How to Organize Your Camping Kitchen

One snack here, another drink there, and before you know it, the utensils have been spilled, the peanut butter isn't where you left it, and there's a loaf of bread in the cooler.

Before you pull your hair out, start organizing. When you organize your kitchen at the campsite, you can worry less about clutter and focus more on having a great time relaxing and cooking with your family. Use these four camp kitchen organization tips on your next trip into the woods.

Label Containers and Coolers

With multiple coolers, storage containers, bags and other miscellaneous items, camp kitchens often get messy. Save time, energy and stress by labeling everything you bring. For example:

• Meat Cooler
• Breakfast Cooler
• Snack bag
• Dinner bag
• Vegetable bag

Not only does this make it easier for you, but for your little ones as well. For example: pack a bag for the kids, with carrots, celery, peanut butter, apples, trail mix and other snacks. If they know they can pull from this bag when they want a snack, you may have less of a mess on your hands.

More: Cooking at the Campsite: 5 Food Safety Tips

Use Do-it-Yourself Storage

Sometimes, the best storage items can be made with stuff found in your home. Take old items and repurpose them to save time and money. Some of the best items to organize your campsite kitchen include:

• An old coat rack: Bend the arms of a metal coat rack, and use them to hang paper towels, cups and other kitchen items.
• An old shower caddy: Hang a shower caddy on the pole of a built-in shelter or nail it into a tree and then use it to hold your ketchup, salt, pepper, and more.
• A bathroom organizer: With multiple pockets, this makes for the perfect kitchen organizer. Use it to store things like silverware, napkins, cloths, matches and multi-use tools.
• Crates: Stacked milk crates are great storage items—use them for packing and then stack them for storage when you arrive.

More: 5 Tips for Camping Food Storage

Create Specific Spaces

Organize your kitchen by clearly defined spaces so that people know where to go when they want something, instead of digging through three bags and leaving a mess in their wake.

For example, the cooking area should be where the camp stove is. There you can keep the oil, cooking utensils, extra propane or anything else you need. This makes it easy for someone to cook while others come and go. It also ensures everything you need for cooking is close by, so you don't have to go looking for it every time you turn on the stove.

Invest in an Organizer

Sometimes, it doesn't matter how organized you are. Without drawers, convenient storage spaces and a counter, the kitchen becomes a mess. In this case, it may be time to invest in an actual camp kitchen. There are many of them on the market, and each one provides something different. In general, a camp kitchen has storage and drawers that close, a spot for your stove to go, hangers for utensils, and counter space.

The Kelty Basecamp Kitchen is a great option for a large family camping for extended periods of time. It folds down completely making it easy to store and transport. With a counter space, a designated area for your camp stove, and shelved storage in a zipper pocket you can keep everything in one organized place.

More: 10 Delicious Foods to Cook Over a Campfire

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