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Many people prefer to live in a house or a cottage. But a few avid campers want to stay at their campgrounds for a month or longer if they plan to spend that month going mountain biking and backpacking. Those individuals crave the freedom for exploration and adventure, which is why they would want to live in a tent long term. The good news is that you can do that, but you have to ensure that the preparations you make to help this happen are thorough. Planning to live in a tent long-term is not the same as making plans for a quick camping trip. Let’s go over what you need to do so you can live in a tent long-term comfortably and sustainably.
Find A Campground That Will Allow You To Camp For Long Periods
Some campgrounds may not allow you to stay for long periods. Therefore, before you do anything, you will want to look for a campground that will allow you to stay there for the long term. Find out the restrictions of each campground in your area or the area where you plan to visit. Another option is to relocate to different campgrounds if you cannot find a campground that will allow you to stay there for prolonged times. Some campsites will rent a pitch to you for an extended period. And the advantage of that is you will be able to access many facilities. However, if you want a more natural experience, this option may not be ideal.
You Need To Find The Appropriate Tent
If you want to buy a tent that will house you for a weekend on the campsite, that will not be appropriate for camping long term. That means you will need to invest in a tent that will provide you with the best shelter from the elements and one that has several rooms so you can live your life the way you do at home. For instance, how likely will you be cooking dinner in your bedroom? Therefore, it would be best to have a tent to house a bedroom, other rooms, and a kitchen. You also want to ensure a durable tent that will not become prone to tearing.
Consider What You Will Eat
The ideal thing would be to hunt and catch fish and live a natural life. However, that may not be realistic, especially if the laws state you cannot do that. That is why you want to ensure that you have non-perishables to take, such as canned food, dry rice, dry pasta, and meal supplements in shakes and bars. You can buy frozen foods if you have a solar-powered cooler, but you will have to keep them in smaller amounts. You may even want to grow vegetables if the laws allow you to do so at the campsite where you plan to stay.
You can bring bottled water, but you may want to stay near a lake so you can pick up water and boil it as well.
Consider How You Will Cook Your Food
You will need to take a camping stove with you or cook over a campfire. But a camping stove is a much better solution. First, you need to think about where you will cook, and you have to make sure that you are safe when you cook. The best thing to do is to find a covered area outside to cook, and that way, you can stay safe, and you won’t have to worry about the smells of the food you cook seeping into the tent. That way, you will need to set up a kitchen in your area. You do that whether that is in your tent or somewhere just outside of it, as that is the recommendation to do anyway.
Think About Keeping Cool Or Warm
Long-term camping means you will have exposure to the elements, and even though you know that is part of the experience, you also want to stay comfortable. Of course, you can always buy a four-season tent, but regulating the temperature is what you need to do. You can follow some tips to stay warm during cold nights and cool during hot nights. You can keep a fan with you when it is hot and a heater when it is cold. If there is no power source, you can cover the tent with a tarp to keep the drafts out while allowing the air to circulate.
Hygiene For The Tent And You
Think about how you will keep the tent and yourself clean when you are camping long-term. To keep a tent clean, you need to clean it daily and keep the trash out. You have a regular cleaning routine at home, and you will need to bring that over to the tent. Wipe the canvas with mild soap and water and use a paper towel or a clean rag. But paper towels are better so that you create less laundry. You can also bring wet wipes.
When it comes to staying clean, you need to collect rainwater from brushing your teeth and washing your body. Most campsites have showers you can use. However, if not, you will want to pitch your tent not far from a natural water source to clean yourself there.
You Want Comfortable Bedding And To Keep Your Belongings Safe
The idea of camping for a long time is not appealing to most people because they think all you can do is sleep in a sleeping bag. Therefore, you will not be comfortable. However, that is not the case. You can find a camping mattress or a sleeping pad that will provide you with the comfort you need for long-term use. That will help you maintain a suitable temperature as you sleep, and it will feel almost as lovely as your bed at home.
When it comes to protecting your belongings, you will want to purchase a lockbox so you can keep your valuables in it. You can tether it to a tree near your tent, so you don’t have to worry about thieves taking the box.
Conclusion
You want to camp in the long term, which means you need to prepare yourself to stay out for a while. Preparing to camp for a long time is not the same as camping for a weekend or even a week. That is because you need to find a campsite that will allow you to camp for that long, or you may have to go to different grounds. You need the right tent with rooms, and you need a designated cooking spot. Additionally, you will need to camp near water to access it for hygienic purposes and stay hydrated. You can have a fantastic time camping if you prepare yourself for staying at the campsite for a long time.
