Love living in the outdoors? Then have you ever tried living in a tent full time? It’s bound to be a special experience. You can even get rid of the responsibilities associated with house or apartment living and enjoy nature where you want to live. This article will provide you with tips on living in a tent full time.
What are the benefits of living in a tent full time?
- Freedom – You no longer have to live in the same place for long periods of time. You can easily move your tent to live in any campground as long as you want. At the same time, you can enjoy beautiful park views or beach scenery. You are almost free to be yourself. You will no longer receive all kinds of bills because you no longer own the house. Life becomes much simpler.
- Lower carbon footprint – If you’re an environmentalist, then you’ll probably enjoy this low-carbon life. When camping outdoors, you’ll have to reduce your need for electricity and natural gas. You will be using a more environmentally friendly way of living. In addition, making a tent is far less harmful to the environment than building a house.
- Very cheap – There are many places where you can camp for free. There are even some places that need volunteer services and you can get free camping through this. You can find a suitable job near the campground or you can work online. The cost of camping life can be very low. You don’t have to pay expensive rent for a house or spend a lot of money to buy a house. Maybe you spend less than $20 per day.
What are the disadvantages of living in a tent full time?
- Food – If you live in a camp without electricity, cooling can be a problem. You can’t store large amounts of food because you don’t have a refrigerator. Perhaps you can get fresh ingredients by hunting or fishing. Even if you can use a cooler, you’ll have trouble getting ice.
- Hygiene – Living outdoors, you no longer have modern showers and toilets. Of course, in some well-equipped campgrounds, you still have access to these facilities. However, if you plan to camp away from the grid, then you will need to address sanitation issues in nature. You can bathe in the creek, but it may be cold.
- Safety issues – Have you heard of bears attacking humans? Living outdoors, you may encounter a variety of dangerous creatures. Large animals and poisonous insects can threaten you. They will try to steal your food or attack you. In addition, you cannot store any valuable items in your tent. Thieves are able to enter your tent easily. Securing life and property is a challenge.
How to live in a tent full time?
Here are some helpful tips on how to live in a tent full time
Not every place is suitable for camping
Some campgrounds have time limits, and you won’t be able to live at these campgrounds for long periods of time. Many National Forests will stipulate that you can’t camp for more than two weeks at a time. However, you can try to volunteer there to qualify for an exemption. And some places are not allowed to set up tents. Keep an eye on the local rules to avoid getting fined. Also, some areas are more dangerous and you may encounter animal infestation or have things stolen. Therefore, when you decide to camp somewhere, please do your research or consult the local people to avoid unnecessary damage.
Find free camping sites
There are websites where you can check for free campgrounds. Check the official websites of the parks in each state to see if you can find these free camping places. You can also consult with experienced campers in some camping forums to find out if there are free campgrounds in your destination.
Volunteer for free campgrounds
Some farms need volunteers to help with their growing efforts. You can try contacting them to see if they can give you work while allowing you to camp on the farm for free. Many National Forests will allow volunteer work in exchange for free camping. Check their official websites or contact the staff for more information on camping.
Choose a good campsite
A good campsite will allow you to live comfortably in the outdoors. Avoid pitching your tent near low valleys or rivers because you may get flooded or flooded by heavy snow. A safe place to pitch your tent is on higher ground. If you have a jack tent with a stove, it is more appropriate to set the tent on the downwind side.
Use a comfortable canvas tent
There are a wide variety of tents to suit every need. If you plan to live in a tent full time, you will need to use a durable tent. A canvas tent may be your best choice. Compared to other tents, canvas tents can last for a long time as long as you take care of them properly. And, after a few showers, they will become more waterproof. A large canvas tent will provide plenty of space for your furniture and you can even cook in the tent. If you can’t afford a canvas tent, you can still use ordinary nylon tents, although they are not as comfortable as canvas tents.
Get a comfortable bed
In addition to sleeping bags, you can also consider using a thick mat as your bed. This will be more comfortable than using your sleeping bag on the floor. Especially if you plan to stay in a certain campground for a longer period of time. There are quite a few inflatable mats or inflatable camping beds available for you to choose from, and they can give you more of a homey feel than camping. If you need more storage space, a camping bunk bed would be a good choice.
Carpeting or flooring
Carpeting your tent will make your tent more comfortable. If you need to stay longer, you can even lay a wooden or tile floor for your tent. Walking on carpet or flooring is much more comfortable than walking on the tent floor. Note that if you use a fireplace, be sure to place a fire retardant mat under the fireplace to prevent heat damage to your carpet, floor, or tent.
Use propane, electric, or solar water heaters
If your campsite has power provided, then you can use an electric water heater to boil water. Otherwise, you can purchase a propane water heater or solar water heater. These products will give you hot water or a hot shower. Please be safe when using them.
Use a tent stove for cooking and heating
A tent with a stove jack will allow you to be able to heat and cook in the tent. Even if it is raining outside, you are not affected. Propane or butane camp stoves can also be used inside the tent, but you need to be careful about safety. If your tent has a large enough awning, you can also cook outside when it’s not windy and rainy outside.
Keep clean
Living outdoors for a long time, you need to clean yourself. If your campsite has good facilities, then you won’t have to worry about showering or using the toilet. If you camp near a beach, you may be more likely to find some low-cost showers, and you may even be able to use them for free. Check if there is a gym nearby and become a member so you can use the shower room. But in remote campgrounds, that may not be as comfortable. You’ll need to clean yourself in a stream and dig a hole near your campsite to build a camp toilet. You can also use a portable potty in your tent, but you’ll have to think about how to empty it.
Collect rainwater
If your campsite can provide water or is near a stream, then how to get water is not a problem you need to think about. However, if your campsite has difficulty getting a steady source of water, then collecting rainwater to use as an alternate source is necessary. Collecting rainwater is a great way to get drinking and clean water. You will need to have multiple large containers to hold the rainwater. However, the weather is unpredictable and you don’t know when you will encounter a drought.
Hunting and fishing
Hunting and fishing can give you access to food, provided you have permission to hunt or fish. Before hunting and fishing, please know the local regulations to avoid breaking the law. Besides, you may also be able to get some fruits near the camp. Nevertheless, you need to know which plants are edible and which mushrooms are poisonous.
Don’t store too much food
When camping outdoors, the ability to store food is limited, especially those that need to be refrigerated. Therefore, please do not buy too much food that needs to be refrigerated. And too much food in your tent may attract animals or pests into your tent. If you are camping in a place where you are able to hunt or fish, then you will not have to go to the store as often.
Use a cooler
If you are in a campground with power, then you can use a small refrigerator to store your food. If you don’t have access to power, a cooler can ease your food storage dilemma. However, you will need to get ice from nearby and get more ice before it dissolves or you finish eating the food that needs to be refrigerated.
Have a first aid kit
You don’t know when an accident will happen. So you need to be prepared for that. Place a first aid kit in your tent and fill it with first aid supplies. In addition, you need to prepare some food and fresh water that can be kept for a long time. Try not to camp in places where there is no cell phone signal so that you can’t call for help.
Use mosquito repellent
You may find that no matter how you seal your tent, mosquitoes and bugs can always enter it. You need to use some mosquito repellent to help you get rid of these mosquitoes and bugs. In addition, you’d better have some medicine that can help you relieve itching and pain.
Store your valuables
Storing your valuables outdoors can be a challenge. Because you can not lock your tent. Bad guys can cut open your tent with a knife, whether your tent has a lock or not. But you can try to put your valuables in a locked box and hide them in a tree or buried somewhere. If you have a small car, put your valuables in it.
- Coleman Dark Room Skydome Camping Tent Review - August 7, 2021
- Moon Lence Instant Pop Up Camping Tent Review - August 7, 2021
- Ozark Trail 10 Person 2 Room Cabin Camping Tent Review - August 6, 2021