Camping is all about adventure and relaxation, but nothing ruins the experience faster than a messy campsite. If you’ve ever found yourself rummaging through bags for your flashlight or struggling to keep your hygiene items off the ground, a hanging shoe organizer can help.
Personally, I love shoe organizers. As someone who lives in a shoebox apartment, they are an absolute must to keep my shoes tidy and tucked away. But believe it or not, they are actually pretty handy at keeping the chaos at bay when you go camping, too. Here’s everything you need to know about camping with a shoe organizer.
How a hanging shoe organizer can keep your gear accessible
Even though hanging shoe organizers are meant for indoor use, they are great to bring with you on your camping trip because of all the small pockets. They’re easy to hang from a tree or canopy, and they give you some much-needed organization for those smaller items that might get lost or dirty.
Here are a few examples of what you can store:
- Meal utensils: Spatulas, tongs, serving spoons, forks, knives, and spoons
- Spices: I like to organize my spices in smaller Tic Tac boxes for the trip.
- Dishwashing: Soap, a sponge or brush, and a small dish towel
- Hydrating necessities: Tea bags, electrolyte or water flavoring packets like Liquid I.V., instant coffee packets, sugar packets, and small honey bears
- Snacking necessities: Granola bars, trail mix, fruit snacks, and single-serve chip bags
- Toiletries: Toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss, sunscreen, bug spray, wet wipes, hand sanitizer, travel-sized shampoo and conditioner bottles, soap, and deodorant
- Camping gear: Flashlights, extra batteries, lighters, matches or firestarters, pocket knives or multitools, extra paracord or ropes, duct tape rolls for quick fixes, and first-aid kits
- Small games: Decks of cards, dice, and travel-sized versions of your favorite board games.
Some items might have deep enough pockets to hold paper bowls, paper towels, or other bulky items. For optimum space saving, use any larger pockets for these. You may be able to roll or fold items before putting them in the pockets, but at that point, you might just be best with the picnic table. You can also use carabiners or hooks to attach bulkier pieces of gear.
When using a shoe organizer, I highly recommend placing it where rain can’t get to it. Many are made of plastic and will collect water when it rains. If you don’t expect rain, a tree branch will do just fine. Otherwise, try hanging it underneath a tarp or canopy or even on your car’s trunk or back seat.
Also, be aware of any rules regarding foodkeeping. The last thing you want is an animal coming by to munch on your snacks, so always supervise your shoe organizer and transfer the scented and edible items to a safe container like a bear bag when it’s time to tuck in for the night. Some recreation areas will allow you to lock food in your car, so look into the laws of your campground for the best advice.
