With my recent vacation, I realized I had some tips for when you travel that I need to share with all of you. It definitely makes things run better at my house. So here is Fab Five Travel Tips.
First is to make a list of what you need to pack and check it twice. I have a standard packing list I keep on my computer as a word document. I can easily print it off and add or delete items. This is the easiest way to ensure you have all you need when you arrive at your destination.
Use travel sized containers for your toiletries to save on space. You can get refillable ones for around $1 at Target or Walmart. You can always buy them with product in them, but I like to buy the refillable ones and fill them with my favorite products such as hair spray, shampoo, and conditioner which aren’t available in travel size. However, I do by things like contact solution, toothpaste, and mousse in already filled containers. Those just don’t work so well in the refillable ones.
Next, utilize laundry facilities to reduce the amount you need to pack.
On some of our vacations, there has been washers and dryers at the hotel or even in our condo. This has helped reduce what we need to pack. Sometimes I have even come home from a trip with all of the laundry done. I would throw a batch in while we were at the pool. Then I dried while we ate dinner in our room, and folded it while we ended the evening with a movie. If time allows and you have it there, it can be a lifesaver.
When packing for a family vacation, especially with multiple stops or longer stays, I have my kids put all of there clothing for 1 day in a gallon sized ziploc bag. This doesn’t necessarily work for my teenager now. His pants don’t fit, but he still packs his shirt, socks, and underwear in a bag. Each bag is labeled with the day of the week to wear the items. It keeps from things getting lost and the clean clothing stays clean even if there are dirty clothes added to the suitcase. This also works if you go camping and have a risk of you stuff getting wet. If it rains and you have a leaky tent, you can still have dry clothing.
Finally, weekly medicine containers are great for packing earrings. I pick mine up at Walmart for under a dollar. This way I can place each pair of earrings I need in the day I plan to wear them. They do have bigger medicine containers if you wear large earrings.
I hope these fab five travel tips help you on your next trip to where ever you may be going.
2 comments
Well… I use free samples of shampoo and conditioner, aspirin, antacids, allergy relief, hand lotion, etc… and actually save them for trips, along with other things like that ( I have a small matchbook size sewing kit, and a matchbook size pack of nail files) so that I can make up a quart zip lock and have just about anything you could want or need. Of course I am usually only packing for 2 – so you may need more than one bag.
When we do our long road trips, we stay at a different hotel each night for a couple of nights in a row. So I pack duffles for each day. Day 1 – clothes for all 6 people and then we have a separate bag for toiletries and PJs. That way we only haul in 2 bags at the hotel instead of 6.