Sounds like you have a road trip coming up! Awesome!
But, it also sounds like you need some help on how to organize your car for a road trip so you’re not stressed out the day before and you can enjoy the open road.
Before you hit the road, it’s a great idea to plan ahead so your car is organized in the best way possible to make your trip enjoyable.
It can be so annoying when you have impatient kiddos and you can’t reach the damn iPad without pulling over because you packed it in the trunk where it’s not easily accessible.
We just got back from a family road trip to Disneyland. It’s about 8 hours for us one way, so not too bad, but it was our first road trip with our 1 year old. He doesn’t typically do well in the car so I was a bit worried.
I prepared as much as humanly possible and made sure we not only had everything we needed, but we planned for the worst and organized the car the right way. We ended up having the best time and Xander did great in the car both ways!
Here are the things that made our trip successful. Let’s get you started on the right foot and set you up for a stress-free trip!
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Make a List Ahead of Time
I am what you’d call a list-lover. I thrive off lists. They make me feel secure because I can start them weeks ahead of time and it gives me time to remember all the things I initially forgot.
The best piece of advice I can give you is to start your lists early. You will feel so much better. You know that feeling when you’re 30 minutes away from home and you feel like you’re forgetting something? That won’t happen because you’ve had weeks to think about this.
Here’s how I break down my lists so they aren’t all over the place. This comes in handy when packing so everything is grouped.
PRO TIP: Write your list on your Family Command Center so the entire family can see it and add to the list over a few weeks.
Packing List
Obviously, you’ll want to make a list for everything you need to pack for your trip. I keep a list for this in my Notes app on my iPhone and copy it for all our trips. There are slight modifications, but my template has most everything we need and as I learn from past trips, I add to it so I never forget them again.
Snacks/Drinks
Depending on how long your road trip is will depend on what food and drinks you’ll need to bring and if you’ll need to pack a cooler. If you plan on stopping for full meals, then snacks and drinks will be enough.
If I am only packing non-perishable snacks and drinks, I usually bring a separate large reusable grocery bag or small cooler if I need to keep things cool.
Here are some easy road trip snacks to consider and an organizer to store it in:
- Water Bottles / Drinks (consider if you want them to be resealable)
- Beef Jerky
- Crackers / Chips
- Granola Bars
- Fruit Gummies
- Popcorn
- Veggies and Dip
- Cut up Apples
- M&Ms
Activities for the Kids
This is probably your guarantee to a smooth road trip with kids. You need to have options for them as they can get bored quickly in a car. Make sure these things are also easily accessible to you as the parent so you can swap activities out easily.
Here are some fun & creative ideas for long car rides:
- iPad (or a portable DVD player if you still have one) – make sure you download movies/tv shows/books BEFORE the road trip otherwise plan on an outrageous phone bill since you won’t have WiFi. You can also use the iPad for electronic games.
- Coloring Books & Crayons / Markers – I only bring the super washable crayons or markers just in case they drop them. It’s a great way to avoid a mess!
- Small Magnetic Puzzle – this is a great option for kids! Add magnets on the back of puzzle pieces (if you only have a regular puzzle) and bring a small magnetic tin so they don’t lose the pieces!
- Easy Activity – I bought this easy bracelet kit with hardly any pieces for my daughter to make Disney bracelets on the way to Disneyland. She wore them the whole trip!
- Small Toys/Plush Toys – Don’t bring too many, but a few for kids who will be interested in these things.
- Travel Games – Simon, Rubik’s Cube, Drawing Tablet etc. are great for games on the road!
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Pack in Advance for Your Road Trip
Just as you would make a list in advance, you’ll also want to pack in advance. Don’t wait until the day of your road trip unless you have no other option. The last thing you want to do is be in a rush when packing the car.
We usually leave early for our road trips so we pack the night before and leave the car in the garage.
Pre-packing the car makes things so much easier and you really feel prepared when leaving. You have all night to think of anything you may have forgotten so you don’t feel panicked leaving the house.
I usually have a separate travel case that has travel toothbrushes and toothpaste for the whole family so I don’t have to use our normal ones and possibly forget them. The only things I pack at the last minute are perishable items in the cooler and my makeup if I’m going to do it before we leave. Everything else should be packed the night before.
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Don’t Overpack for Your Road Trip
Although you want to be prepared, you also don’t want to overpack for your road trip. This is where your note template for family trips will come in handy. Take note of how many days/nights you are away for a trip and how much of something you brought. Did you overpack the last trip? If so, make note of that and be prepared next time.
Something I tried this last trip was not taking extra of anything like the kid’s clothing. I tend to overpack because I run through every possible scenario in my head of why my kids may need 5 extra pairs of underwear.
This trip, I knew we were staying in a hotel so worst case scenario, I could use the sink to wash any clothing they may have ruined. I ended up having a few extra items, but nothing compared to other trips!
Overpacking can make the drive home not as enjoyable especially if you plan on buying souvenirs while on your trip to take home. Just be mindful of how much extra space you have when leaving for your road trip and make sure you aren’t using every nook and cranny in the car.
How Do You Know if You Overpacked for your Road Trip?
If you are literally shoving pieces of luggage into your car trying to make the trunk close, you probably over packed for your road trip.
If you are uncomfortable in the car because you feel like you don’t have access to what you need or things are hard to get, you probably overpacked.
Packing for your road trip the night before will also alleviate the stress of overpacking because you will instantly know if you need to leave a few things behind. If you pack the night before, this gives you time to rethink everything you planned on bringing.
Snacks, drinks and activities should all be easily accessible. If any of these items are hard to get to without taking your seatbelt off and being unsafe while driving, you may want to rethink how you packed the car.
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Research the Weather for your Road Trip
Always look to see what the weather will be like wherever you’re headed. You may need various clothing options or it may only be hot as hell where you’re going so no need for 8 jackets.
Again, worst case scenario, bring one extra item in case you’re worried, but not multiple or, just plan on buying extras of something if you end up needing it.
Knowing the weather ahead of time for any road trip will ensure you are well prepared and you aren’t surprised with any unplanned expenses.
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Plan Your Driving Route
Of course when planning your road trip you’ll want to plan which route to take to your destination. This is all going to depend on what kind of road trip you are taking.
If you want to make multiple stops along the way, you’ll want to plot those on a map and find the best route from point A to point B with the stops included.
Again, planning your driving route ahead of time will make things so much easier. You will know what to expect, when to take bathroom and food breaks if you know how many stops you’re taking and where. You can also plan out your stops to fill up on gas.
If you are planning on a multi-night road trip, you’ll want to take this into consideration when packing your car. If you’re staying in hotel rooms, make sure you can get to any items you need to bring with you easily.
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How to Organize Your Car When Packing for a Road Trip
Knowing where to put what items when packing for your road trip will make this process so much easier. Let’s look at the different sections of your car and what makes the most sense in each area:
Front Seat
- Personal items: phone, wallet, purse, sunglasses, chapstick, hand sanitizer, tampons/pads, etc.
- Printed directions, paper maps, itinerary, etc.
- Drinks in the cup holders
- iPod, iPad, headphones, books, chargers or any other small items
- First aid kit
- Trash Bags
- Baby wipes for any messes
Middle of Your Car
- Snacks & water right behind the passenger seat or in the middle for easy access
- This could be a bag with non-perishable items or a small cooler bag
- Kids activities (see Activities for the Kids), stuffed animals, blankets, pillows
- Extra wipes so the kids have access too
Back Seat or Trunk of Your Car
If you have a smaller car, you may not have a back seat for extra storage so just be mindful of using the space you have in the middle and trunk of your car.
- Strollers/Pack n’ Plays/Bassinets, Dock-A-Tots go on the bottom or farthest in if you don’t need easy access to them
- Larger cooler can also go at the bottom or farther in if you don’t need to access it often and it’s needed at your final destination
- Luggage – anything you need access to should go last or on top
- First aid kit & tools/supplies for the car – this could be an air compressor for the tires, oil/washer fluid, etc.
- Larger plastic bag to carry home all your dirty clothing
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Keep Your Car Organized During Your Road Trip
It’s easy to let the car get out of control during a long road trip, but keeping it organized and as clean as possible will only help keep the trip enjoyable.
Each time we stop at a gas station, food break, potty break, etc.. I roam the car for anything I can trash. This may seem like something small, but it really does keep things easily accessible when you don’t have to rummage through trash to get to the snacks.
Try not to go in and out of luggage if you really don’t need to. This can cause things to get unorganized and other items become harder to get to.
Top Tips for How to Organize Your Car for a Road Trip
- Plan Ahead
- Pack Days Ahead of Time
- Pack Your Car the Night Before
- Always Keep an Organized Car
- Plan for the Unexpected
- Pack Correctly & Prevent Messes
- Get Creative when Organizing Your Car
- Use organizational tools like trunk organizers
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You’re Ready for Your Next Road Trip!
You’re all set for your next family road trip! The best piece of advice I can give you is to plan ahead and always learn from past road trips to make the next one even better. It’s always a good idea to plan ahead!
Always keep lists and notes on those lists so you know how to make your next trip even more enjoyable for everyone in the family. My Notes app on my iPhone is my best friend.
I’d love to hear what your road trip packing secrets are in the comments below. What tips do you have for other families planning on road-tripping this summer? Or, what did you struggle with on your last road trip?
