Table of Contents
1. Space-Saving Dish Drying
My solution? Dollar Tree’s mesh laundry bags! They come in various sizes, and I’ve found that the smaller ones work perfectly.
After washing our dishes, I simply place the plates, cups, and utensils inside the bags.
2. Outdoor Handwashing Station
3. DIY Paper Towel Holder
4. Foot Washing Station
After a day of exploring, our kids’ feet are usually covered in dirt. To tackle this, I set up a foot washing station using two dish pans from Dollar Tree.
One pan holds soapy water, and the other is filled with clean water for rinsing. I place this setup right by the door of our camper, so the kids can easily clean their feet before stepping inside.
5. DIY Hat Rack
With multiple family members, keeping track of everyone’s hats can be a challenge. I use carabiners from Dollar Tree to create a DIY hat rack.
I hook several carabiners together and clip the hats onto them.
This keeps the hats organized, prevents them from getting dirty, and makes them easy to grab when heading out for a hike or a day at the beach.
6. Outdoor Shoe Storage
Camping shoes can get messy and scatter all over the place. To keep our campsite tidy, I use a laundry basket as an outdoor shoe storage bin.
I encourage the kids to place their shoes in the basket as soon as they enter the camper.
This way, we avoid tripping over shoes and maintain a clean area around our camping setup.
7. Glow Sticks for Safety
Glow sticks are not just for fun; they’re also incredibly useful for marking hazardous areas at night.
Before it gets dark, I crack open a pack of glow sticks and place them around the campsite to highlight potential tripping hazards, like rocks or uneven ground.
8. Solar Lights for Navigation
Speaking of nighttime, I love using Dollar Tree’s solar lights to help us navigate back to our campsite.
I place them at the front of our area, and they light up at night, making it easy to find our way back from the restroom or showers without stumbling in the dark.
9. Shower Caddy Organization
When heading to a campground with showers, I utilize a caddy from Dollar Tree to keep all our shower essentials organized.
I prepare separate caddies for the girls and boys, filled with everything they need.
10. Outdoor Caddy for Essentials
11. Space-Saving Egg Storage
Bringing eggs for breakfast can take up a lot of space in the cooler. To save room and prevent breakage, I pre-crack eggs into a food storage container from Dollar Tree.
I can fit up to 16 eggs in one container, making it easy to pour out just what I need when it’s time to cook.
12. Shake and Pour Pancake Dispenser
Pancakes are a camping favorite, and I love using a Shake and Pour container from Dollar Tree to make them even easier.
I fill it halfway with my favorite pancake mix, then add the required amount of water when I’m ready to cook.
A quick shake and I’m ready to pour the batter onto the griddle!
13. Flip Top Food Storage Containers
To keep various cooking ingredients organized while camping, I use flip-top food storage containers from Dollar Tree.
I dedicate one for chopped green onions, another for mini marshmallows, and a third for chocolate chips.
This makes it easy to sprinkle or pour out ingredients as needed for different meals.
14. Strawberry Lemonade Ice Cubes
If we have access to a freezer, I like to make delicious strawberry lemonade ice cubes.
I slice fresh strawberries and place a few in each section of an ice cube tray before filling it with lemonade.
Once frozen, I can pop them out and add them to our drinks for a refreshing twist without watering them down.
15. Bug-Proof Your Drinks
To keep bugs out of our drinks, I use cupcake liners from Dollar Tree. They’re sturdy and simple to use: I place one over an open cup and poke a straw through the center.
This prevents pesky flies from landing in our drinks, making it a perfect solution while enjoying our meals outdoors.
16. Food Covers with Shower Caps
To protect our outdoor snacks from critters, I utilize shower caps.
They can easily cover plates, bowls, or platters of food, providing a barrier against insects and other animals.
17. Colorful Pinwheels as Boundaries
I often use colorful pinwheels from Dollar Tree around the perimeter of our campsite as a visual boundary for the kids.
This simple method reminds them to stay within the designated area, preventing them from wandering into other campsites or roads.
18. Plastic Clothespins for Tablecloths
When it’s windy, I find that securing tablecloths can be a hassle.
I use large plastic clothespins from Dollar Tree to keep our tablecloths in place.
They also double as clips for securing beach towels to camping chairs, ensuring everything stays put during windy days.
19. Lanterns for Safety
To prevent head injuries from low awnings on our RV, I hang lanterns from Dollar Tree on either side of the awning.
They act as a visual cue to remind everyone to duck when passing under the awning, helping us avoid painful bumps.
20. DIY Drink Cooler
Lastly, I use a colander from Dollar Tree as a simple drink cooler.
I place the colander on top of a bowl filled with ice, then stick our drinks directly into the colander.
This setup keeps the drinks cold without creating a soggy mess, catching any melting ice in the bowl below.
Final Thoughts
These Dollar Tree camping hacks have been game-changers for our family.
Each one has helped streamline our camping experience, making it more enjoyable and less stressful.
If you have any camping hacks you’d like to share, feel free to drop them in the comments! Happy camping!
