If you're gearing up this year to take a road trip or ten, lucky you! Unlike the hassles of dealing with airport security, luggage checks and fees, having to sit next to people you don't know or want to deal with, road trips offer you the freedom to do things on your own time, pack as little or as much as you want, and hopefully go with people you actually like and want to spend time with all while being able to see parts of the country you wouldn't otherwise have been able to see. So what to pack?
1. Capsule Pack Your Wardrobe
To me, this is the most efficient manner in which to decide on what to wear/pack in terms of your clothing and shoes. Create a capsule wardrobe for your trip where essentially every item of clothing matches one another. Pick neutral bottoms like jeans, khakis, black pants that go with everything anyway, and then for your tops, pick all tops in 3-4 colors, like red, white, blue, and black. If you spill ketchup on one top, you aren't going to have like this crazy orange patterned top that only goes with one pair of pants. You can just swap it out for anything else in your suitcase, and you're fine.
2. Pillows and Blankets
Even if you are road tripping it alone, pack these items especially if you are traveling during the winter months. Obviously for those not driving, they will make sleeping in the car much more comfortable, but if you are in an emergency situation where you are stranded, possibly overnight, where you have to cut the engine to save gas, you won't be freezing and uncomfortable during the wait.
3. Roadside Emergency Kit
Spring for a proper road kit which has emergency flares, jumper cables, gas can, first aid kit, etc. and if you can afford it, something like AAA. Emergencies can happen to the best of us. You can totally forget you needed gas, and the next thing you know you're sputtering to a stop. Don't leave home without this!
4. Snacks!
I remember one particular road trip where we missed the GPS exit for our scheduled lunch, could not make any type of U-turn because the median had a concrete barrier, and had to drive an hour before there was another stop. This and other reasons are why snacks are essential even if you are planning to stop frequently. When people get hangry, hungry+angry, tempers can flair and sometimes a small snack can calm them down. Pro-tip, take everyone to the grocery store, let them pick their own snacks, and label them accordingly.
5. Journal/Camera
A road trip journal complete with pictures can be an amazing memento of the trip afterwards. Take photos of all the state line signs, or stop off at weird locations or specialty road side stops. Don't forget to take some candids as well of people pissed off in the car, or drooling when they sleep, or everyone cheering when you finally reach your destination.
6. Electronic entertainment
Nothing makes 2 hours go by like playing video games or watching movies. Never were truer words spoken about traveling with children. Let's just accept that for most people's children, in 2018, a few books are not going to contain them for a 12 hour ride. Even if you are anti-screen, this is the one time where for your sanity, I would highly recommend some form of electronic entertainment. If not for the kids, for yourself. Just make sure everyone has their own headphones!
6. GPS AND hard copy maps
Technology is great, until it isn't, you forget to charge it, or it breaks down. Make sure, even if you have a GPS system on your phone or the old school kind, that you still print out all your directions in paper form so that if something happens to your GPS, it gets stolen, whatever, you still have a means to keep traveling.
7. Cleaning/Storage/Security Essentials
Shower Caddy: great for housing pens/crayons/markers/drinks/food, small books, other knick knacks. Also...doubles as a shower caddy at your destination.
Collapsible Storage bins: Great for shoving books, toys, electronics under the seat and out of the way when not in use
Trash Bags/grocery bags: good for any trash or for those with motion sickness
Microfiber cloths: good for giving your car the once over for dust
Windex/Window Cleaner: good for getting off road grime/bird poop between road side gas station stops
Soap Suction Cups: Usually for the shower, stick these to your windows for easy access to small items like headphones, small toys, markers, your charger, whatever so that you don't have to dig through everything to find them.
Over the seat organizers: Store everything from tissues, to books, to small snacks, whatever in these convenient pouches to keep your backseat organized for the kids or other passengers
Old empty cereal boxes: Great for hiding electronics when you stop off for lunch. Thieves know well traveled pit stops and can easily break into your car looking at your goodies on your break. Make your car less like a target by sticking electronics in the old cereal boxes as a decoy or you can even purchase actual decoy lockboxes that look like food or other items. Also sit inside somewhere where you can easily see your car at all times on your break.
8. Good Vibes
This isn't necessarily about packing, but I say this last one with a word of caution. Travel with like minded people and people who enjoy a good road trip. The last thing you want is a whiny complainer who doesn't pull their weight in terms of drive time or that you don't get along with. You will regret that 28 hour round trip if you don't pick your driving mates wisely.
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Great take :) I'd really love to go to a road trip now...
wish i were rich so i wouldn't pack anything i would just buy them there lol
Nice take :)