Wilderness Tidiness

I went camping this past weekend and it was fan-freakin-tastic! There's nothing like hitting the great outdoors, poking a bonfire for 20 hours straight and snoozing in a sleeping bag cocoon. Don't even get me started on the cuisine. I could talk about hotdogs for hours. But even though I was out of my natural habitat, I couldn't escape my tidy ways. You can take a girl outta Tidytown but you can't take.... There are a couple of great ways to stay tidy while you're camping. So let's lace up our hiking boots, dunk a head covering on our heads and fill up those Camelbacks. Today I am your fearless leader, so follow me.

1) Dr. Bronner's Pure Castile Soap - This stuff is an 18-in-one. It can be used as soap, shampoo, toothpaste, laundry detergent, and more! Great for freshening up during the day and keeping all things clean. The peppermint is one of my personal favorites.

2) BABY WIPES! Baby wipes ain't just for babies anymore. They're a must-have in your travel pack for all things dirty. Wipe that melted marshmallow off your lip, clean up those sporks and....well, you know.

3) The Tent Shake - This move is imperative before packing up your tent. Before you take it apart, lift up the whole darn thing and give it a good upside-down shake. Make sure the door is open so all the collected dirt, grass and bits fall out. Once the inside is cleaned out, you can roll it up and put it away for the next trip. You can even wipe it down with one those baby wipes if you're feeling extra adventurous.

4) Garbage bags - I know this seems obvious, but you'd be surprised how easy it can be to forget to bring garbage bags. Remember: whatever you bring out there has gotta leave with you. Nobody likes a litter bug so have trash bags handy for good cleanup.

5) Psssssst - It's ok to be a little vain while camping and if you get oily hair, this is a winning product. Especially if you're camping out for a few days. Spray some Psssssst into your locks and it magically takes the oil out of your hair. You probably won't have a mirror to admire yourself in, but your camping buddies will appreciate the sentiment.

I hope I whet your camping appetite. And cleaning appetite! And cleaning while camping appetite!!

Here's a photo of me tending the bonfire. Like I said, I'm a fire-poker. It takes one to know one. As you can tell from my face, it's a VERY SERIOUS SPORT.