ACA Home Forums What you pack and what you don't

What is your list of items to pack? What don't you pack anymore?
I thought it be fun if we shared our lists.

I usually pack just the basic stuff. I do have to get bathroom stuff (rug, towels, tooth brush holder) for my cabin. Other than that, just basic bedding (sheets and bedspread), clothes for warm and cool weather. If there is anything special I need for a special event or theme day, I usually get that somewhere around camp.

I used to do a bunch of camp packing, planning, and shopping. Now... not so much. This year all I've done so far is order a few more pairs of uniform shorts and a pair of sneakers. I might head to Wal-Mart the night before I leave for camp to get some other basics (sun screen, bug spray, flashlight) but I might not even do that.

I don't pack an alarm clock anymore. Since I live in my own cabin, I don't need to hide my phone. I just use that as an alarm. I also don't pack paper, notebook, pens/pencils. If I need any of that kind of stuff, I just get it from the office. No point in packing it, if I can get it at camp.

- Teenster

Like Teenster, I don't need things like a clock or supplies since I live in the staff house. I try to keep my typical camp packing of stuff I need for myself pretty basic - clothes that I need, bedding, towels, load up books and magazines on my kindle for night time reading.

My medical stuff is pretty extensive - I have some pretty sensitive health issues, so my meds usually take up an entire roller suitcase. I have a pretty large list of food allergies and some other food issues (I'm not supposed to eat foods with a lot of liquid, like soup, and I have to eat at some weird times), so I bring food and some food prep stuff as well - with a few exceptions I make most of the food that I eat while at camp.

This summer I'll be packing a ton of baby stuff, since my little one (one month old in a few days) will be coming with. I'm still working on what I'll have to bring to keep him happy, and ordering things like mosquito netting for the bassinet and summer weight swaddles and carrier wraps.

The few 'fun' things that I bring? A collection of plastic lacing keychains and lanyards - I was the arts and crafts director for a while and am known at camp for being ridiculously good at them. Some tie dye to do a few shirts while I'm at camp. Gold stars stickers (yup) to stick on staff for immediate recognition when I see them do something awesome. A tiny slow cooker to make spinach and artichoke dip as a treat for staff on their night off time. Last year I took a taco suit and wore it to dinner every week on taco tuesday - very popular.

I work at a day camp so my packing list is a little different from you guys

I always make sure to pack tons of sunscreen, a water bottle, an extra pen or pencil because lets face it the pens they have at camp NEVER have enough ink, a bathing suit, fresh extra pair of socks, a water proof watch, extra camp shirt and of course my farmers hat which keeps the sun off my face and neck, and sunglasses. Sometimes, if I am working as a bus counselor, I'll bring a speaker for my phone so I can play music for the kids because the bus radio almost never works.

This year, however, I plan to bring stickers for the kids as a reward for something good or awesome that they do like help one another or learn/try something new

What I dont pack; anything made of paper because some how some where during the day it gets wet (and I never remember even going near water with it when it does get wet), and food (always gets warm)

I am only at camp for a week myself this year and some things are not in a huge quanity since I am only there for 7 days. I bring about 8 days of clothes, an extra bathing suit, a power surge-- the cabins I am usually in, do not have enough power outlets and the ones that our camp does have are usually taken for campers who need power outlets for their medical devices-- our camp is for adults with physical disabilities. I usually use the power surge so I can power up my cell phone while a camper can plug up their power wheelchair or whatever they need, and i can charge up my battaries for my digital camera.

I use my cell phone as an alarm clock at camp ( our camp rules do not prohit cell phones totally-- we just cant use them while pushing a camper in a wheelchair)

I bring plenty of sunscreen and bug spray-- we get alot of bugs at my camp. For my flashlight, I always bring 2 flashlights and extra batteries-- we do not have any lights at camp so my flashlight gets a lot of wear at camp.

I've been giving tests all weeks, so I've been mentally making lists of things I need to do before camp. I thought of some things that I don't bring to camp anymore:
- Camera. I used to take a lot of pictures, now I just check out the camp's website if I want a picture.
- Tevas. Now that my job is just on camp, I have to wear shoes and socks all of the time. I usually bring a pair of flip flops though.
- Bandannas. This was a popular trend my first few years at camp, now I just wear a ball cap.
- Books. I'm a big reader and in the past I would bring a bunch of books. Now I've got an iPad and less time to read.
- Sleeping Bag. I've got a nice temperature controlled cabin now, I don't need it.
- Duct Tape. Something I used a lot at GS camp, I now don't need on a daily basis.

Giving tests is boring... so you have to think about something.

- Teenster

I always pack a night stand. The camp I use to work at didn't have many of them and I really liked having one.

Now as a Director at my old camp I had to be there a month before camp started. So I would bring a TV to watch stuff at night and on Weekends when the campers are away.

Luke-- just wondering at your camp, do you get alot of over the air TV channels? The first camp I worked at, we only got 2-3 channels at most.

My last camp did get good over the air TV but I mainly just used it for DVDs. Precamp I changed my Netflix address and mailed DVDs to me. There was only about 5 of us and 2 of them where married living in a house on site so there was a lot of down time at night.

You know, after reading your posts, I actually realized that I never brought bug spray with me. Not once. Which is weird because as a camper at overnight camps, I always brought it. I guess because my camps isnt in the woods, we dont encounter any bugs...

Yeah, I got Lyme one summer and have massive reactions to mosquitoes - each bite will swell to a couple of inches across. I don't mess around with bug spray, I take the hardcore bad for you stuff, and if I run out, Amazon Prime comes to the rescue.

Oh wow!! I know this might sound like a stupid question...but does bug spray help with ticks? We have had a few bites the past couple of years not like a massive outbreak but it couldn't help to be prepared.

I know that bug spray with DEET will help to repel ticks. Not sure about the other kinds.

Ok great, thanks for the advice I will be sure to hit walmart this weekend.