When we lived in NC, SC and TN, we could go camping year-round. At that time, we had a hard sided Apache popup. It stayed packed all year. I kept clothes (thrift store since the kids grew so fast) in the camper year round (packed into plastic zip lock bags and then in boxes). Things like flour, dry muffin mixes, biscuit mix, hot cocoa mix, powdered milk, boxed mac & cheese, rice and pasta were stored in glass mason jars. In 18 years of traveling all over the SE, I never lost a jar due to traveling. I just slung a couple movies and perishable food in the refrigerator, closed it down and hooked up the car to the little camper. We did it often enough that the kids and I could be gone in 15 minutes. In our area we had a lot of places to camp at that were close to home.
With the truck camper, I basically do the same thing. The only difference is the truck rolls all the time and is rarely plugged in. The dog always has a couple days of food and a weeks worth of vitamins. She has an extra coat that is left in the camper. My daughter and I have a couple days worth of clothes (including a jacket each) packed along with a weeks worth of our vitamins. Basic foods are kept packed all the time. I just toss a couple frozen things from the freezer into the camper along with a few perishables (like butter, buns/bread, etc). Again, all foods like flour, dry muffin mixes, biscuit mix, hot cocoa mix, powdered milk, boxed mac & cheese, rice and pasta are stored in glass mason jars. We stop to fuel up the truck, pop into Sam's Club to pick up a few fresh items (salad makings, ready to cook entrees, etc), stop to top off the jug of drinking water if it's needed (RO water dispenser is across the street from the Sam's Club) and we're gone. Last week we drove about 1 hour from "home" for an overnight "tourist" trip (visited a museum). When we got home, the "camper clothes" (all marked with a "c" on a tag inside the clothes with a permanent marker) were tossed in a couple mesh laundry bags, laundered, folded and packed back in the camper. And food that is eaten is replaced within a week, usually from home stock.
BTW, with the trend of movies selling as Blue-Ray, DVD and digital in one package, I have gotten into the habit of sticking the DVD copies in a notebook in the truck camper. Since I buy the movies when they are under $10, I end up not spending much for the dedicated "camping" movies. Handy when the weather or bugs are too bad to sit outside.
We also keep a fair amount of cash hidden in the camper and also in our wallets. The museum we went to this past week was a cash only (a whopping $2 per person entrance LOL)
With the truck camper, I basically do the same thing. The only difference is the truck rolls all the time and is rarely plugged in. The dog always has a couple days of food and a weeks worth of vitamins. She has an extra coat that is left in the camper. My daughter and I have a couple days worth of clothes (including a jacket each) packed along with a weeks worth of our vitamins. Basic foods are kept packed all the time. I just toss a couple frozen things from the freezer into the camper along with a few perishables (like butter, buns/bread, etc). Again, all foods like flour, dry muffin mixes, biscuit mix, hot cocoa mix, powdered milk, boxed mac & cheese, rice and pasta are stored in glass mason jars. We stop to fuel up the truck, pop into Sam's Club to pick up a few fresh items (salad makings, ready to cook entrees, etc), stop to top off the jug of drinking water if it's needed (RO water dispenser is across the street from the Sam's Club) and we're gone. Last week we drove about 1 hour from "home" for an overnight "tourist" trip (visited a museum). When we got home, the "camper clothes" (all marked with a "c" on a tag inside the clothes with a permanent marker) were tossed in a couple mesh laundry bags, laundered, folded and packed back in the camper. And food that is eaten is replaced within a week, usually from home stock.
BTW, with the trend of movies selling as Blue-Ray, DVD and digital in one package, I have gotten into the habit of sticking the DVD copies in a notebook in the truck camper. Since I buy the movies when they are under $10, I end up not spending much for the dedicated "camping" movies. Handy when the weather or bugs are too bad to sit outside.
We also keep a fair amount of cash hidden in the camper and also in our wallets. The museum we went to this past week was a cash only (a whopping $2 per person entrance LOL)
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