No matter where you’re going, keeping your gear and electronics safe during your vacation is critical. Organization and separation are key. If possible, make sure everyone has a suitcase or backpack where their belongings can be stored.
Electronics
While your kids may be obsessive about hanging on to their electronics, chargers can easily go amiss. You can reduce your need to run out and buy yet another charger by traveling with a briefcase or laptop backpack. Keep like cables bound together with Velcro straps or zip ties and, if possible, put an older and tech-savvy child in charge of putting this pack together every day you need to pack up and move on.
Clothing
If everyone has their own suitcase, you can easily roll clean garments up to reduce packing bulk. For toiletries, you can look for waterproof containers or compartments to keep things separate. Another option is to simply pack extra zippered storage bags to keep things both separate and visible. Try to pack the case flat and put heavier items, such as shoes and jackets, near the wheeled end. It’s best to avoid throwing your clothing willy-nilly into your pack, as that will lead to an inevitable wrinkly mess. Rolling things tightly and hanging tomorrow’s clothes once you get to your room will keep things orderly and reduce wrinkles by the time you’re ready to get dressed.
Dirty Laundry and Shoes
The last thing you want when you travel is for your dirty things to make your clean things dirty or smelly. To manage dirty laundry, packing a trash bag in each suitcase for dirty clothes storage is one option. Be sure to hang anything wet up overnight to avoid traveling with mildewed clothes. At the end of your trip, choose one suitcase and load all dirty clothes into it. This becomes your laundry bag when you get back to your house. If you are traveling somewhere muddy or going to the beach, bring plastic bags for your shoes as well. This will help to make sure that no mud or sand gets all over your other stuff. To keep things smelling nice, pack a sachet of potpourri or a small can of Febreeze to spray on your clothes when they start to smell a little funky.
Getting organized for a family vacation can get hectic. If your little ones are better at unpacking than packing, consider storing all suitcases under your bed or in a spare room and start packing early. Older kids can help with the packing process and learn how to organize their own family vacations.
If you and your family are staying in hotels on your vacation, check out these tips!
