A Clothesline for Camping: The Cheap Thing I Always Forget Until I Need It
I hang a clothesline or 50 feet of cord for towels and swimsuits. Home Depot lists it. I still forget it.
Field notes — I write these in first person, from how I actually pack. Photos go in when I have them.
Wet cotton in a tent is how the night goes sour
Kids swim. I wash a shirt. Dew soaks the dish towel. If I drape that on the tent, it drips on a sleeping bag. A line between trees or a piece of cord on the picnic-table frame is the whole system.
I do not need a branded ‘camp clothesline’ if I already carry paracord. I do need to remember to put it in the bin. It is on the Home Depot-style lists for a reason.
I pack 50 feet, not 200
Enough for a line and a tarp ridgeline. I do not carry a hardware-store spool. I keep it with the stakes, not with the kitchen, so I actually find it.
Quick answers
Is this a complete packing list?
No. This is what I actually do for this situation. Use a full checklist for the boring essentials, then add or subtract from this note.