Effectively Storing Your Camping Gear

Have you ever wondered how to properly store your camping gear during the long winter months so it’s ready to go when you are?

At The Hideout: Elite Motor Storage™, we offer several different car condo unit sizes to house any recreational vehicle—everything from SUVs to trailers to Class A motorhomes. We also offer short-term, outdoor storage rentals as a secure place to store materials. But it’s important to take the time to organize and store your camping gear before you need it for your outdoor adventures.

Follow the tips below to find out how to store your camping gear like a pro!

CLEAN AND DRY

Before storing your camping gear, all tents, sleeping bags, and clothes should be washed and completely dried. Also, consider cleaning tarps, shoes, bikes, and anything else that could’ve gotten dirty—even if it’s just wiping dirt off or airing out. Of course, you should try to clean and dry everything immediately after a trip to avoid damage (think mold or mildew) to your camping gear, but definitely before long-term storage.

You can spot clean your tent with mild soap and cold water. To dry, pitch it outside in the shade. Letting it sit in direct sunlight for too long can damage the fabric and waterproof coating. If you don’t have space to pitch it, find a spot to hang the tent until it’s totally dry.

Check the manufacturer’s label to make sure, but most sleeping bags and pads can either be washed in the machine or by hand with mild soap and warm water. Hanging is a good but long way to dry sleeping bags. If you put them in the dryer, throw in a couple of tennis balls to stop clumping.

Don’t forget to wash your eating utensils and cookware too. Even if you rinsed everything off at the campground, when you get home wash it with dish soap or throw it in the dishwasher. You don’t want to risk any bacteria on the things you eat off of.

ORGANIZE YOUR CAMPING GEAR

First things first: Organize your gear by use. Keep items like tents and sleeping bags together, cooking supplies together, and first aid products like medical kits, sunscreen, and bug spray together.

Get plastic bins to store your camping gear in. Not only are they water-resistant to protect your items from moisture, but it makes it easy to neatly stack in storage. Clear bins allow you to see what you have; however, gray or black bins can offer extra protection from UV light.

Regardless of the color of the bin, label each one with a number, color, or whatever system works for you. Keep a master list of the “inventory” you have either on your phone or by the door of your self-storage unit.

Try not to store tents and sleeping bags in their bags for a long time. The compression can damage the insulation of a sleeping bag and folding a tent repeatedly can tear the fabric or ruin the waterproof coating. Instead, loosely roll and store these camping items in a bin, or large cotton or mesh bags to allow the fabrics to breathe.

STORE IN A COOL, DRY PLACE

After organizing, you want to make sure to store your camping gear in a cool, dry place. Moisture can damage just about anything—everything from flashlights to fabrics.

Before anything else, make sure everything is totally dry before you store it. Plastic bins will help protect your things, but one way to ensure a cool, dry spot to store your camping gear is by renting or buying a climate-controlled self-storage unit.

At The Hideout, we offer climate-controlled car condos so you can keep your gear safe from extreme hot or cold temperatures and humidity. Our facility is accessible 24/7, so as soon as the weather warms up, your camping gear will be clean and ready to go with you! For more information, send us an email or call us at 239-213-8029 today!

Jorge TrevillaJorge Trevilla
20:44 25 Nov 23
Best most professional storage I have ever used. Thank you. 🥇
PaulPaul
19:16 13 Nov 23
The Hideout is the ultimate in storage not just due to their fabulous facilities but even more so when it comes to their staff. Heather in the office has been indispensable and has gone way above and beyond to help my team and my client ensure that problematic deliveries made their way to the unit without any hiccups.Paul SullivanNationwide Garage, Inc.
Stephen FerrisStephen Ferris
18:20 13 Nov 23
Want to give a great shout-out to Heather, The Hideout's Office manager: She has been a treasure beyond measure!Way above her enumerated responsibilities, Heather has unfailingly assisted in receiving packages, and even very large shipments that are to be deposited in an owner's unit when the owner is not available (Ask me how I know! ).I am having a large expanse of my unit walls covered with slatwall, and the supplier initially (unknown to anyone) delivered an incorrect color - which then had to be retrieved by the shipper - and finally had to be replaced with the correct material.Through all of this Heather was unfailingly helpful, calling to let me know of the delivery, alerting me to any issues, and generally being my eyes and ears throughout the deliveries and pickup.One could not ask for more in the way of above-and-beyond assistance: Kudos to Heather for all her help!!!Steve FerrisHideout Unit Owner
Jacqueline KatzJacqueline Katz
23:43 01 Nov 23
Great safe place to store a 5th Wheel. Service was excellent, they make it easy. We will definitely use them again.
kendall elliottkendall elliott
14:29 31 Oct 23
Rhett RobisonRhett Robison
14:32 18 Sep 23
Carey MattCarey Matt
03:42 01 Sep 23
Very friendly and helpful staff!! Heather is awesome!!
Beverly HolmesBeverly Holmes
14:23 24 Aug 23
Phyllis Fischler GrayPhyllis Fischler Gray
15:56 02 Aug 23
Hideout was a convenient place to keep my boat and trailer. No problems with access, and staff was always friendly and helpful when I had questions or needed to update information.
william drakewilliam drake
00:35 02 Aug 23
I've been storing boats rvs and trucks for over 40 years, this complex is far superior than the rest. The owner and office manager are always on hand to answer any questions or help anyway needed. They consistently go above and beyond expectations. Great job!
Shara MattShara Matt
14:17 01 Jun 23
I have to say this place just keeps getting better. I first moved here in 2016. My class c was there when Irma hit and not a single issue. My RV cover didn't even come off. I needed a place for my small class c. This was it. Very secure. I didn't worry about anything because at that time I was by the canal and if anyone got past the security gator they were lucky. (He was huge). Just recently had my travel trailer there and I didn't think customer service could have gotten any better because it's exceptional. I wouldn't use any other facility.Thank you for being there where it's needed.
Derrick WatkinsDerrick Watkins
14:08 01 Feb 23
Stored my boat at this facility for almost 2 years and have no complaints. The owner (who I've never met in person) helped me with a few setup challenges and he was extremely quick to respond. For as big of an operation, his customer service skills are A++. The only reason I am leaving the facility is to sell the boat I had in storage and upgrade to a different one. Once I have purchased my new boat, I am giving them a call to set me up with another storage space. Place has been super secure, and automated. Never an issue. Thanks guys!
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