Camping Equipment Storage

When you’ve really committed to your love of camping, the equipment cost can get expensive. Investing in tents, tarps, sleeping bags, lamps, heaters, and other equipment adds up very quickly–both in money, and in space. Next thing you know, your garage is full of equipment and your car is sitting out in the driveway gathering pollen. Instead of leaving your home at the mercy of your gear, consider investing in self-storage for your camping equipment. With our tips, you’ll have your gear stored neatly, safely, and ready to go for your next trip.

Prepping for Equipment Storage

Clean All Equipment

To prevent mold and mildew from building up on your equipment, always clean it and let it fully dry before storage. This goes for tents, tarps, sleeping bags, grills, and anything that collects dirt while exposed to the elements. Letting the equipment dry is key–you do not want any moisture in your camping equipment storage. Failure to dry items can have you coming up empty handed for your next camping trip. If you are extra nervous about moisture, you can invest in some silica packets to absorb anything that might find its way into your storage containers.

Invest in Storage Containers

Keeping your equipment in bins can help save space in your storage unit and protect gear from pests and moisture. While there are certainly camping storage containers that are on the more expensive and costly side, the cheaper clear storage containers will do the trick as well. You will just want to make sure it has a lid to keep out the elements. To see our guide to storage containers and organization, click here.

Remove Batteries from Electronics

Any electronic equipment you will be storing (lanterns, for example) must have the batteries removed before putting them in storage. Leaving them unused with batteries can result in the corrosion of the battery, which in turn damages your equipment. It is better to remove batteries and store them separately and safely in a sealed container.

Storage Tips

Invest in Climate-Controlled Equipment Storage

When you’re ready to put your packed-up equipment into storage, make sure you go with a facility that has climate-controlled storage. This means the temperature and humidity are kept at a normal range, protecting your equipment from extreme heat, cold, humidity, and dryness. Your camping gear is already exposed to the elements when you are using, so don’t overdo it–make sure your gear is protected while it is stored.

Organize Your Equipment Storage

Investing in bins will allow you to label and organize your storage, stacking it to save space. You will be able to save money with a smaller storage unit if you stack all of your gear efficiently. Consider investing in storage racks as well if you believe it will save you space and money. This will also make it much easier to find the gear you need before each camping trip if everything has a place it belongs.

Keep a Grab and Go Bag

If you find yourself taking frequent camping trips that just require a few things, keep those things separate in a little grab and go bag. This will make it easier to access them without having to dig every bit of your equipment out of storage. Just make sure you refill it after each trip and that you take anything extra you might need out of storage depending on each trip’s needs.

 

Our guide to camping equipment storage is here to help keep your gear in mint condition. Trust your camping gear to AAA Storage Asheville and we’ll have it ready to go any time you decide to hit the trails.