8 Forgotten Ways To Make Your Tent Cozier
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Don’t you hate it when you leave your well-appointed house to go camping, and you end up sleeping in a cheerless tent instead?
The reason this usually happens is that people don’t take the time to make their tents cozy.
However, all you have to do to fix this is to add some lighting. Put some water in a jug and wrap a headlamp around the jug. You can also opt for solar-powered lights, especially if you are out camping with kids who are afraid of the dark. The tent won’t seem too dark now.
That’s one way to start getting better results when you want to make a tent homier.
Here are 7 other tips to help you create a cozy tent.
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Warm Up Your Cold Feet – Do your feet always become cold no matter how many socks or warm clothes you have worn? Well, pour some hot water into your bottle and throw it down the sleeping bag. It’s bound to keep your feet warm throughout the night.
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Keep The Sun Out – Do you hate it when the sun reflects inside your tent making it too warm especially when you wake up? Add a reflective blanket on top of the tent to deflect the sunlight away from the tent. Now you can sleep in comfortably through the night and in the early morning without excessive warmth. Or if you think you will get too cold in the night, point the reflecting blanket back at the tent to keep warm air from escaping into the sky. You can also read our article on how to keep your tent cool.
- Get The Dirt Out – If you have been hiking and trekking through the woods, your shoes are bound to be dirty. If you drag them around the tent, it will become unsightly and quite uncomfortable for you. Well, you can keep a shoe basket right near the entrance to collect the dirty shoes, even those of your family if you have brought them camping with you. That way, the floor remains clean.
- Tent Flaps – There are a few times when you need the tent open. It might feel uncomfortable if you have to hold it up just because you are not ready to zip up the tent. Well, some binder clips will come in handy. You can hold the flaps open and let in some fresh air.
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Where To Sleep – You don’t have to sleep on the ground in your tent. You can bring along an air mattress. The mattress will be much more comfortable to sleep on than the rocky ground. And it’s easier to bond with friends and family on a shared bed like you’re at a sleep-over than wrapped up in a sleeping bag.
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Bedding – You are allowed to bring your duvet when you are going camping. If you don’t have a duvet, you can also bring your blankets or bed sheets. Your tent will look as similar as possible as your own home so your family will not feel out of place.
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A Few Decorations – Regardless of how long you are planning to stay camping, you can always bring some cheer in your tent by putting up a few decorations. Remember, you are trying to get comfortable, so you are allowed to do anything possible to achieve that (though don’t add anything scented - this can attract wildlife to your tent). A cheap and simple way to add color to your tent is to hang streamers at the entrance.
How To Make Your Tent More Comfortable
Here are 7 ways to make your tent more comfortable.
Cots
Camping is one of the best things you can do with your friends and family. It allows you to enjoy nature while also having a great time in an outdoor setting. However, it’s not always easy to be comfortable when sleeping in a tent.
Most campers are used to sleeping on air mattresses or inflatable pads that offer little support or comfort for their back and joints. Plus, you have to struggle to get up and off the ground.
The solution is simple – use a cot instead! A cot gives your body all of the support that it needs so you can sleep soundly through the night without waking up sore and stiff like you would if you were using an air mattress or pad as your bedding material for your tent flooring surface area.
Plus, cots fold down into small packages that are easy to transport with most vehicles.
Pro Tip: bring a sleeping pad for your cot, to provide even more cushion as you sleep.
Stay Warm Or Cool In Your Tent
Camping in cold weather can be uncomfortable.
There are a number of ways to stay warm while camping.
The best way is to bring a tent heater. Make sure the heater is one rated for camping and follow the instructions for use.
Another option is using hand warmers in your sleeping bag or clothes, which will help you stay warmer as well.
In warm weather, there are 2 simple options.
Bring a fan for your tent. I have even used a small battery-powered fan in my one-person backpacking tent. You will be surprised at how comfortable you will feel with the breeze from a fan.
Another option is to soak yourself with water before you head to bed. And as the water evaporates, you will cool off.
3. Ground Cover
The last thing any camper wants is to sleep with nothing but the tent floor between them and the ground. There are a range of different products available for purchase to add some padding for a better night’s rest. Foam or aircell pads are ideal if you aren’t trekking through the wilderness. Inflatable or air pads will also do the job and are less weighty and space consuming for hikers. Alternatively, those foam floor tiles used in children’s rooms will also provide a softer sleeping surface.
4. Eye Mask And Ear Plugs
The unfamiliar sounds of nature can make it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep throughout the night no matter how comfortable the tent. Wear some earplugs or fall asleep to music or an audio book playing through a pair of ear buds. An eye mask is also a good way to keep out the early morning sun or any other light that is keeping sleep at bay. Tents are made of thin material that have ventilation and other openings to allow natural light in that can be truly annoying.
5. Organization
Keeping a tent organized is key to comfort. Tents can become very messy extremely quickly. There are a variety of different hanging closet organizers that are ideal for use in a tent where all clothing and other items can be stored neatly and safely out of the way. Alternatively, string a rope from one side of the tent to the other and use multiple carabiners (those clippy things used by climbers) to hang anything that has a handle. S-hooks that can be purchased from a local hardware store or supermarket are also a great way to keep items off the floor and out of the way.
6. The Right Site
Choosing the right site to pitch a tent can make a huge difference in comfort. Choose a patch of ground that is preferably flat and not on a slope. Avoid stony, sandy or moist ground. Also make sure to pitch your tent away from natural water sources such as rivers, ponds or lakes that can flood during a storm. Higher ground is always preferable for the ideal campsite.
7. Toilet Time
No-one wants to stumble through the dark in the middle of the night to go to the toilet. Locating shoes, tripping over tent lines and stubbing knees and toes is no fun. Go to the bathroom twice before bedding down. If the need to go does arise, keep a pair of sandals within easy reach just outside the door of the tent. Remember to also keep a lantern or flashlight close-by or line the path to the toilet with rechargeable solar lights.
How To Make Your Tent Darker
1. Masks
Wearing a mask to sleep will block out the early morning sunlight and can even be used for a nap later in the day. This is the simplest solution for keeping the light out and getting more sleep on a camping trip. However, an eye mask isn’t going to do much to prevent the tent and its inhabitants from getting hotter by the minute.
2. Blackout Materials
There are a wide range of blackout products that are specifically designed to be placed over tents and make them darker. These products are normally black and will therefore absorb the sunlight keeping the tent darker. These blackouts are ideal for brightly colored or lighter shaded tents. However, the absorption of light by the black material will make it hotter increasing the temperature inside the tent. So although this is the ideal way to achieve greater darkness throughout the day, it is not going to make your tent more comfortable.
There are some blackout products that are designed to be hung or pitched inside the tent - much like a mosquito net. This will allow the brightly colored tent to do its job and reflect the rays of the sun preventing overheating while the inside remains a darkened sanctuary.
3. Reflective Blankets
Those silvery, emergency blankets are a great way to eliminate extra light. The shiny surface effectively reflects the rays of the sun keeping the tent darker and cooler. It is recommended to peg the blanket to the side of the tent that will receive the greatest amount of morning sun. These emergency blankets are rather small and flimsy so aren’t ideal to cover the entire outside of the tent. Also, they are likely to blow away in the slightest breeze if not secured properly.
4. A Tarp
Throwing a tarp over the tent is the ideal way to keep out sunlight as well as protect the tent from the other elements of Mother Nature. It is best to select a white or cream tarp to reflect the UV rays for reduced light and temperature. However, this can result in condensation inside the tent as the ventilation is blocked by the heavy tarpaulin. It is therefore of greater benefit to build a separate structure that will support the tarp over the tent rather than placing it directly on the tent. A structure that is larger than the tent will also provide a shady area, protected from rain, to enjoy outside the tent.
5. Rugs or Children Foam Puzzle Flooring
You can make your tent floor warmer, softer, and more colorful by bringing rugs or children’s foam puzzle flooring pieces.
These are cheap and effective ways to improve the coziness of a tent.
6. Reflectix
Reflectix is an insulation material in the construction industry.
But it has found additional uses in the camping and backpacking community.
According to DoItYourselfRV, Reflectix is: “Reflectix is polyethylene bubble wrap encased in reflective aluminum foil. The bubble wrap provides air space insulation and strength to support the reflective foil surface.”
There are several uses for Reflectix to make your tent camping more comfortable:
You can use it to provide tent insulation by fitting it under your rainfly.
Or you can use it to provide an additional layer of thermal barrier under your sleeping pad.
You can fashion it into pouches that can be used to keep dehydrated meals warm. The pouches can also serve multiple purposes, such as sitting or kneeling pads. Or even an emergency hat in the winter.
Camping Essentials
Tent
The point of a tent is to keep you dry if it rains or snow. And to protect you from bugs or animals that might be crawling around on the ground. Tents are not designed to be cozy. Use the tips in this article to make the tent more comfortable for you. You will also want to check out our tips on how to keep your tent dry in the rain.
Cot
A cot is essential for comfortable camping. In particular, as an adult it’s harder to get up and down from the ground. A cot makes it easier for us to get around while camping. Cots come in all sizes including ones that can hold a couple if you wish to sleep with your partner. Make sure to put a sleeping pad or air mattress on your cot for maximum comfort. You can read more about choosing a camping cot here.
Quilts Or Blankets
I’m no longer a fan of a traditional sleeping bag. Personally I use camping quilts. Which looks like a sleeping bag without a back. Created for hammock camping, I like them because being a big man (I’m 6’4”), I have a hard time fitting into a sleeping bag. Plus the part of a sleeping bag your body rests on doesn’t provide any warmth because the insulation gets crushed. But if you’re car camping you can bring along traditional blankets. Just remember you’re camping, so they might get wet or dirty.
Clothes
Make sure to dress for being outdoors and the weather. You can read here about how to prepare for cold weather camping.
Lighting
When the sun goes down, it gets very dark when we’re camping. At the very least bring along a quality headlamp with a redlight for each person. LED Lanterns are useful too. And if your campsite has electricity or you brought a generator, bring along LED string lights too.
Food And Drinks
You need to eat and drink while camping. You also don’t need to be limited to dehydrated food, beans or canned tuna. Check out our camping cookbook for more ideas. While you can drink whatever you drink at home while camping (check the campsite rules if you want to bring alcohol) make sure to bring along at least 1 gallon per day per person of water for sanitation, cooking, and hydration. If the campsite has potable water onsite, you can reduce the amount of water you bring. But I would never travel without at least 2 liters of water for emergency use. An empty 2-liter soda bottle or 2 Smart water bottles you fill at home works.
You can see our complete list of 41 essential camping supplies here. And use the other tips in this article to see the supplies you can bring for cozy camping.
How To DIY Glamping Camp Site
Glamping is the combination of the words “glamour” and “camping”. Glamping started out as a marketing gimmick for resorts in rural areas with nice weather. Glamping guests could sleep on hotel beds in canvas tents complete with traditional resort amenities including a private bathroom and maid service.
Glamping continues to grow in popularity. According to Google Trends it doubled in search popularity between 2019 and 2020.
While, glamping started out as a hotel alternative, you can add glamping amenities to your next car-camping adventure.
The tips in this article will assist with that.
In particular, focus on making it comfortable to sleep. Because the better you sleep on a camping trip, the more you will enjoy it.
With my cot and my sleeping pad, I can sleep more comfortably than in a hotel.
Remember, as adults, it becomes harder for us to get up and down. This is why a cot is important for sleeping. It also makes it easier to get dressed and undressed. And a cot helps with tying your shoes.
Even if you decide to forgo a cot and sleep on the ground, put your camping chair right next to the front of your tent. It will make it easier to get your shoes on in the morning.
Finally, bring along pajamas to sleep in. Make sure to layer up in the cold. Also, bring along warm soft socks just for sleeping. It’s always amazing how much of luxury socks are when we’re camping, in particular, if your feet get wet.
Cool Things To Put In A Tent
Tents are a great way to have fun and be comfortable in the outdoors, but they can also be a pain if you don’t know what to put inside them! Here is my list of some cool things that you should definitely include in your next camping trip:
Lighted Tent Stakes
While technically “outside” the tent, here is a cool gadget to consider for your next camping trip - lighted tent stakes from UCO.
A tent stake with an LED flashlight will help you find your way back to camp after dark. It also reduces the chances of you tripping over your tent stakes at night.
Tent Stake Hammer
Not as cool as the lighted tent stakes but it’s another useful tool. The tool is a tent stake hammer that allows you to put the tent stake into the hardest ground. And just as important makes it easy to pull the tent stake back out when it’s time to go home.
Hand Warmers
My favorite hack to staying warm in a tent is to bring along hand warmers. I put them under my back and even in the folds of my beanie hat to keep me toasty when it gets cold.
Add A Side Table
Horizontal surfaces are valuable in a camping environment. One of the reasons I like to bring along a side table when I’m car camping is to hold my fan and phone when I’m sleeping on my cot.
Bring A Portable Power Station
While camping is a great way to disconnect from the world, many of the gadgets we need to make our camping cozier, use electricity, even if they are battery-powered.
A power station like a Jackery.
A Jackery can charge more devices and over a longer period of time than a portable battery pack. Jackery also makes a solar charger. I keep one for my home to use in case we lose power.
Sleeping Bag Liners
If you use a sleeping bag, then you should consider a sleeping bag liner. The liners will increase the warmth of your sleeping bag, or can be used as a sleeping bag in warmer weather and are easier to clean than your sleeping bag.
One of the ways to make camping fun is to bring extra cool gadgets to improve the tent camping experience.
The best way to enjoy your camping trip is to bring all the necessary items so you don’t have to worry about anything when you go out. You need to pack everything you need to stay safe while you are away from home. This includes food, water, sleeping bags, tents, flashlights, first aid kits, lanterns, fire starters, matches, batteries, and more.
What Size Tent Fits A Queen Size Air Mattress?
What size tent fits a queen air mattress? 6-person tent. You want a 6-person tent so that you will have room to walk around and put your gear. A queen air mattress will fit in a 4-person tent but will take up the entire floor. That is why we recommend a 6-person tent. Or a 4-person with a vestibule.
