The following is a guest post from regular contributor, Kristin at The Gold Project.
Summertime means traveling for a lot of people. When I travel, I like to make sure I am organized and having two kids requires an extensive amount of preparation. Just the regular packing and loading the car can take two hours or longer. To make things run a little smoother, I have some tips for organized travel that I use every time.
1. Plan Ahead
I am not a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants type of person. I am not a person that can decide within a day to go on a vacation. I am a planner through and through. I always have to know what we are doing, how much it is going to cost, the dates, and all of the extra information ahead of time. I like to have everything planned out because it keeps my mind at ease.
2. Use Packing Cubes
I was introduced to packing cubes last year. I was a little skeptical at first, but decided to purchase a set to try. My last road trip was the first time I used them and I loved them so much that I purchased an additional set.
Packing cubes allow you to categorize and contain your items into smaller units in your luggage. It made it very easy to find what I was looking for in my bag. All of my undergarments were in one, tank tops in another, and my last cube contained my socks.
3. Make a Packing List
I am a list maker. If I don’t write things down, I am bound to forget something. The same goes for packing for travel. I have to write everything down that I need to pack, then cross items off as I actually pack them.
Having a packing checklist reassures me that I have remembered everything.
4. Print Directions, Addresses, & Phone Numbers
Now, you might be thinking, “Why do I need to do that? I have a cellphone.” And, that is exactly how I thought up until my last trip. My husband was using the Map app on his iPhone to get the step-by-step route to my family’s home. It worked great until we hit two areas. One with new construction and another that had no Internet connection abilities. I even tried it on my phone and it kept telling me the same thing. Luckily, my husband knows how to read a map and pulled up the area map on his phone.
Next time, I will definitely print out directions as well. It would’ve saved us a lot of pulling over and rethinking the situation.
5. Have Someone Check on Your Home
I have always been told it isn’t wise to make your home look like you aren’t there. I have heard that it is a prime time to have break-ins. So, we always leave a light or two on in our home and have someone check on our house while we are away.
6. Don’t Forget About the Pets
Make sure if you have pets at home that you have taken care of them too. Make sure they have plenty of food, water, and nice shelter. Also, I would recommend having someone come several times a day to check on them. Things can happen. For instance, they could knock over their water bowl on day one and you do not want them going without water for an extended amount of time.
7. Expect the Unexpected
This is the tip that I have learned over the years. When I first became a parent back in 2009, I was clueless. I had no idea how to pack for little ones on a trip and I had no idea what obstacles may lie ahead. Now, after being a parent for six years, I am finally learning.
I have a daughter that gets car sick a lot, so we always carry motion sickness medicine and a bucket. In addition to that, I have a purse and car emergency kit.
Then, there are always times when we may run into traffic or get delayed for some reason (bathroom breaks are a big factor). So, if we are on a schedule, we always leave early in case one of these situations occurs.
For more organized travel tips visit HERE.
My name is Kristin and I am a middle school career education teacher by day and a mommy/wife/blogger by night. I am married to my high school sweetheart and we have two loving children. We recently made a life-changing move to Arkansas, so our new house is always under construction. I get excitement out of finding new creative, functional, and cute ways to organize things! I also enjoy writing and documenting life as it happens. So, I put these loves together and created The Gold Project. With the help of my husband, I am attempting to turn our house into a home. So, check out this special place of mine and take this journey with me!
Linda says
I wouldn’t pack perfume or cologne to take on a trip. Not only do the bottles have an alarming habit of breaking, but if you are going to be outside, the smell attracts bugs, if you are on a bus with others, they will not be happy to be subjected to your choice of scent, especially if they have allergies.
Nicole Q-Schmitz says
For perfume, I travel with a bunch of little samples (you know, the small tubes you get for free?). I have them in a Ziploc bag, so if they spill it’s not bad, and there are lots of options to choose from.
And, you can’t really overspray yourself with these, since most are the “dabbing” kind… hopefully at least!