Camping in a tent doesn’t have to mean roughing it if that’s not your style with these camping hacks. These tent hacks will make your tent super comfy! Camping SHOULD be a blast – friends, family, yummy campfire food, and fun camping games. Now some will say that the only way to truly experience camping is to sleep on the ground with nothing more than a pillow and a blanket (and the blanket is also optional).
The good news is that you don’t have to rough it out to have a memorable camping experience – these tent hacks will give you the best of both worlds: being able to explore the great outdoors while also staying comfortable!
Oh, and I’m not one of those people and I’m not ashamed to admit it. I like to be able to sleep so I can enjoy all the adventures that might happen the next day. However, sleeping doesn’t come easy when there is nothing but a tarp between you and the ground (and I don’t care what they say, grass makes no noticeable difference).
Related: Need a good BIG family tent? <–We got some suggestions!
So in an effort to help other campers who share this opinion of sleeping on the ground with me, we have found some great tent hacks to make your camping trip a little more comfortable.
Tent Hacks To Make Your Camping Experience Cozy
1. When Camping, Roll Your Clothes
One thing about camping is that you’re going to be around a fair bit of dirt. No need for your clean clothes to get dirty. Roll your outfits by the day, this allows you to grab all that you need for the day at one time. AND it takes up less space in your pack. This is also a useful travel hack for those of us who can’t pack light.
You can also pack your clothes in separate 2-gallon ziplock bags and label the bags by day. This is more practical for a short camping trip.
2. Bag Your Toilet Paper
When nature calls the last thing you want is rain drizzling on your toilet paper, or accidentally dropping it and it getting dirty. On your camping trip, bag your toilet paper and toothbrushes, and every other hygiene item.
Speaking of toilet paper…
3. Camping Planner
Avoid the worst thing that can happen during a camping trip: forgetting essentials. We’ve all been there and done that, like the time we forgot toilet paper. Never again! Get the Happier Camper Camping Bundle for only $7 and stay organized and prepared. This bundle includes the Happier Camper planner, Campfire Crew Kids activity pack, and Ultimate camping companion ebook, all packed with expert tips and tricks to make your camping experience unforgettable. Click here here to grab your bundle today – your sanity is worth it!
4. Use a Pool Float as Your Camping Sleeping Pad
SO COMFY!! If you already have a pool float, grab it for your next camping trip. We like them as they deflate so they don’t take up much space when not in use – and as an added perk, our pool float fits the back car seat in our van, meaning our twins can sleep in the van if its raining or we are having a tent issue – cause we all know that almost always happens, sometimes.
5. Create a Tent Foam Floor
Can’t get used to the hard earth under your tent? Me neither, won’t apologize for it and neither should you. Soften the floor with foam floor tiles. You won’t believe the difference it makes! This also works well for keeping mud and dirt out of your floor!
A Yoga mat also makes for a great bed. It’s less bulky and takes up way less space than a foam floor or an air mattress.
6. Create a Tent Light – Use Your Water Jug!
Fill your tent with a soft light all through the night by filling a jug with water and wrapping the jug of water with a headlamp around it. This camping lantern will make the tent a not-so-scary place for kids – and adults – who are afraid of the dark.
7. Heat Your Sleeping Bag With a Hot Water Bottle
Always suffering cold feet at night? Fill a water bottle with hot water and put it down in your sleeping bag to keep your tootsies toasty warm. I always bring Nalgene bottles with me when camping. I prefer that brand as they are nearly indestructible and can sustain REALLY hot water without melting!! This means NO COLD FEET!!
If you have young kids, remove the bottle before they sleep – cause, well, hot water.
If you’d rather not snuggle up to a hot water bottle, pack the bottom of your sleeping bag with dry clothes (thanks, REI, for this hack!). They’ll soak up any moisture at the bottom and keep your feet warm.
8. Use Kids’ Belts as Sleeping Bag Straps
Tired of wrestling your sleeping bags in your tent?? They are IMPOSSIBLE to roll back up!! After breaking our sleeping bag strap we found a solution that was even better!! Our son’s adjustable belt!!
Now our ten-year-old can make the roll himself… even if it’s not perfect, the belt goes around the roll… and then we can cinch it tight and make it back into the tight roll it needs to be!! Handy.
9. Keep a Shoe Basket In Your Tent Entrance
Who wants dirt tracked inside the tent? Eww! Keep a shoe basket near the entrance to collect those dirty shoes and keep your tent floor spic and span. We keep our bug spray and sunscreen stick in a basket too – makes them easy and within reach when needed.
This way kids have a visual reminder to spray their feet – ticks attach themselves to shoes and legs the most! Keep them safe all day with this mental hack.
10. Use Solar Lights Stakes – Outside of Your Tent!!
You know how everything is just so dark when you go camping? Put some cheap solar lights outside the tent and on the way to the bathroom area to help you find your way around instead of fumbling in the dark. You will have your own custom lantern lit walkway!
These add the perfect amount of lighting without disturbing your neighbors!
11. Make Your Tent Sparkle with Lights
Here’s another alternative for kids (and adults) who are afraid of the dark: solar-powered twinkle lights! Just don’t hang them directly over kids’ beds, as you don’t want them to knock them down and get tangled up in their sleep. I’d put them on the opposite side of the tent room, actually.
12. Here’s A Tent Hack I Wish I Knew Yesterday – Protect Tent Zippers with Wax.
Keep tent zippers from sticking by rubbing them with a wax candle (another great tip from REI!). This is a hack that actually works for all zippers!! But tent zippers are especially prone to problems as they are often folded and bunched up. They are also exposed to the elements, which are not a zipper’s best friend. The last thing you want is to get to your campsite and ruin your camping experience because you were not able to open your flaps. Wax helps. Promise.
13. Hang Your Camping Gear in Your Tent
Use this gear line organizer so that you never have to dig through piles of sleeping bags and pillows to find your phone, small pans, bar of soap in plastic container, first aid kit, trash bag or unused glow sticks. Added perk… Bugs!! Fun fact: Did you know that flies and other flying camping pests like mosquitos don’t like to fly under things that are swinging above them? If you hang this near the entrance you will find you have fewer bugs in your tent!!
14. Create a Tent Trash Can – From a Laundry Basket
Dealing with trash bags is frustrating, but this pop-up trash can using a hamper is a brilliant idea. (You may want to use a rope to tie it to something to keep it from blowing away.) But even better, you should use this same trick inside the tent to hold dirty clothes during your stay. (And be sure to put your trash and dirty clothes bags separate or in different colors. Otherwise, you’ll have a hard time separating trash from your dirty clothes. Or simply wondering what happened to your camping clothes, because they’ll have been trashed, lol)
15. Stop Tripping over Tent Lines With This Cool Tent Trick
Are you always tripping over your tent lines because you don’t see them until you’re right there? Ouch!!! Mark them lines with pool noodles! Your feet will thank you. Make sure to use brightly colored pool noodles so that they’re easily seen.
16. A Tent Hack To Keep Your Tent Cool
Keep your tent from becoming unbearably hot by using a reflective blanket to deflect sunlight. It may look a bit silly but this tent hack really works! And you’d be making your science teacher SO PROUD because this is actually a bit of science in practice.
17. Use Binder Clips to Secure Tent Flaps
Tent won’t stay open? Keep your tent flaps open with binder clips. Use them to secure the rain flaps open, fasten a tarp or plastic sheeting over the top, or attach tent decorations.
By the way, you’d be amazed at what these little clips can do. Check out these binder clip tricks and see what I mean.
18. Plan for Some Yummy Campfire Food
We have a big list of camping food ideas that will keep your tent camping adventure fueled. Grab your spoon, fork…or spork and your salt and pepper shakers because an easy feast over the campfire is in your camping future.
Keep in mind, there are very few tents that are big enough for your king-size pillow-top mattress, so no matter what you do, some sacrifices must be made.
19. Camping Games Keep Everyone Having Fun
You have gone camping to have some fun! Keep that experience even better by including some of our favorite camping games that will delight the entire family. Or check out these fun Earth Day activities to embrace your best tent camping experience on earth!
20. DIY Fire Starters to the Campfire Rescue
We have a big list of the best fire starters that you can make from using dryer lint to kindling bundles, we have some genius ways you can get your campfire or charcoal grill started no matter the weather.
But you don’t have to rough it completely if you don’t want to. As you’ve seen you have all sorts of ideas for improving your camping conditions so you can focus on more important things like making memories.
Found These Tent Hacks Useful? Check Out More Camping Tips and Tricks You Might Want To Learn About:
- 13 Best Sleeping Bags for Kids
- 12 Winter Camping Tips That’ll Keep You Cozy Warm for Cold Weather Camping!
- 15 Must-Have Camping Supplies
- Don’t miss our list of what to bring to a cabin camping trips
- 15 Must-Have Camping Supplies to Make Your Next Trek the Best Ever
- Best camping hacks with kids!
- Enough with a tent! I am ready for the best RV hacks!
What was your favorite camping hack for tent camping?
Love these camping ideas for the entire family! We always end up camping with our kids each spring and it is so fun…but camping with kids can be unpredictable!
I’m a fan of glamping while my hubby is a much more traditional camper so any camping hacks that can help us meet in the middle are always appreciated! I love the idea of putting the emergency blanket over the top of the tent! Brilliant!
Hahaha! Glamping is the ONLY camping idea that my husband would even consider.
I just wrote a bunch of these camping hacks in my note book – they’re genius! I especially love the pool noodles idea and the foam floor trick. I’m always open to learning new camping ideas whenever I can! Thank you thank you thank you!!
These camping hacks blew my mind! Maybe I’d like camping a bit more if it tried some of these. 🙂 The pool float as a mattress is a genius idea!
Using a pool float to put the sleeping bag on? Best camping hack ever! Love these ideas! We used to go through SO many air mattresses because of sticks, sharp rocks and various things… like fish hooks being left on it. A pool float is WAY less expensive to replace.
My idea of roughing it is there is no pool in the hotel. But my husband and kids love it. I need all the camping hacks I can get to make it! HA!
The tent light camping hack is super genius, but the planner is a godsend!!!
These are great camping hacks! I am all about anything that makes my camping trip just a little bit easier or more comfortable!
My kids are set on going camping and as a Mom that doesn’t camp I needed every single one of these camping hacks to get through the weekend! Thank you for helping me survive!
Pool lights for soft sided pools come with a remote and a magnetic that goes outside to hold the light inside the pool. I put the light outside my tent at the top by the door so I can just hit the remote to light the way at night.
I’m a planner junkie – I didn’t know I needed the Happier Camper Camping bundle until I saw it, but it’s PERFECT!
Love the idea of the emergency blanket. How do you keep it secured on the tent?
Hi, Carrie! You can attach your survival blanket to the tent over the rainfly, and attach it to the tent poles using binder clips, or whatever else you have on hand that you might feel will work better!