Setting Up Your Bunk - New Camper Blog Series
Despite everything going on right now, we are still pushing ahead with our New Camper Blog series, sharing our best tips with you as you prepare for camp. As you’re at home right now, we hope you will have some fun thinking about all the great camp things…even things as simple as decorating your bunk.
Every new camper LOVES setting up her bunk for her very first summer at Greystone. It’s fun to imagine creating your own space and making it all about you. We are going to dive into how exactly to set up a bunk today…here we go!
Bunk Overview: All of our bunks are wooden and individually handmade - these bunks are sturdy! Both the bottom and the top bunks have a shelf, and you’ll find hooks on the side of the bunk for hanging things. There is a wooden ladder to use for climbing up on the top bunk.
Mattress Padding: Our mattresses are waterproof, so there is no need to bring a mattress pad. However, many campers like having the extra padding that a mattress pad provides. We recommend a mattress pad like this one, which has a little bit of thickness to it. (Note: We don’t recommend egg crates; you can read more about that here.)
Mattress Size: Our mattresses work best with regular twin sheets (no need for extra-long sheets). The camp mattresses are a little thinner than a regular twin mattress, but the twin sheets work great and are easy to tuck in on the sides.
Bedding: You’ll want to bring some comfy bedding! Girls should bring sheets (2 sets), a comforter or blanket, and a pillow (with pillowcase). For the comforter or blanket, we see a good mix of these two options: some girls will purchase a bedding set (where everything matches) and just as many girls will bring sheets with a cozy blanket to use as a comforter. It’s up to you! (For my camper, I purchased plain twin sheets and a down twin blanket – worked great!)
Making your bed: One of the best ways to make a camp bed is to take the mattress off the bed. This is especially useful for those top bunks! You can put on the mattress pad, sheets, and comforter, and then just lift the mattress back on the bed. It’s a breeze! Just a word to the wise: on Opening Day, it’s hard to take every mattress off the bed at the same time when the cabin is filled with campers and family members. If your cabin is too crazy, just wait a little while (go drop off your medicines or visit our parent reception) and things will eventually calm down.
Blanket provided: We provide each camper with a jersey style blanket, and these (which are brand new this year!) will be waiting for you on your bunk when you arrive. These blankets are great for either leaving folded at the end of your bed (to use if you get cold) or to put under your blanket or comforter on your bed for extra warmth.
Pillows and stuffed animals: Make the space all about YOU with some fun pillows and stuffed animals. You’ll need a regular pillow to sleep with, but if you would like to bring a decorative pillow, feel free. Most girls like to bring their favorite stuffed animal with them.
Drawer: Each camper will have a drawer under her bed. These drawers measure 32 x 32 x 9.5 inches, so they are quite big…definitely big enough for unpacking all of your clothes. We hear so many different things about how to unpack your clothes into the drawer (check out this mom post and this mom post, which both offer good perspectives). If I was unpacking, I would probably just pile up the shirts and shorts, and then use small bins for underwear and socks (so they don’t get lost).
Shelf: The bunk shelf is where each camper puts her essential items: flashlight, stationery, water bottle, small plug-in fan, books, activities for Rest Hour…things like that. Each shelf is 5.5 x 34 inches, and every camper will have two shelves on her bunk for her to use. You can line things up on the shelf as is or bring a small tub to hold some like minded items. A clipboard to write on would be a good idea!
Pictures: The one decorative item that we allow is pictures. We see girls display their pictures in different ways. Some girls will just tape them on the bed or on the wall – easy! Some girls will make a collage of photos and hang the collage on the wall; you can use a poster board or something similar for this. Either way, bringing a few pictures is great.
Hooks: You’ll find hooks on every bunk, and these can be used to hang your laundry bag, tennis racket, riding helmet, book bag, Crazy Creek, or more.
Don’t go overboard! Our advice? Don’t go overboard. There is no need to buy fancy bedding, fancy pillows, and other specialty items. Camp is a simple place, and our advice is to make your bunk fun, but don’t overdue it. We are cracking down on our decorating policies again this year and will be taking down any decorations that aren’t pictures, so just bring the basics – you’ll be all set!
Now you should be ready to move in! Setting up a bunk is a lot of fun, and we hope you enjoy making your camp space your “home” for a few weeks. If you have any questions on how to set up your bunk, let us know! Comment below or give us a call – we are happy to help!