Okay, guys… first I have to apologize for neglecting the blog and Facebook page a bit lately. I caught a nasty virus this week, and it is kicking my butt! Combine that with the fact that the weather in Arizona is still in the triple digits, and I just have not felt like setting the PUP up to get my to-do list done. I’ve got a few projects in the works, so as soon as I feel back to my old self, I will pull that baby out and get them going… and I promise to let you come along.
In the meantime, though, I thought I would share a few of my favorite glamping “essentials” with you. We recently took a spur of the moment camping trip up north, where the weather is MUCH cooler. It was a very last minute trip, but because the pop up camper was already packed and organized, I just had to throw some food in the car, and we were off. While we were up there relaxing, I realized that there were a few little essentials that definitely make this princess a much happier camper {& mom}. One of them is my tea. 😉
I didn’t grow up drinking coffee, so I never acquired a taste for it, but early in motherhood, I discovered the benefits of caffeine. I used to be a big soda drinker, and I still enjoy the occasional Vanilla Coke. Yum! But in an effort to ditch a lot of the sugar in my diet, I switched to unsweetened chai tea. If I don’t get my tea in the morning, I’m a beast. I’m a bit of a tea snob, too. I like my loose leaf tea. Brewing it on our summer road trip was kind of a pain. A few months ago, I discovered the Presto MyJo and I LOVE it! It works great with K-Cups, but it also has a little reusable cup you can add your favorite tea or coffee to. Making tea was so easy, I even made some for PopUpBoy … after I finished my first cup, of course! I’m nice like that. 😀
It’s small, too, so I don’t have to move things around to find a place to store it like I would with a Keurig. Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to have a Keurig in my camper, I just don’t have room for it. This is a great compromise, though, because it fits perfectly in one of my bottom drawers.
The base of the MyJo unscrews, you put in your K-Cup, screw the base back on, fill the reservoir with hot water, and pump the top. Easy-peasy! And how cute are those cups? They are another one of my favorite things. They are perfect for hot beverages, and they fit in the cupholders in the car. The kids love them for hot cocoa at night around the campfire. They make great every day cups, too. The lids keep the bugs and leaves out of our drinks while we are camping. Best part? I got five of them for $4 at Wal-Mart. They had a couple of different designs, too. I think they may be a seasonal thing, so you’ll want to go snap them up now. You can also find them on Amazon for a bit more here if your Wal-Mart doesn’t carry them.
Another thing that makes our camping trips so much more relaxing is keeping the camper organized and clean. You can read all about that here, but one thing I forgot to mention was that we have a special key ring for our camper keys. Now that PopUpBoy is driving, (Heaven help us all! 😉 ) there are quite a few sets of keys laying around the camper. Early on, I decided to keep the camper keys on a distinct key ring so they would be easy to find when we are packing up for our next destination or heading out of camp for some sightseeing. I found this cute little pop up camper key ring on Etsy, and I love it. I can glance at the pile of keys and immediately know which one to grab. How many of you have a separate key ring for the camper keys? Isn’t it awesome?
I just love a cozy campsite. On this last trip, I set up awning lights for the very first time. I picked up these cute little battery operated lights from Target (only $3 each!), and they were perfect. They gave a homey feel to our campsite without being blindingly bright–and I can use them when we don’t have hookups. I also love that I can drape them over the bunkends for some soft light inside the camper. I had been shopping at Camping World looking for a way to hang them and was so discouraged at how pricey everything there was. After a quick glance at Pinterest, I found a much cheaper alternative. Badge clips! They are dirt cheap at Wal-Mart and office supply stores, but you can also find them on Amazon here. They work beautifully! I didn’t bring enough lights, so I didn’t get a full setup, but I’m excited to set up the camper again now that I have more lights and badge clips… yes, that is the sound of Mr. TypeTwoFun groaning. 😛
Now here’s the fun part… I want to share my favorite things with you! I’ve put together a little package of my favorite “Glamping Essentials” for one lucky reader. All you have to do is tell me about your favorite glamping essential. Is there any little item you just absolutely won’t camp without? If you don’t have a camper yet, that’s no problem. Just tell me what part of “glamping” you are most excited about! Leave a comment below and use the Rafflecopter widget to enter the contest. We’ll pick one lucky reader at random on 10/12/15. Good luck!
Happy Camping!
Disclaimer: This post contains Amazon affiliate links. The Pop Up Princess is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This means that if you choose to purchase an item from a link in this post, The Pop Up Princess earns a small advertising fee to help pay for future projects and posts… so thank you! 🙂
Happy Camping!
We are looking for our first camper and I would love to have these products you recommend. 😊
Yay! How fun, Starr! I hope you find the perfect camper soon.
Our essential was a thick pillow top for our pop up bed. When we purchased our ’93 pop up the original mattress was dead, we searched around replace it but a new was way out of our budget. A new pillow top, however, was half the price, could be trimmed to size and we just put it on top of the original mattress and it gave us those few extra inches we needed for comfort until we can upgrade.
My quick tip essential is storing some large dump trucks and diggers for my son. They stay in the pop up so he isn’t bored of them yet so bringing them out while camping is an awesome little treat to keep him busy in the dirt.
Good idea, Alanna! I’d love to have a pillowtop in my camper! 😀
Alanna, I just love our pillow top in our pop-up too. I purchased a 3″ gel pillow top and Love it! It is worth having to ‘lay on top of’ my camper top in order to secure the latches (ha! what a sight) on that end of the camper. LOL I am in the midst of redecorating and updating “MyZen” (that’s what my baby is named; license plates and all). I’m always looking for more storage tips. happy camping~ janie
I would love a directory where to purchase decorating items for my 2003 12′ Jayco Pop-up.
Have you tried contacting Jayco, Sandie? You may be able to order items through them… if you don’t want to try your hand making them yourself. ☺️
Finding things for the Jayco brand pop ups is a night mare. They have a online catalog but you can see how much money each item is. Calling is a pain if you can’t see it well.
A lot of Coleman products do substitute for the Jayco brand. But not all.
Thank you for your blog as well. I bought a pop up this Feb and hope to maintain and upgrade it. I will redo the rest next year.
Love your blog and hope to see you post more soon.
Shellsgang7
I don’t leave home with out our French press packed!
Yep! Gotta have that caffeine! 😀
Yep! dont leave for camping without the french press either. We just bought a 2006 Bronco pop up for our pick up. I have a handy guy too and his comment for the web site was “don’t lose that site”. Loved the idea of the colored battery lights using badge clips. Great web site with so many great ideas. We used Dawn dish soap to clean our vinyl pop up exterior.
We just recently bought our first popup a few months ago and Absolutely love following you! You have fantastic tips! I know one thing i won’t be able to live without is my coffee 🙂
Thanks, Jill! Doesn’t that morning caffeine boost make everything easier? 😉
I love using the badge clips for hanging our lights! Such a quick and inexpensive way to hang them!
Oooo! Good idea, Crystal!
I have to have good cooking stuff. A good Stove, BBQ and pans. Our pop up came with an outside stove but we don’t use it for various reasons. Good cooking gear makes cooking dinner easier with less headaches and gets us back to the fun stuff!
You are so right, Jill! I love our Camp Chef stove. I make room to bring that baby along! 😉
Our favorite thing is the bed! We are spoiled in our pop up with heated mattresses. Add to that the memory foam topper and the most comfortable sleeping bag ever and it’s soooo cozy!
I love it, Becky! Ours are pretty comfy, too. I don’t know that I could ever go back to tent camping after our PUP beds.
Becky did you put your memory foam on top of the heated mattress? I bought one also but wasn’t sure if I could put it on top and still get the heat from the mattress.
We love our quesadilla grill pans from William Sonoma! 🙂
Oh my, Amy! I just may have to check those out! 😀
If we camp with power I love to bring my essential oils diffuser. Running g some lavender before bed helps everyone calm down and sleep great. It also helps hide the musty smell of our old pop-up.
Nice idea, Sarah! When we aren’t camping in bear country, I bring along a vanilla candle and a warmer. I love the cozy feeling it gives off.
I always take my short little broom and dustpan set.The camper floor gets nasty fast.
Me, too, Andrea! I do a good sweeping a few times a day. Gives me a good excuse to kick the kids out of the camper if they are spending too much time indoors! 😛
Also, I realize a broom isn’t necessarily a “glamping” essential, but we just got our PUP this summer and I’m still discovering the awesomeness of it all.
Hello, I’m in the process of a pup makeover. We acquired it free on craigslist this summer. It is our first pup. Needs a lot if tlc.I will post some pics when done. We love having our coffee when camping and always use a percolator. In so happy to have found this site. So much information for a newbie pup owner!
I have to have my LED string lights. They take 3 AA batteries and have 20 little lights. I hang them on the bunk supports for nice reading lights! They were also invaluable when we blew a fuse and or overhead lights died!
Nice, Nancy! When our battery died on a camping trip, we relied exclusively on our battery powered lights. They were awesome.
Love your site! I tend to always unintentionally leave things behind such as shovel, broom, plates. One thing we never leave is our hammocks. Not really for use inside the pop up but they are so fun.
How fun! I’ve been searching for a good hammock, Sarah. What brand do you have? We bought an Eno that split within an hour after setting it up, so back to REI it went–gotta love that place! We haven’t replaced it yet, because I don’t know what brand to go with. Eno was rated so well… I always wonder if I just got a fluke one.
We got our double hammock at Costco. It comes with us on every trip. Chillax is the brand.
I found a bag hammock and bag hammock swing at 5below this summer. We use them in the backyard, but for $5 if they split I’m not out much money. They are rated for 200lbs.
Oooo! See? I need to find one at that price. Then I don’t mind if it tears. 🙂
Our Eno hammock is AMAZING! We’ve used it many times (and frequntly had kids swing in it) and it has held up beautifully! I wonder if yours was a fluke!
Wedon’t have soup, but we just got our first camper this summer. We’ve only used it 3 times so far. But the one thing I added was the clear Christmas lights around the awning. It really is so much nicer that the blinding propane lanterns.my hubby cut the threads of some small hills and he slides those into a groove in the awning frame, but your idea for binder clips is AWESOME! I’m going to be grabbing some of those before heading out again. Thanks for the fab idea!
We just got our popup and I’m anxious to hit the road! I’m still searching for glamping essentials, but a good outdoor rug is high on my list!
We love ours, Jessica. It’s a polypropylene patio mat from Wal-Mart. It’s lightweight, rolls up easily, and keeps the dirt out. It’s awesome… but I do wish it wasn’t quite so bright. 🙂
I can’t live without my Cabellas camp kitchen!! I don’t cook inside our pup so this is the perfect spot to keep the grill & supplies without clogging up the picnic table. My kids friends laugh that I bring a kitchen camping!
I’ve got my eye on those, Tanya. Glad to hear you like yours!
We just got our PUP this winter! We picked her up from someone who just needed the money! We are still restoring but have NO intention of cooking in the camper. Its more of a bunk/ storage house! I have the larger Cabela’s Camp Kitchen and I literally kiss it every time I set it up! I love it SO SO SO much!
I love having a good book when camping. There is nothing more relaxing than the calmness of nature and a good book.
You’re so right, Stephanie. The kids and I *love* reading while we are on our road trips! 🙂
I love our memory foam mattress!
Yep! That’s a must for me, too, Teresa! Can’t be a happy camper without a good night’s sleep. 😉
I love everything – especially that key chain! When we camp there’s a couple of things that make all the difference for us. First is a cute mat to go outside of the entrance to our tent. It makes the space adorable and helps keep the inside clean. Second is glow stick necklaces from the dollar tree. We attach them to wires and cords at night so no one trips or clotheslines themselves, haha. 🙂
Good idea with the glow sticks, Tina! I like it! 😀
We most definitely can’t live without glowsticks from Dollartree! Attach them to our 3 year old twin boys, our two dogs, the ends of the pop up so little boys don’t run into it at night!
My cute Life is Good coffee mugs (but heavy and breakable!), my down comforter, and my cute cushion covers all make camping much more fun and cozy. Love that coffee and tea maker you posted about. I need it!!!! Love your blog!
Thanks, Nolan! I’m really loving that MyJo. It’s SO convenient!
Need my coffee maker.
What kind do you use, Rhonda?
We have always tent camped since we still do not have a camper. I can only imagine how great it would be not to have to crawl up off the floor in the morning. Our coffee pot is a definite must have for us, and our crates they are great for storage in the tent and a great shelf for my husband’s cpap machine.. Happy Camping!!
Coffee seems like a common “must” with most campers, Leigh Ann. Good luck in your camper search! 🙂
I love my collapsible pasta strainer.
Oooo! Good one! I love mine, too Lauren!
My favorite glamping essential is having a comfy bed!! I love your tip of adding a memory foam topper 🙂 this is happening to our popup next camping season!!
It makes SUCH a difference, Michelle! 🙂
We are still tent campers & one thing that has helped so much are those rubber floor mat pieces that fit together like a puzzle. They make walking in the tent much nicer.
I’ve seen that Rebecca! In fact, you can reuse them under your bunkend mattresses when you finally get a PUP! 🙂
We never go camping without our good camp chairs! We got them at Costco, and they are extra-wide. They come with a little side table attached, which also has a cup holder- can’t do without a cupholder! Another camping essential is our Coleman Tailgater gas grill. It has removable cast iron plates for grilling or frying, and folds down to fit inside the camper when we travel.
That sounds awesome, Cheryl. We are still looking for good camp chairs. Right now, we only have one (mine!) and everyone tries to snag it before I do. 😉
We bought some REClINING CHAIRS at Super Walmart. I believe they were like $29. You do recline enough to be very comfortatabe ( better than sitting straight up uncomfortable ) . Also with my King Bed in our PUP I do use sheets, pillows, blankets and quilts but I hate the nubby material on the thick mattresses! ( You can feel those nubs with the sheets on ) So I open an oversized 2 person sleeping bag and it works perfectly for comfort and no nubs!. Awesome !
Also, my little Swivel Sweeper works awesome for outdoor carpet and indoors. The small base folds up against it’s handle by a magnet and is a breeze to store.
The only help I need is having 3 dogs that we love (2 Poms and 1 Sheltie). They love to go and we have long coated cable that they have to be on. We use a tree that is far enough from the next tree so they don’t tangle. But they still do and we spend our time at camp trying to untangle dog cable from around the other dogs or rocks or other trees. It really cut down on the fun with them unless we are in the boat. I thought about making a lg. dog pen that takes up the space the size of a camp pad . It’s go to be the length of the pop up and go far enough forward from the door (about 10 ft.) or be adjustable to frame them in. Any ideas ? Maybe PVC pipe and cable ties with a roll of plastic fencing to contain them ? Anyone with ideas? They normally aren’t leashed often, they bark if cabled, and they want to move around and be with us. Can you blame them? then they could go in and out of the PUP. Does anyone else have this problem? Right now with Christmas, I could buy a lg. Christmas tree storage bag with a handle to maybe put ‘ whoever’s’ idea in there to take along to help me with my biggest concern. Anyway, this is my 3rd Swivel Sweeper( my grandkids all loved them and wanted to clean my floors and were a little hard on the sweepers) they are worth it, costing about $30.00 and last a few years. I use mine at home and charge the battery and clean all my carpets and tile WELL on the charge, and my house is just under 1800 sq. ft. Sorry I rambled. I gave what works for me, now can you help me with the fencing ideas? ( also, please pick a bouquet of wild flowers and put them in a colorful cup. Heavenly!
We got our pop up a while ago, but haven’t been able to get out camping yet! But I have been following your blog and are making changes in the pup, we are looking forward to getting out next Spring!
Awesome, Barbara! Make sure to take lots of pictures!
I LOVE your Presto MyJoe! I am a tea girl also and haven’t found a great way to brew tea while camping without using a kettle over the fire. I will have to check out our WalMart and hope they sell it. Thanks for sharing all of your great finds.
Candace! Here’s a really good one for you ! My family is from the south and Iced Tea is my game ! I bought a 64 oz. mug from Circle K and another larger one from Bass Pro Shop. I carry it everywhere, even working filled with iced tea. Will I won’t drink instant tea. I found at Super Walmart Family sized tea bags from Lipton Tea. This is the REAL DEAL ! I use 1 , yes 1 family sized tea bag in my 64 ouncer mug of cold water and let it steep for about 20 minutes, and Whoa-Lah ! it is ready and I add one sweet-n-low and I am ready to go! You cannot tell the difference! I carry a lg. purse too. So among my baggie of Cold brewed ice tea, I carry my Sweetner too! Good luck, I love this and so will you! Always take advice from a seasoned Southern Girl that teaches self defense to women and wears a gun on her hip!!! Candace, you can do this!
I love the little plastic caps that go over your pop or favorite beer bottle. One year while camping my husband accidentally gulped in wasp that had made its way into his beverage. He ended up getting stung on the tongue and nearly went to the emergency room. They are a lifesaver and super cute in all different colors!
Ouch! That’s always been a big fear of mine, Gretchen. That’s why I like the cups with the lids on them. 🙂
My fav PUP item is a battery powered flashlight (one that you can plug in to recharge is nice) and a battery powered radio. Huge safety items, and if the power goes out in a storm, you need to know if you need to seek shelter!
Great idea, Meghann! We’ve got a rechargeable battery operated lantern that we love, too. It was great when our battery died on us.
I realize, I am a little late to the conversation, however, we also carry a couple solar powered garden lights that have an off switch. They recharge every day, do not pose a fire hazard, make a great night light in the bathroom or mark where our campsite is, when we come back from a late night hike. Also a handy way to recharge AA size batteries for other uses.
I boil water in a small electric kettle since we don’t have a hot water hookup & store the hot water in an old coffee pumper that I stand up behind the sink. Water stays hot for nearly 24 hrs – it’s always ready for a quick cup of hot chocolate, rinsing a dish or washing your face. Can’t camp without them!
What a great idea, Roberta! 😀
My favorite glamping must have is the Gold Canyon Scentmate with Warm Welcome scent. Our camper smells awesome! We also use our microwave a ton.
I haven’t tried those yet, Amy! I’ll have to check them out. 🙂
We’ve just bought a Pop-up and have been giving her our own touch. We’re travelling performers and spend long stints working at festivals. Hot and taxing! We make sure we never leave without a battery powered fan/light combo – so necessary. Also a truckload of ginger, honey and lemon; start the day with one of those brews to protect the throat!
How fun! We love our long road trips. We’re thinking we need to invest in a fan ourselves for those warmer campsites, though.
We have to have our large outdoor rug with a small entry carpet in front of the door. Try to keep the floor as clean as possible. I hate feeling pebbles and dirt stuck to my feet right before climbing in our bed! Yuck!
Oh! Me, too, Melissa! I actually set baby wipes out for the kids to wipe their feet before they get in bed. Helps the sheets stay cleaner longer!
There are a couple of things that are must have camping items. One is our outdoor mat, we put it under the awning and set our chairs out. Second is our grill pan. It has a slotted bottom so it works great on the grill or campfire. Unfortunately our pup will be put away soon since the cold weather is closing in and we don’t have heat in it (so sad).
I love our mat, too, Mary! It makes our outdoor setup feel like an extension of the camper. 🙂
I cannot live without my kitchen set up witch includes my Coleman stove (works nicer than the one that came with our pup) my hanging shoe closet organizer..I use folding boxes to organize the organizer. .coffee suplies, dishes, spices and misc items fit nicely on it and it hangs from our awning. Keeps everything tidy and happy. Everything is so accesable and organized that our friends even love it. All my kitchen supplies fit nicely in one tote and we have everything we need to be comfortable. I even have a small peppergrinder that I scored for $1 at the thrift store.
Awesome, Briana! I’ve got to fine tune our outdoor kitchen a bit, but I love bringing my own outdoor stove. It’s so much better than the one in the PUP.
What do you mean “folding boxes to organize the organizer”? I’m new. 🙂
Our little toaster oven comes in handy and doesn’t take up a lot of room
I’ve got one of those on my wishlist, Peggy! 😉
I love my memory foam bathroom rug. I put it right inside the camper door. It just helps keep my feet & my camper clean. Silly, but it makes a world of difference for me!
Not silly at all, Kate! I’ve got rugs all over my PUP. As much as I love my flooring, I still love the feel carpet under my feet. 😀
We do not leave home without our Coleman RoadTrip grill. It’s bulky and heavy, but we like cooking on it a lot more than on the popup stove. And it’s portable so we can move it to wherever we want to cook.
Those pop up camper stoves are so hard to cook on, aren’t they, Caroline? We love our Camp Chef stove. It makes the whole experience much easier.
I love my insulated solo cups. I can’t go without the coffee maker, party lights and a comfortable chair.
Those are great “essentials,” Amy! I’m still looking for comfy chairs. Where did you get yours?
a book for sure,
Me, too, Jill. 😉
How fun! I love that little coffee press!
We took a trip this weekend, but one of our cables snapped, so we had to come back home! 😭 Now we are looking for someone who knows how to fix it.
One of my favorite things would be the little LED lanterns I bought at Big Lots. They’re battery operated, hang from the ceiling on command hooks and can easily be taken down to use for a bathroom run. ☺️
Good idea, Angela! I’ll have to run to Big Lots and scout for those!
Sorry about the cable breaking… That’s a bummer! 🙁
Coffee is an essential, and we have fun little mugs that look like campers.
How cute! Where did you get them?
We just got our PUP and it’s in full remodel mode but I just finished up personalized “Happy Camper” koozies for all of us. I want to make sure we have a few personal pieces that don’t take up too much storage space but we are starting completely from scratch as there wasn’t much in the camper to begin with. My dad, sister and I agreed no Christmas presents this year so we could fix up the camper! This little kit would be an awesome gift to us all 🙂
Great idea, Rachel! We’re trying to make our holidays more about experiences and less about “stuff.” Our camper has enabled us to make some great memories together. Good luck on the remodel!
I am looking forward to getting a camper – I think a comfy bed/pillow will be one of the first things! I really have enjoyed getting ideas from the blog – thanks for writing it
Glad you like the blog, Emily. Hope you find that perfect camper soon. 🙂
Sheets! I have yet to get a good night’s sleep in a sleeping bag! We also bring along a sound machine to help cover up any noise from other campers who might stay up later or rise earlier than my 3 & 6 year olds. The machine sounds like a fan but w/o the breeze —-I know that must sound crazy to someone from Arizona, but it’s chilly at night where we camp in the northeast so we can’t just use a regular fan. Yes, the sound machine also blocks out the sounds of nature (which I love!) but keeps light sleepers asleep longer and my dear hubby from getting as angry with fellow campers for not following the posted quiet hours.
Good idea, Erin! When we camped in Sequoia NP, the nearby Kaweah River was perfect for blocking out all the campground noise. We slept like babies!
My camper essentials are bedding. Without a good nights rest, no one is happy. On our side we have a sweet foam that came with the PUP. The boys side has nothing, so we blow up the air mattress and they get a good nights rest. Pillows and bed sheets give us the comforts from home.
I’ll agree there! A good night’s sleep is a must for me, too.
My turquoise melamine camping dishware! It is sturdy, easy to clean, and SO cute! They were my Grandma’s everyday dishes and I have some great memories of eating her delicious food whenever I’m cooking. It inspires me to create great camp food!
By the way, we got our first PUP last week and took it out this weekend! So much fun!! I just love your site and have shared it with two other new PUP owners in the last week.
Carrie you shared it with us! and I am SO thankful! 🙂 We just got our first PUP too and BOY does it need some aesthetic work 🙂 It was painted blue for NASCAR… be ready for some amazing before/after pics!
I can’t wait to see it, Amanda!
That is SO awesome, Carrie! I love it! 🙂
I bought comforters on Black Friday from Bon Ton (like a Kohl’s) – and super cozy throws – all color coordinated of course! I also really like my Camp Kitchen (just needed more room to navigate than on the end of the picnic table!) and Melita coffee “maker” (basically a drip coffee maker) We camp without electricity quite often and it’s nice to have nice things, isn’t it? 🙂
Sounds cozy, Susan! I’d love to see pictures! 😉
I live our bin of games, cards, coloring supplies and small toys for the kids. It stays in the pup so it is always something different for them to play with. Then when they are asleep my husband and I can play cards and enjoy a glass of wine in our awesome camping wine glasses. The stems unscrew from the bottom for easy storage with out taking up extra room.
That sounds so fun, Erica! Our kids are teens now, so nine times out of ten, they stay up later than we do. Haha! 😀
Adore your goodies…one of my favorite glamping items is our outdoor kitchen! Loooooove it!
What kind do you have, Bree?
I have loved reading all of these comments. We don’t have a camper yet, but we are dreaming about one. My brother and his family are tent campers. For my brother’s birthday I got him small plastic folding tables – accent table size. As he was opening them my sister in law claimed one to take with her to use in the campground shower and my niece claimed the other one to eat off of. Needless to say I went back to the store to get one for my brother and nephew and a few for my family for when we do start camping.
Good idea, Blakely! I love our outdoor plastic table, but it is a bit bulky. Smaller ones would be nice.
A deck of cards and a radio! Haven’t found the perfect PUP yet but going tent glamping in Flagstaff next weekend. Love your site!
Have fun, Molly! Flagstaff will be gorgeous with all the fall colors! 🙂
We have used our pop-up twice this year and are going camping in it over Thanksgiving! We are still learning what we can fit and what we can’t. Thanks so much for you blog!
No problem, Gail. Glad you are finding it helpful! 🙂
We don’t leave home without our coffee or memory foam mattress!!!
Totally essentials, Dana!
The memory foam stays on the bed. An essential I say!
This makes me want to lamp for the first time ever! 😍
I’m not much of a camper, Samantha, but I’ll “glamp” anytime. 😉
We recently redid our old pop up camper. We named it “That 70s camper” because of our fabric choice and because some of our camping gear are hand me downs from that time. We will be buying new mattresses for next season so that will complete our glamping makeover.
I look forward to seeing it, Bri! 😀
We are newbies with our popup and there is SO much I want to do. We are a family of 5 (3 little boys), so all these ideas and remodels are just AWESOME ! Thank you!!!!
You’re absolutely welcome, Mandie! Have fun making memories with your little ones. They grow up so fast… 🙁
Hands down, it has to be the memory foam mattress topper with pretty bedding! Its
I love ours, too, Jana! 🙂
we just got our first PUP so I don’t know what my favorite is for PUP camping with kiddos (but i did used to go with my parents) but my favorite camping essential in general is my buckwheat pillow… I can’t leave home without it!
Have fun with the new PUP, Amanda!
Hi Larissa- Although our pop-up has a kitchen & dining area inside, we cook, clean-up and dine outside unless the weather is challenging. After a few years of constantly hauling the essentials back & forth from the trailer to the picnic table, I found a nifty solution – a $20 rigid canvas “tool tote” from a big-box home improvement store. Its large open compartment and 8 side pockets hold a supply of paper plates/bowls, mugs, utensils, seasonings, cocoa packets, coffee filters, ziplocks, bottle opener and champagne cork (my favorite). Way less time running around, way more time enjoying sunrises & sunsets.
We thought about going that route, Mary Ellen, and we may still do it. Glad to hear you like it.
I purchased some large Ziplock space bags to store all of our sheets, pillows and bedding for when we are storing the camper. I put a fabric softener sheet in before I seal it for a fresh scent! It keeps everything clean and allows for more storage space. This may not be considered a Glamping item to some, but being organized makes me feel good 🙂
We do that, too, Angie! I love the smell of fresh sheets–which I think is totally a glamping item, btw. 😉
It was a debate between hobo pie makers, the pop up camper towel racks I did from here and the soft portable wine glasses. I went with glasses
All good ones, Sierra! I love our pie irons. The kids ask to make dinner in them at home sometimes. 😀
A few of our favorite camping items are a small microwave, croquet game (this is really interesting to play on the side of a mountain!), books, and a cute tray to carry everything from the camper to the picnic table.
Good idea with the tray, Judy! I may have to steal that! 😉
My absolute favorite part of our camper (that feels a little too comfortable for camping!) is our bunk. We had an infestation of mice two years ago where they ate part of our canvas (replaced with Bear Creek canvas) and both of our mattresses. So, we replaced the mattresses by going to our local mattress maker. Spendy but worth it as it feels like home. Super comfy and soft. I ditched our sleeping bags and bought Cali King sheets and comforters for both bunks. (matching) In addition to these upgrades we also recovered our cushions so it felt more modern, not quite so 90s. Feels too nice for camping but we love it!
That’s my kind of camping, Jill! 😉
Must haves are camping kitchen, good chairs for outside, lidded wine cups and coffee (plastic french press or Kuerig but gotta have it!)
What kind of chairs do you have, Liz?
Love reading all the great ideas on your blog! We used to camp with an old Coleman PUP when our kids were little. Now that they are grown and no longer camping with us, we splurged on an Aliner Expedition and love it! Like most- I have to have my morning coffee- we’re using hubby’s 20+ year old Mr. Coffee Junior. We could definitely use an upgrade:-) I love hanging lights from the dining canopy and our campground flag (here). Bought from Amazon and personalized by a coworker.
I like the flag, Jan! 😀
I absolutely must have our wooden shoe rack for our pop up camper. We place it just outside the door and it keeps all of our shoes nice and neat. There are three children and two adults and we each seem to bring at least two pairs of shoes. Nice and neat on the outside and nice and clean on the inside!
Good idea, Erin!
We just bought our pop up last year for our family of six and I love reading your tips and tricks! Thank you! My husband put up a cheap shelf over the sink that pops up and down when camper is popped up and down. It is our “pantry” and our life saver to have snacks in easy reach for our 4 kids:). We would love win this pack!
Nice, Sarah! We built shelving for our PUP, too, and I couldn’t do without it!
We got our camper in March. I wanted to update it a little bit and stumbled across your blog and WOW is all I can say. I can’t wait to do so many projects and fix it up like many of you ladies 🙂
Careful, Christina! It’s addicting! 😉
We have a small pop up camper and our sleeping bags just don’t work for the space and I wanted something more cozy, so I made tie blankets from fleece, they keep us warm and are cute too!
Nice, LuAnn! I’m thinking of letting my girls sew some blankets for their bunkend… Each girl needs her own. I can’t handle the fighting anymore. 😛
We’re still tenting it, though I am hoping to get a pop up next summer. Looking for to trying all the ideas on your blog when we do get one. The few must haves when we camp are the foam floor mats to put under the air mattress, the iPad or laptop, for my little one (3 years old) so she can watch her favorite show before bed so it keeps with her regular bed time routine. The small heater to take the chill out of tent at bed time. My cast iron skillet, I love using it to make skillet pizza. Each winter I scour Pinterest for find new ideas to try each year, so needless to say our car get packed to bursting with just enough room for myself and daughter to sit, while hubby follows on his motorcycle. Looking forward to seeing more makeovers and ideas on your blog.
Yum… skillet pizza! I need that recipe, Jeanne!
Wow, what fun stuff. We’re hoping to get a camper next year. I just love all your tips!!!
Thanks, Anne!
We don’t leave without air mattresses as we’re still in a tent and spare set of batteries for the pump!
We bought a teardrop in April, took it on a long trip in July. It came with an electric cooler, microwave, and a coleman grill… It was wonderful….but the newest glamping is a big awning to go over the hatch and a side changing room….. Next to paint the inside….. LOVE camping
How fun, Kathy! Can’t wait to see it!
Our MUST HAVE is our memory foam mattress topper for the pop-up. Getting a good nights sleep while camping is essential! 🙂
My mom and dad left me their 1976 Colman Pop up when they past, After running across your web page surfing one day, it has given me so many ideas as I am starting the flipping on the pop up, So far I have gutted the insides and redoing the cabinets and making new curtains and new seat covers. Now I am waiting on dear hubby to fix the lift system so I can put it all the way up and do some more work.
Love the mini coffee maker and will be buying that for my hubby for Christmas. Thanks for sharing 🙂 Also love the badge clips idea.
We haven’t been on our first trip yet but I’m pretty sure choosing to have nice bedding and a mattress topper will be my favorite! 🙂 (And coffee, of course!)
My favorite glamping item is a quilt I made especially for camping. It’s backed with fabric that looks like the night sky with little stars – Yep, we sleep UNDER THE STARS!!
We just got our first 23 yr old Pup. Glamping is on my list of things to do this winter. My favorite essential for living in the Pup is a handy cell phone pocket. I whipped it up before our first camping trip. (I wish I had a pic)Its a rectangle piece of fabric with 3 slots (2 cellphones & small flashlight), with a kids sized hanger & cardboard reinforcement inside the fabric. It hangs from the arm stretched across the top of our bed. Easy to find our phones & light in the middle of the night!!
Good idea, Angie! I like it!
We have a memory foam pillow tip for our mattress. Also, we have sheets and a comforter. It makes it much more comfortable on those long camping trips.
My bedding ensemble is my glamping must. It all starts with my 2 inch mattress topper. It includes comfortable sheets and an eye pleasing comforter for cool nights as well as my fabulous pillows. Because glamping requires a good night’s beauty sleep!
My favorite glamping essential is my memory foam mattress and comfy duvet.
A good mattress topper means everything after a long day hiking and cooking over a fire. Sliding into a comfy bed just makes me smile.
I’m right there with ya, Karen! 🙂
We’ve had our PUP camper since last January, a 2008 Fleetwood Evolution 3. We have been styling it out, and adding new items ever since last winter. Our biggies, is the outdoor area for under the awning, the giant Alp’s Mountaineering camp chairs, and one of those tough plastic “lawn like” doormats for removing all that tough dirt and mud. I also like bringing plenty of “clean-up” towels for what ever mess comes along. They are very handy on our coastal trips, which often occur in April rains.
I also really love adding those hanging storage containers that you would put in a house closest. They help add a tremendous amount of space. And then there’s the hanging wire fruit basket for over the sink/stove area. It also, really saves a lot of time when setting up to already have bed linens and comforters on the bunk ends. The next add-on is going to be a coat hanger, as it really bugs me how the coats will just add up getting piled up on the bench seat, and then there’s no where to sit.
I could not end my comment without mentioning how awesome the front cargo-bay of our E3 PUP is! You can load so much stuff into it, and it’s even made for dirt bikes. The side rails detach and can be turned into ramps!
Coffee is a must along with plastic organizational units to keep the clutter at bay. Games and cards–We usually have a friendly family round of Parcheesi. We try to take our dog with us when we camp iwhenever possible. She mainly sleeps (Basset Hound) but she still LOVES to camp. Those little legs move fast when she runs to the van when it is time to head out😊
Screen room — even when the ADK is buggy in the summer we can still set and hang outside!
I like the sheets I got at Walmart to match the green color of the canvas. It looks pretty and its cozy and just makes me smile. I also love my griddle. I make eggs, bacon and eggs in the morning. I bring my expresso maker and have a wonderful breakfast. I like to bring magazines to read and put a little vase on the dinnette table. I so enjoy being in my pop up. Her name is Bertha and I love her! 🙂
My sister just gave me her 99 Coleman Mesa PUP. I found your blog tonight and I am BEYOND excited to get started on my own makeover! 🙂
I love colored party lights, but I hate having another battery-operated device to worry about. So I have a string of solar powered lights that I string up on the awning using Velcro strips. They really lend a festive air to the campsite and I don’t have to bother with winding the cord around anything to keep the lights up. When I pack things up, I use the Velcro strip to secure the lights so they’re not a tangled mess for the next trip.
We never leave home without our electric skillet. Perfect for bacon, eggs, pancakes, quesadillas, grilled cheese sandwiches and more. Makes cooking so much easier!
There are so many to choose from. We use pop up hampers for outside garbage can and use clothes line clips to keep the liner in place and from blowing away. We use a utility room organizer from Home Depot right inside the door to hold keys and flashlights.
My husband bought me a rechargeable Bose Bluetooth speaker. We love listening to music by the campfire.
My Keurig is my camping essential. I know it is massive and bulky, but I have to have it!
There are 3 glampimg must-haves for me – my double hammock (padded), my picnic basket (for those long hikes which normally end up at a beautiful lake) and my two bottle bartenders cocktail travel bar (which I have so conveniently turned into a wine travel case).
We love our memory foam toppers! They made a huge difference but didn’t add a lot of bulk. Good tea is also a must each morning (and sometimes in the afternoon too.) 🙂 thanks for all your great tips!
I haven’t had a chance to “glamp” yet! I’ve had my camper a year and only went out once and it turned out terrible! Help!
We just purchased a PUP that needs a LOT of work (total roof redo, side panels to replace, canvas replacement)…..so after tent camping for almost 15 years with my Husband and now with two young girls, I honestly have to say that just having a PUP will be my favorite “glamping” accessory! It is becoming a fun project to plan with my husband for next year (we live in New York and there’s just not enough time in our season left to start anything) and I can’t wait to wake up to a kitchen table, sink and stove next to me! Keep the great ideas coming!!!
I am new to glamping/camping in our newly purchased popup, but am trying to put my own touches on it to feel like a cozy retreat away from it all! This is not exactly an essential but I had to bring my new wire basket lamp which I hung over the table. It gives off a warm glow and is great for curling up to a good book or games with my grandson.
I just recently found your blog and I gotta say, I LOVE it! Lots of fantastic ideas! I hadn’t even thought about sprucing up the PUP. Until now! Now I’ve got a long list of projects just itching to be started! I’ll send pics as I go along!
I have 2 favorites that make life much easier when we’re PUPin’ it.
First, a set of Tupperware dining trays. They have divided sections, like the ones when we were in school, that keep food and liquids from sloshing all over the place. There’s even a section for your eating utensils so you don’t have to set them on a table or, worse yet, drop them on the ground. They’re a good size and rigid too, so you can sit them on your lap and you don’t have to balance them like you do a paper plate that’s been soaking up food liquid and is getting ready to fold up and hit the ground. And cleaning them is a breeze! We just drop them in a bucket of hot soapy water and let them soak for a few minutes then use a dish brush on them and rinse.
Second, a 40 cup electric perk coffee pot. It’s perfect for heating up water for dishes, cleaning up messes, general washing up or hot cocoa! I just fill it with water and plug it in. In 10-15 minutes it’s ready to go. I can use the spigot to add hot water to a bucket, add some soap and a little cool water to even out the temperature and it’s ready for washing those dining trays!
I love camping with my grandchildren, to help keep them busy I ALWAYS bring items for a treasure hunt or two. In fact my 5 year old grandson starts asking “when?” almost as soon as he gets in the car! I like to hide one item under a pillow or in the sleeping bag for them to find just before going to bed. Some of the things I bring are coloring books, little glider airplanes, water guns, glo lights, etc. this past summer I got them each a minion lunch box to put their prizes in. I heard squeals of delight when they found them. I think I probably enjoy it as much as they do.
I love the hidden surprise for the grandkids, I am going to try that with my grandson! He would love anything that glows in the dark.
We recently spent a weekend on the windy shores of Lake Huron and if it weren’t for our little furnace, the trip may have turned out miserable! Our outside lights have another must have, it makes the whole site look lively and fun in the evening or on a cloudy day 🙂 This is our first year camping and my must have list continues to grow.
Renee
I cannot live without my memory foam bed topper! It folds up pretty easy so the camper goes down without a problem! I also love my mini coffee maker, it fits perfect under the couch storage!
We just purchased a PUP and are in the process of remodeling it. We have currently gutted it out and need to purchase new canvas. Once that is complete we will start working on the inside. We have already purchased amazing flooring, peel and stick old bay laminate flooring. The theme for the inside is Florida State Seminoles, so for fabric we purchased blank and white chevron fabric for the seats and cushions, garnet for all of the curtains and black and white arrows for the valance. As for the bedding we will do FSU sheets with plain color comforter and FSU decorative pillows. We are also redoing the cabinets with white wainscoting looking wood paneling. The walls will be gray. We are super excited about this project and have taken so many ideas from your site on how to clean the bedding and sew the curtains and valances. As for the outside, we are totally repainting it with FSU colors.
There were holes in the top of the PUP, which caused leaking in the camper itself, which is why we need to replace the canvas. Home Depot helped us with purchasing Lanco Ultra-Siliconizer Roof Sealer. This stuff has been amazing for fixing the leak and repels the heat. I would highly recommend it for fixing the leaks and holes in PUPs.
Thanks for all your posts and help, we have learned quite a bit from you!
Such great ideas! Never heard of the Presto MyJo – just bought mine 🙂
We aren’t glampers yet but I dream of the day when we have our own remodeled PUP with darling lights strung around it and the perfect outdoor rug to make it feel homey and glamourous!
We just bough our 15yr old pup a few weeks ago. We already took her out, but the 80’s fabrics really need to go!
Of course, we couldn’t have our maiden voyage without some “Teresa” essentials!
A mattress topper for our bunk, lots of pillows, & wubbies (my little boys name for th soft chenille thow blankets. They’re always great to snuggle up in both inside and outside the pup -when roasting marshmallows in the cooler weather of course
Essentials…coffee press and a good book!
I always take an electric skillet! It’s fabulous to use outdoors for so many things and quite easy cleanup.
I know it’s been said many times, but our biggest luxury is the memory foam topper. We just bought a “new” camper and one of the beds is bigger, so we will have to get a new topper for that side so my mom and son can camp in comfort.
I’m so glad I found your site. I’ve found good advice and explanations as well as inspiration!
We haven’t used our 1995 PUP yet, but we have been remodeling it and have used tips from your site. There is so much to learn and so many things to buy! lol. Our family is excited to use it and hopefully this will make it more comfortable to camp year round, then just the seasonal tent camping we did in the past. Love the site, thanks!
I can’t go camping without my down comforter. I also really enjoy the heater in the camper, makes getting up when it’s cold outside so much better.
Hi there I would say one of the many things that we love to take camping is travel size Settlers of Catan. It packs into a tiny snap lock box (the game board is a little bigger). We always bring it with us on the off chance that a miracle occurs and all of our three girls (aged 1.5, 4 and 6) are occupied or sleeping and we can actually play a game. We also bring travel Scrabble. We are hoping that this miracle will occur soon as we are renovating a 1992 Coleman Pioneer and we feel that it will provide more opportunities to “relax” compared to the many years of tent camping.
My favorite glam items are the outside lights! I have 1 string that are different colored balls, they are electric. The other set is solar and they are stars!! They make the pup look do festive!!!
I love the idea of solar lights, Deanne!
We always bring a blue tooth speaker so we can stream music from anywhere with our phones.
I’m thinking that needs to be our next purchase, Scot! 🙂
I can’t camp without my zero gravity chair… It just makes life better 😉 that and a good book!
I think food tastes better when your out in the beautiful world of nature. So why satisfy yourself with only hot dogs and hamburgers (not that I don’t enjoy my all beef hot dog with cheese, ketchup, mustard and a little bit of mayo while I’m sitting around the campfire)? One of the desserts my family loves best when were enjoying our PUP is hot, fresh donuts! They are easy-peasy to make! Fill your frying pan (cast-iron works best if you’ve got it) with 1/2 inch deep of oil over medium to medium-high heat, cut refrigerator biscuits into fourths and drop into the sizzling oil. Turn those little donuts until they are golden brown on all sides and cooked in the middle. Then, drain on a paper towel and toss in cinnamon sugar. Delicious! We had kids from other campsites coming over and asking if they could have some, too. Which worked, because it makes a lot! If you’re really ambitious you can drizzle them with a quick powdered-sugar-and-milk frosting. My kids love eating warm, fresh donuts around the campfire!
I have to have my goose down duvets. I’m also getting older and the old joints are sore so I like lots of padding on top of my mattress.
Espresso is a nice jolt to wake us up in the morning.
I’ve never considered myself a “Glamper” but my recent “camping love” is pie irons. They are so useful to cook with…and for lights I made my own “glamping” string with Christmas lights and glued ping-pong balls to them! A few bucks for something worth $20! Thanks for your inspirations!
My favorite “glamping” item is an electric skillet, we can make 90% of our meals in that, plus we can add a little water and dish soap and heat it up for quick dish washing and then just scrub it and wipe it out after and it is clean. The other thing we consider a necessity are a small bin with coloring books, activity books, paper, and crayons/markers for the kids. They can spend a couple hours up on their bunk busy with that stuff on our last day of camp while I can clean/ take down the inside of the camper and get everything ready to just pop down. Once we are ready to pop the camper down, they put their stuff away and help us with the finishing touches outside. It makes for a much less stressful, more productive tear down process.
The Presto MyJo is totally impressive! My wife and I have always had the big Keurig units and a single unit in the camper. But it would be so worth it to ditch all the big machinery and rely on this baby for our Java Infusion needs. It would save on room and it frees up an electrical outlet. Thus in the end saving power by reducing items pulling residual power to stay warm.
We just bought our first new to us popup last week and so excited to try some of your hacks…but my new favorite glamping accessory has to be the actual popup as we were tenting before that. I cannot wait to start making it into ours!
LOVE my new “tacky lights” – my first attempt at glamping! Palm trees and flamingos! The poor hummingbirds are fooled by the flamingo colors, but that just makes for more entertainment for me 🙂
Our must have is an electric griddle and a crock pot!
We are in the process of moving from a tent to a pop-up and one of the things I am most excited about are the memory foam toppers we just bought! Having a comfy mattress after so many nights on an air mattress will be a real luxery!
We just had new mattress made for our trailer – they make everything so much more comfortable!
We LOVE the shower lanyards I made after seeing your tutorial. I made some for my parents and sisters after that fell in love with the ones I made for my little family.
HI Larissa & like minded pop-up fans ,
I would like to know if any of you have an insulated cover that is for keeping the pop-up warm at night?
I’ve seen it where you put it like a blanket and tie. It down though not sure if the shiny dide is up towards the sky or towards the trailer. Do they work or a big waste of money?
Love advise.
Also, how do we get our little pictures in here so we can see our smiling faces as to whom we are gathering with ?
Thank you !
Sandie of No.Lake Taho, CA.
Love, love, love these ideas. On the hunt for our 1st pop up. Hoping to find it soon as the beautiful weather is right around the corner. BTW, I’m also in AZ. I will be purchasing “My Jo” for my hubby. He will love it. Perfect for glamping. Thanks for all of your greats posts and ideas!
I saw your article just in time to order the MyJo brewer for our trip to Watkins Glen race track. You are a life saver! That brewer made perfect coffee – it was easy – and NO MORE FRENCH PRESS!! I’m going to keep the MyJo handy all the time. If my home power goes out, I can still have coffe!!
I’m way late to this game, but do you still have a link to the Etsy store that had that keychain?? It looks like our Apache and I would love to have one. I can’t find it through search. The store may have stopped making them, but I figured it couldn’t hurt to ask. Thanks! Happy Camping!
You know, Kim, I don’t think she sells them anymore, sadly. I checked a few months ago, and they were no longer on Etsy.
I have a coleman lantern keychain that has my pup keys on it. Very distinguishable from the rest of the keyrings laying around my house!