Guest Bedroom Finished

I've been planning to paint our guest room for ages and finally got it done! And I'm counting it as a finish for 2016 even though I did most of it between Christmas and New Year's Eve.

Guest bedroom before

Guest bedroom after

Now in case you think it's a crime to paint beautiful natural pine paneling, I used to agree. But after living with it for 20 years, I'm ready for something that I can actually keep clean. The grooves between the boards had become nothing but a dust/cobweb magnet and I wanted them sealed, so I used Sashco Big Stretch caulk on all joins and around the trim.

Also, it's a little on the blue side but I don't like picking paint colors (too many choices!) so just buy mistint paint for half price whenever I find a light-colored gallon in a white base that's in the right color family. Can't wait to see what colors I end up with for the rest of the house!

Christmas Quilts Finished!

To use up some of my fabric stash several years ago, I started two Christmas quilts and even managed to get them both quilted, but neither was bound and they've been languishing all this time on my quilt rack - two more UFOs (unfinished objects).

1st Christmas quilt sans binding

2nd Christmas quilt sans binding

As my second official finish for 2016, I created a decorative binding from other stash that is sewn on completely by machine - no hand stitching required! How cool is that?

Binding detail (1st quilt)

Fully bound! (2nd quilt)

So do these quilts count as only one finish? Or is it two?

First Official Finish for 2016

For my 2016 focus word, FINISH, I've created subcategories, one of which is quilts. I have so many UFOs (unfinished objects) and WIPs (works in progress) stashed around the house, it's embarrassing. Anyway, here's the before and after of a baby blanket I started nearly a decade ago that is now my first official 2016 finish!

Unfinished fireman baby blanket

As you can see, I left extra fabric/batting all the way around the quilted fleece center panel to fold to the front to create a border.

Finished fireman baby blanket

And here it is - finally FINISHED!!!

 

Focus Word for 2016

Prerna and Mayank over at Content Bistro recently posted Our Word for the Year: The Powerfully Intentional Way to Achieve Goals as Entrepreneurs and Parents. Well, this got me thinking...

What should my focus word be for 2016?

After giving it some thought, I chose:

FINISH

While simplify was initially at the top of my list, I suddenly realized that if I just finish even a fraction of the things I've already started, other areas of my life will automatically be simpler.

So...

What is your focus word for 2016?

Welcome 2016

Cheers to the NEW YEAR

and another chance to get everything right.

Or not. Either way,

have a peaceful and prosperous 2016!

Merry Christmas 2015!

And wishing peace and prosperity for all

in the coming new year.

 

Z is for Zzzzzs

Getting enough sleep (aka Zzzzzs – aren’t I clever?) is key to enjoying your trip, and noise and light can both interfere with a good night’s rest while car camping. To ensure you get the sleep you need:

• Use earplugs if noise bothers you (I prefer SAS Safety 6100)
• Consider an eye mask if light is a problem (or you can just wear a hooded sweatshirt to bed and pull the hood down over your eyes)

Temperature control may be your biggest concern, however, and heat is likely to present more of a challenge than cold. You can always layer on more blankets but what do you do if it’s just too blasted hot to sleep comfortably?

Well, it’s usually cooler – a LOT cooler – at higher elevations so plan your stops accordingly. After we spent one uncomfortable night in the Utah desert in late June, we resolved not to repeat that mistake. Beings it’s about 3.5 degrees cooler per 1,000 feet of elevation, the next night we headed for the hills. At 10,000 feet, the sleeping temperature was just right!

NOTE: Amazon links, if any, are affiliate. 

F is for Food

In addition to apples, other fresh fruit makes great car camping food. Bananas, for example, each come individually packaged by nature in an easy-to-remove wrapper! A few other suggestions include:

• Fresh produce – especially baby carrots and cherry tomatoes
• Dried fruit/nuts (trail mix) – but be careful, this is a very calorie dense snack option!
• Juice boxes – may cost more but convenience usually comes at a price
• Powdered milk – good staple to have on hand and available in small packets
• Uncle Ben’s rice or Stove Top stuffing – sometimes you may choose to compromise for convenience
• Peanut butter – individual servings or in a jar (kept upright to avoid oil leakage)
• Eggs – boiled eggs can’t be beat as an easy protein source when it comes to convenience, nutrition and cost
• Prepackaged, frozen steaks – individually wrapped, these beauties are great on the grill and keep several days in an ice chest

Just remember that the purpose of food is to fuel your body. When spending long hours sitting in the car, you don’t require as much fuel so choose your food wisely. And if you must have candy, buy “fun size” and put the extra out of reach – way out of reach! Also, you can share meals eaten out, which avoids waste, saves money and prevents weight gain. Happy travels!

K is for Kitchen Stuff

Although it’s important to travel light due to limited space, you’ll need to pack a certain amount of kitchen stuff for car camping, depending on how long you’ll be gone and what meals you plan to make. At a minimum, be sure to remember:

• Frying pan and spatula (unless you’ll do all cooking in your Jetboil)
• Drinking cup, eating utensils and plate and/or bowl for each person
• Dish soap
• Towels (cloth and/or paper)

We also made good use of a couple lidded, plastic containers (which we also used as bowls) but probably could have gotten by without them.

So… What must-have kitchen stuff do you take camping?

E is for Essential Equipment

In addition to a tire repair kit and air pump(s) (see T is for Tires and B is for Bedding), essential equipment for car camping includes:

• First aid kit – you can buy one or make your own
• Car jump starter – super important and the one thing we almost needed that we didn’t have
• Flashlight (and/or headlamp and/or battery lantern), with extra batteries
• Weather-resistant, foolproof fire starter, such as a butane lighter
• Duct tape
• Bungee cord(s)

I know this is by no means an exhaustive list. What have I forgotten?

NOTE: Amazon links, if any, are affiliate.

R is for Rope

Envisioning me stuck in the middle of a creek crossing on the Nebesna Road in the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park during our Alaskan adventure, Joel bought 100 feet of 13,000-pound-test Dyneema 5/16-inch “blue steel” rope (similar to AMSTEEL BLUE ) and a bunch of rigging so he could pull our Subaru out by himself if need be. I’m happy to say that the rope and rigging came home unused but it was nice to be prepared.

While Dyneema may be overkill for your needs, rope can come in handy for lots of things when car camping, such as:

• Clothesline
• Tie downs
• Hanging food
• Towing (use multiple strands for strength)
• Repairs (backpack strap, etc.)
• Belt or suspenders

So, what other ways do you use rope when camping?

NOTE: Amazon links, if any, are affiliate. 

X is for Xtra Cash

Ok – so I cheated on the heading. Yes, I know how to spell extra. But do you know how hard it is to come up with a car camping related item that starts with X? And the letters C (cash) and M (money) were already taken, so…

Be sure to have some extra cash stashed separately from your credit/debit card(s) and in a place other than your purse or wallet. Why? Well, if your purse or wallet is stolen or lost, or if you can’t use a plastic means of payment (power outage, misplaced or damaged card, faulty card reader, etc.), you’ll be glad you have cash handy to get you through.

Suggestions for places you might stash cash include:

• Money Belt – I have one that fits flat against my body under my clothes
• Nooks and crannies in your car – look for spots that are relatively easy to access but not too obvious
• Ice chest – in a zip-top bag taped securely inside the lid
• Suitcase, duffel bag or backpack – securely tucked away
• Pillow – attached at one end, inside the pillowcase

And how much cash should you have on hand? Whatever is reasonable based on your potential immediate needs and distance from home or relatives/friends who are able and willing to help. Just remember where you put it…

NOTE: Amazon links, if any, are affiliate.

I is for Ice Chest

Ice chests come in many sizes and types, from a simple insulated bag to a fancy 12-volt version that plugs into your car – the options seem nearly limitless! When choosing an ice chest, consider what will work best for you:

• Hard side vs. soft side
• Zipper closure vs. lock/latch
• Size – Does it fit in the front seat? (often your only option when car camping)
• Weight when full – Can you lift it?

We started out with a zippered insulated tote bag style cooler, which we love for bringing home groceries, but quickly determined a medium size freestanding hard-sided plastic ice chest was a better fit for our trip. We also discovered that zip-top bags DO NOT keep food dry in melting ice so bought leak proof containers to house items we didn’t want submerged in water (like butter and avocados).

U is for Umbrella

There’s no doubt about it – I’m an umbrella fan. For the most part, I don’t like hoods or hats and prefer to hold an umbrella instead. And I even bought Joel an umbrella hat to protect his camera when he's out taking pictures in the rain.

An umbrella can come in real handy when car camping, too. Not only will it protect you from rain, you can also use it as a personal sunshade (think old-fashioned parasol). And when not in use, you can just keep it tucked away in your car. Umbrellas are:

• Affordable
• Versatile
• Readily available in many styles, colors and sizes

If you don’t already have an umbrella living in your car, be sure to pick one up before your next car-camping adventure.


Isn't this camo umbrella hat cute? Now if I could only get Joel to wear it...


NOTE: Amazon link is affiliate.

H is for Hygiene

Proper hygiene is important to good health but how do you stay clean while car camping?

Well, I have a few suggestions:

• Swimming – if regular swimming is included in your plans, you’ll be clean by default!
• Baby wipes – or moist towelettes or whatever you call them, prepackaged wipes are a car camper’s best friend
• Hand sanitizer – especially good after porta potty or pit toilet use (we used Purell)
• Portable camp shower – the Cadillac of car camping cleanliness but not doable for everyone or every trip

You can also clean up in a public restroom or pay for a shower at many campgrounds and truck stops – I just didn’t include those options as suggestions because it’s not what we do. I prefer baby wipes for routine cleanliness and try to plan a motel/hotel stay every 3-4 days. Joel’s trying to stretch out the time between paid lodging so is thinking of ways to heat water while we’re driving that we can use for showering when we stop each night. I can’t wait to see what he comes up with!

NOTE: Above links are affiliate.

L is for Laundry

Coin-operated washers and dryers are available in most towns and RV parks, so you can probably wash as often as you need to – if you want to spend the time to do so, which I don’t. My preference is to periodically include a hotel with coin-operated guest laundry in my plans (see Q is for Quality Inn).

A real bed…
A real bathroom…
Catching up the laundry…
Doesn’t that sound nice?

Between laundromat visits:

• Keep your dirty clothes in a separate (closed) plastic bag
• Stow your laundry wherever it’s least in the way
• Be sure your dirty clothing is fully dry before bagging
• Save your quarters for the washer and dryer

You can bring soap/dryer sheets from home to save money. And if you’re on a super-tight budget, you can keep your clothes reasonably clean on the cheap. Years ago when camping remotely for weeks at a time with two small children, I washed our clothes by hand and then draped them over bushes around camp to dry. It takes a little time but is effective and free. Weather permitting, you can also swim in your clothes and then dry off – just be sure not to get them dirty again while still wet!

O is for Outdoor Furniture

Especially when car camping, you’ll want some lightweight folding furniture to make your out-of-the-car camp time more comfortable and convenient. At a minimum, I suggest:

• A compact folding camp chair for each person
• A nifty fold-up aluminum table
• A sturdy folding step stool if you’re carrying anything on top of your car

You can leave these items outside the car at night and then slide them (folded) under your deflated mattress while traveling. How easy is that?




NOTE: Amazon affiliate links are to items similar to those we took on our trip.

Q is for Quality Inn

So what does Quality Inn have to do with car camping? Maybe nothing but if you find yourself in need of a room, my experience is you won’t go wrong with Quality Inn. During the 2-week Missouri leg of our 12,360-mile road trip, we paid for lodging five nights, four of which were at Quality/Comfort Inns. Not only was each one clean and comfortable, they all had guest laundry available and included a nice breakfast, as well!

Y is for Yield

Nothing will ruin your adventure faster than wrecking your car, so no matter whose turn it is, yield. Be patient and pay attention to other drivers.

And whether driving or on foot, also yield to wildlife, especially bears, moose and bison, all of which can do a lot of damage – to you and/or your stuff. We saw several signs in Alaska with the number of moose killed on a given stretch of highway and I’m pretty sure the dead moose tally also reflects the number of totaled vehicles.

S is for Storage

When car camping, space is at a premium. After all, you’re sleeping each night in the same small area that houses your stuff by day. Even if you have storage of some sort attached to the top of your vehicle, there will be a lot of stuff with you in your car.

Handy storage items we used on our 12,360-mile road trip include:

• Visor organizer – great place for things such as passport cards, vehicle registration, proof of insurance, and National Park annual pass
• Seat back organizer – perfect for things I wanted within easy reach from bed, such as my Cruz Reader, reading glasses, earplugs, and travel clock
• Plastic tote boxes – kept food, kitchen stuff, clothing, etc. organized
• Small ice chest – kept up front for snacks
• Command™ hooks to keep trash bag at hand but out of the way

Ample storage makes car camping much more enjoyable so plan your storage well!



NOTE: I added Amazon affiliate links to show storage options similar to the ones I chose but be sure to read customer reviews and shop around for the best price.