Boyd, WI -- (SBWire) -- 08/02/2013 --It’s a very exciting time when summer camp comes to an end and the campers all return home. They’ll have an endless stream of stories from their camp stay and they’re ready to share every single one of them.

After parents have been reunited with their campers and the stories have been shared, here are some great tips to help get a leg up on next year. In fact, the best advice to give is that the best time to plan for the next year’s summer camp season is right now.

First things first, it’s wise to make a list of camping gear that will need to be replaced. Use the packing list from the summer camp to check if everything that was brought to camp made it back home. If anything is missing, it’s smart to contact the summer camp to see if they might have any of the missing items.

Next, go through camp clothing. Often enough, camp clothes get saved for next year’s summer camp stay. If the camper’s going to outgrow their camp clothes quickly, they can be donated, used as a hand-me-down to a younger sibling, or thrown away (if they’re damaged beyond repair).

After the clothing, check to see if any gear is broken—a flashlight, a fan, or any other breakable product.

Go directly to the source and talk to the campers about summer camp shortly after their return home when the memories of camp are still fresh on their minds. Ask them about what gear worked and what didn’t. Was the sleeping bag warm enough or maybe too warm? Maybe the backpack wasn’t big enough.

That concludes the first phase—knowing what items to replace. Why wait for next spring to go through stressful shopping? Why not buy the replacement summer camp gear now and get great season-ending sales on quality products from online summer camp shops like Everything Summer Camp.

When unpacking, most camp gear can get split into two groups—one to store away until next year, and the other to use up now. Items like liquid toiletries (sunblock, bug repellent) should get used up this summer. Those products will have lost their effectiveness by next year.

It’s smart thinking to go over the second group of products that’s to be stored away to remove the batteries of any battery-operated items. Camp trunks and duffels should be elevated when stored away in a garage or basement as concrete floors can slowly deteriorate the metal of a trunk. Air Purifying Bags are also a good idea to help prevent any unwanted smells caused by moisture or mildew.

About Everything Summer Camp
Everything Summer Camp has been helping kids get ready for summer camp since 1987. Their wide selection of camping gear includes camp trunks and other camping supplies that are 100% made in America. Top selling items include water bottles, cot-sized bedding, rain jackets, insect repellent, iron on labels, and more. Known for their customer service and fast shipping, Everything Summer Camp is recommended by more camps than any other camp outfitter. Located in Boyd, Wisconsin Everything Summer Camp is a division of C&N Manufacturing.

Visit http://www.everythingsummercamp.com/camp-trunks to learn more about trunks for camp, footlockers for camp, name labels, duffel bags, and camping supplies.