What essentials have you forgotten to take?

[jen&john]

I was wondering how other folks compare to our family. My 11 year old daughter likes to pack by herself, but I think she forgets something essential on every trip! One time she forgot to pack socks and undies. Another time she forgot to bring pants!! Gramma came to the rescue and loaned her some sweat pants for the weekend. Of course, we have had our moments too. We have forgotten the jacks (my bad!!), the camera (my bad again), sugar (me again, I see a pattern emerging, hmmmm), frozen hash browns (my hubby's favorite camping food group) and worst of all, TOILET PAPER!!! So, we are one of those families that lives and breathes checklists!
Jen ( John's better....forgetful half)

[jen&john]

I was wondering how other folks compare to our family. My 11 year old daughter likes to pack by herself, but I think she forgets something essential on every trip! One time she forgot to pack socks and undies. Another time she forgot to bring pants!! Gramma came to the rescue and loaned her some sweat pants for the weekend. Of course, we have had our moments too. We have forgotten the jacks (my bad!!), the camera (my bad again), sugar (me again, I see a pattern emerging, hmmmm), frozen hash browns (my hubby's favorite camping food group) and worst of all, TOILET PAPER!!! So, we are one of those families that lives and breathes checklists!
Jen ( John's better....forgetful half)

[Kablewizard]

We did that a lot on the first few trips, but I planned those close to home and Wal Mart. Our first trip every season is the same way. The only things we take out of the camper, are perishable and dirty cloths.

Our Camping partner, ( 9 yr old Granddaughter) comes over the night before, and it never fails we go to Wal Mart so she can get some new cloths. Shes dos the same always forgets something. We have made cloths list and Cheri keeps the menu. I always take to many cloths, I insist on warm cloths in summer, just in case it turns bad. Maybe you need a inspection for a few trips to get the daughter in line. I know there is always something. We know where all the Wal Marts by our favorite spots are, cause you just never know.

Keep it fun, no mater what else happens

[Allegro Happy]

Jen I published a camping list that Ken Lenger has in his signature. Or you can do a search for it. The ABC's of camping. Print it out check it off. Do it all the time. And yes even we experienced campers always forget something. That is why they built Wally World

[Two Bit]

When we had a popup we forgot to pack pillows one trip.
Recently we did not have any baking powder, so no homemade cornbread. Had to have hotwater cornbread instead. Pillows I can do without(just use the dog as a pillow), but the proper baking ingredients, NO WAY

[Ken Lenger]

See http://www.klenger.net/arctic-fox/abc.html for ABC's

[TJinNH]

When my oldest son was 2 we forgot the soap. All we had was the head to toe baby wash. That stuff works out a lot better because it's not as messy and easer to use in a shower than bar soap. Now we buy a large bottle before our first trip.

[Kent & Peggy]

Many years ago when we were still tent camping - probably five trips in a row we forgot to take a spatula. Do you know how hard it is to cook pancakes and eggs without a spatula. We still have spatulas that we bought at camp stores after probably 25 years.

[tgt]

I figure if I remember beer and my hormones, the weekend will be okay.

That said, I print my Camping Checklist - developed over the years - every trip, whether it is for a weekend or a month. It is two pages and has areas for menu/food planning, plus a page of everything that needs to be in the RV.

[Allegro Happy]

tgt, welcome to iRV2 hope you find us interesting!!!!What do you travel with. You can add it to your signature. Welcome again

[Lynnvt]

We have clothes that we leave in the camper so if you forget something you can get by. I think that would be especially helpful with children. An extra set of play clothes from the thrift shop to keep in the camper. Our camper is stocked for the summer at the beginning of the season. That doesn't mean we never forget something...

[FatDog]

the absolute worst that i could have forgotten,
was when i woke up at a beautiful County Park on a little lake, early in the morning and a little bit chilly, and realized I had not packed any coffee

I knew what must then be done.
I combed my hair, buttoned my shirt proper,..
and went out and shook hands with all my camping neighbors and introduced myself.

3 or 4 cups later, we were all good friends

[Liz (the bad one)]

Fat Dog - that is too funny, but I have never not offered coffee to anyone wandering through the campgrounds in the morning. It's just the right thing to do!!

I have forgotten my pillow (used an extra blanket that trip), my socks (no, hubby's didn't work), and the pie irons for the fire but nothing seriously major. Now that we have a trailer and not the pop-up, I leave a fleece sweater and mittens in the camper for an emergency!!

[jen&john]

Well, the first trip this year, we only forgot to take a dish rag to wash the dishes and a mallet to bash in the kids' tent pegs, not too bad for the shakedown trip!