because we can always stop at a grocery for the supplies needed to picnic. And, if worst comes to worst, and we can't find an open motel with vacancies, we can always camp.