Real Life Bloopers & 5 Rookie Camping Mistakes

If you are fairly new to the camping world then you've most likely made a few mistakes, boos boos, no no's and uh ohs. 

Preparing for the current getaway we are on I did my usual stuff. Pack in our clothes and food, wipe down inside, wash linens and replace them and have the slides and awning in so all my husband had to do was back up and hook up.

In the wonderful state of Florida we have afternoon summer showers pretty much every day...do we not? We keep our camper plugged up and set-up when it's home because it's usually not but just 2 or 3 weeks before we are gone again. 

Yesterday I decided it was a good idea to be CUTE on this camping trip. And when I say cute I mean the goal was to not be mistaken for a beggar. 

Camper was all packed and ready so I decided I would get ready myself. 

I only wash my hair every 7 days and that's an entirely different blog post. It still looks good on day 7. Yes, it really does. Maybe I have magical hair? Idk. But 7 days works for me. I've trained it over time and have a regiment, but again..another blog post...

So I washed and dried and STYLED my hair all at the same time. This is a PROCESS. I have too much hair. Enough for 3 average hair headed people. So it took a hot minute.

I did my make-up. Actually took my time and did it. Even put on my new highlighter stuff. Real fancy, ya know.

Put on a new shirt from the Cato's, I mean y'all, extra fancy and went outside to put the slide in and awning. 

Besides the mosquitoes about to tote me off I was feeling super accomplished. Slide was in and awning was next. 

Back to the rain thing. The awning was at an angle so the rainwater could easily escape and not cause any damage to the awning itself from the weight of the water if it tries to puddle up. It's really easy to adjust..or at least it looks that way when my husband does it. 

I fidgetted (<<< pretty sure that's a word even though auto correct disagrees) with the lever that allows you to angle the awning. I thought it made sense to put both of them at the same angle so the awning would roll up evenly. I NEVER rolled it up with them uneven. Nuh uh. Nope. That's not how I know it will not roll up correctly if uneven.... 👀

Fidget. Fidget. More fidgetting and then....

I kid you not, 187 gallons of water fell directly on top of my freshly washed and groomed mop. I was doused. Soaked. Drenched. Not a dry spot to be had. Even on my new Cato top.

I looked around my yard like. are. you. kidding. me. 

I just stood there.

Shook. 

Musty.

Skeeters tearin' me up.

Disbelief.

More looking around.

Dripping...

Like...for real.....

LOL 

I walked back inside and my kids were kinda scared. They thought I may or may not absolutely lose it. And I didn't...but I'm still looking around holding my hands out like I had a big imaginary box in my hands like...for reallll....bc THAT really happened. 

The soured water mildew smell wasn't a good look or scent so I started my cute pursuit all over. Ended up leaving the house with half wet hair bc I was over it. It dried frizzy and I did NOT roll the awning in. 

But don't worry we did roll it up before we left and by WE, I mean my husband.

So being a rookie at camper and camping related stuff is not for the faint hearted. 

That wasn't my first shot a stupidity with camping...there's a whole lot more where that came from 🤣

Rookie Camping Mistakes in no particular order....off the top of my head...

Mistake #1 - Baking pans 

I was SO excited to make muffins on our first trip. We love blueberry muffins in the a.m. and I just thought the smell of sweet carbs taking over the camper would be such a sweet memory for my kids. Mama making muffins on camping trips. I always tell my kids "there ain't muffin 'bout you that I don't love"..I mean SO cute..right? Well it only works if your muffin pan fits in the teeny tiny camper over. You will need pans that actually fit in your oven if you're going to bake anything. Ain't muffin gonna work it it don't fit. 🤦

Mistake #2 - Freeze and Unfortunately Unfreeze

If your freezer isn't on it won't stay frozen. Wow. Sounds like a pretty solid, common sense, kind of statement. It is.. until you realize that when you open the door to the freezer and there's water and a lot of it. I suggest using a large towel to soak up the water while it's in the freezer and not on the floor. If you know it's going to defrost because you're leaving it up plugged and shut up just throw a folded up large beach towel or something with the absorption equivalence and grab it out once you know it's fully melted. 

Mistake #3 - Didn't think that one through

There have been so many moments when I've said, "What did I think I was going to use??". I just did not think things through. I boiled noodles for macaroni one time and didn't have a strainer to drain the water off the noodles. I had cans of food and no can opener in site. Get it, site...like camp site instead of sight...ok...I'll stop. I had cereal and no bowls. Imagine my poor children with cereal on a plate and a drop of milk. Pitiful. Ok, we never did THAT...but imagine 🤣🤣 Also, no scissors and no cutting board, no Ziploc bags🙈🙈🙈 and NO CHIP CLIPS. These are things you just assume you'll have at arms reach and unless you pack it you ain't got it!!! 

Mistake #4 - Shoes

For whatever reason I always take at least a carry on size bag full of shoe options...anywhere I go. I just feel so constrained without choices. I may wear the same pair all 3 days of camping, but I want choices. Well I've learned that you and everybody else in your family don't actually NEED that many, but it is smart to have a water proof pair (crocs or something of that nature), something comfortable and easy to slide off and on and closed toed shoes incase you feel froggy and want to be outdoorsy and go for a walk or run or your campsite is sandy and you like clean feet. But whatever you do don't wear shoes in the camper. The sand will take over and no matter how much you sweep or vacuum it WILL NOT FULLY GO AWAY. Take it from me. We have a convenient little shoe caddy that I stick by the door outside and everyone kicks their shoes off safe and sound on it when they come in and out.

Mistake #5 - Dirty clothes dilemma

The first couple trips I was clueless as to what to do with all the dirty clothes and towels. My kids clothes were muddy and wet and stinky and I didn't want it in a trash bag all weekend, but didn't have a way to wash it immediately or before the trip was over. After the musty trash bag thing I decided that wasn't going to work anymore. I got an extra storage container that I had at home and put it in the dead space under our bed in the camper. There's enough room for 2 of them actually. One is for super soiled clothes and the other is for just regular...didn't play in the mud and roll around and smell like a dog clothes...If there is any really nasty stuff I've rinsed it in the shower..hung it outside to dry then thrown it in the tub and put the lid on it. When we get home it's an easy trip inside and take both tubs to the laundry room. We don't have room to have a hamper in the way anywhere and this works for us.

So many mistakes that I've yet to make falls under #3 of "didn't think that one through"....Just like anything else it takes time to build up a stock of stuff and to be able to think of any and everything you could possibly need. Even now several things are popping in my head that we could use.

The cool part about camping is you are on your own terms and you just find your way as you go. You get better at it and learn from your (or my) mistakes! 

I wish now that I had taken a picture when I was fully drenched yesterday after the awning kerfuffle. But instead here's a picture of our set-up from last night. 

We got here after hours and it was dark. We will be exploring and have more to share from this trip in a couple days!