Set up a Duty Roster for a Camping Trip
Ever get frustrated because it seems like you always get stuck with the cleaning up on a camping trip? Prevent it from happening by setting up a duty roster beforehand, and giving it out to everyone in advance. This enables everyone to share the work and the fun.
Contents
Steps
- List all of the duties (on a piece of paper) that need doing on a regular basis in your campsite. This can include:
- Setting up the camp
- Collecting firewood
- Digging latrine/garbage sump
- Hauling cooking and cleaning water
- Cooking
- Washing dishes
- Doing a sweep of the site before dark to make sure it is clean from debris and food
- Stoking the fire overnight
- Breaking down camp
- Sort how often each duty needs to be done, and create a schedule for the duration of your trip. For example, Washing up needs to be done 3 to 4 times a day.
- Assign one or two people to each task on a revolving basis, so nobody gets stuck doing the same thing too often.
- Get the list approved by everyone on the camping trip before you get there. That way there shouldn't be any disputes.
Tips
- The Official Boy Scout Duty Roster: make a chart with the list of duties written, one at the top of each column, and label the rows for each day of the week you plan on camping (Sunday through Saturday, etc). For the first day, divvy up the assignments between your fellow campers, one name per column (don't forget to include yourself!). For the next day, each person will be bumped into the next sequential duty, with the person who got the last job on the list being bumped to the first job on the list. Repeat this pattern for every day you plan on camping. When finished, each person's name should appear to be in a diagonal line on the chart.
- Each person should be responsible for their own personal gear.
- Try to be as fair as possible with assignments. For example, if someone gets Sanitation the third day of camping, make sure they get a fun job like Cook or Fireman for the fourth day, and vice versa.
- Draw straws if there is any question about the fairness of the duty assignments.
- Make sure to write assignments on the roster so that no one gets the same type of job twice in a row (for example, being Head Sanitation one day and being Assistant Sanitation the next).
Warnings
- If you have younger children around the campsite, give them easier duties
- Disputes over duties in remote areas can sometimes escalate to a disaster for all. Be careful to avoid alienating a member of the group over unfortunate trivial matters when lives might be at risk.
