DIY phone charging station for a campsite

Need help to unplug from your phone? You can now send your phone to camp with this fun DIY.

Lifestyle expert, Christian Dare shows us a fun way to encourage people to disconnect from their smart phones with this DIY charging station. Leave your phone in the campsite and spend quality time with family and friends without the distraction of technology. Bring it to your next dinner party and challenge your guests to go on a digital detox for the next hour.

Materials Needed:

  • Vintage Drawer
  • One 8 foot length of 2×2 (cut into lengths to fit inside your drawer)
  • Faux Grass Turf Section (large enough to cover your drawer)
  • One piece of foam core board (any colour)
  • Table Top Wooden Plaque/ Mini Sandwich Board x number of tents you want
  • Acrylic Craft Paint
  • Power bar
  • USB plugs to charge phones
  • Optional: small craft mushrooms, animals, pennants, etc to complete your campsite. You can find these at your local craft store or dollar store
  • Drill

Instructions:

  1. Drill a hole in the back of your drawer large enough to pass the power bar cord through. This may require a hole saw bit.
  2. Attach your USB cords/ phone charge cables into the power bar and run them up the back of your drawer.
  3. Cut 2 sections of 2×2 lumber the length of the inside of your drawer. These are going to be ythe cross braces to support your foam core and turf. I dry fit mine on the show but I would screw them in for extra sturdiness.
  4. Cut your foam core board to fit inside your drawer. This will sit on your 2×2 supports and will be covered by your turf.
  5. Cut your turf and lay it on top of your foam core. You now have your campsite ready for tents.
  6. Time to paint your tents. You can make a blanket stripe on each tent by users paints tape. Opt for different paint colours for each tent so everyone can easily remember which tent their phone is charging in.
  7. Line them up along the back of your drawer and run a charging cord into the back of each of them.
  8. Add extra props. This is a great opportunity to add in some mini lanterns (I added a short wooden dowel as a tent pole along the top and hung the lantern off of that), mini mushrooms or some animals (I used some children’s plastic animals and painted them gold). Use your imagination.
  9. Add a clever campsite sign along the back using two wooden dowels, some twine, and some paper pennants. Opt for a clever saying or your family name.