After camping, do you throw everything into storage until the next trip?

When you go on the next trip and unroll your sleeping bag, is it… musty, and a little sad?

There are a lot of instructions out there about WHY to store a sleeping bag outside the bag it comes in (mainly, being compacted breaks down the materials more quickly, shortening the bag’s “life”).

Even so, gathering all the parts needed can be a hassle. So, here are a few links for a great idea for a Birthday, Christmas, Hannukah, Anniversary, or “Just Because” Present for the campers in your life. Not more “stuff;” but “tools to help preserve the stuff they use to do the thing they love.”

HANGER

Start with finding the right hanger. (The links in this post are only suggestions; if you find the same items cheaper or in bulk or better quality — go for it.)

The sleeping bag can be folded lengthwise, and then draped over the hanger, so I use an extra long, heavy duty hanger with a non-slip bar (originally from The Container Store, a great resource for all these items in one shopping trip, plus wrapping paper!).

GARMENT BAG

Once you have the hanger, you’ll know how wide (wider than the hanger by a few inches, which also allows for the puffiness of the folded bag) and how long (longer than the bag draped in half) to buy a garment bag.

The other consideration is having “breathable” material — not 100% plastic.

CEDAR BLOCK

Finally — and this is extremely optional, but I think it adds the perfect touch — I suggest some sort of cedar block to put in the bag (and there are sprays available to “refresh” the block).

The cedar smell helps ward off insects and keeps the sleeping bag smelling fresh.

END RESULT

The bag for rolling the sleeping bag can also hang from the hanger, so everything is stored together.

(Storing it in the shower = not recommended!!)