The “”where to go”” is usually pretty easy around the holidays as it revolves around the relatives. Beyond that, families have regular spots they travel to during the holidays, some to get away from the snow, others to assure there will be snow for the holidays.
After the where, families face the next dilemma:
Packing.
Here are some tips on getting organized and packing efficiently for your entire family:
Keep Things Light! GENERAL
— Remove the unnecessary.
Many of the toiletries we lise are enshrined in layer after layer of cosmetic boxing. Take band-aids, for example. If you need an entire box of band-aids on your trip, you probably should be looking for an emergency room as opposed to a box in your suitcase. Most of us generally do a toiletries ruin just before we go away. Go the extra step and remove the packaging.
— Coordinate it, then bag it.
Using the band-aid example again, put things together with like-type items into a zipper-locked bag. There are sandwich, quart and gallon-sized bags, so that should fit many categories. When coordinating, think how you use the items normally at home. If you group like type items into one bag or container, you can pick up that one bag and go without having to unpack all contents of the suitcases. Use this trick for make up, toiletries, health care items (regular maintenance items, such as prescriptions)
— Bags, Bags, and more Bags.
Besides organizing those tiny-but-necessary items, take along larger plastic bags to store soiled clothing. We rarely use everything we pack, so it makes sense to keep them items separate to make your job easier when you get home.
— Avoid leaking bottles.
For the short holiday, it doesn’t make sense to pack the family sized shampoo, So you will probably be transferring it to the smaller, leak-proof, travel bottles. If you do this, or buy those smaller, travel-sized shampoo and moisturizer, take the extra step to secure it. A strip of packing tape across the top will keep the item shut during travel. Those few extra seconds doing can save your clothes from being covered in a leaking toiletry product.
— Make it easy on the kids.
If you are traveling with younger children who are capable of dressing themselves, but who have questionable taste, organize outfits individually into plastic bags so all the child has to do is open the bag and get ready. When a family is sharing small quarters while on holiday, any space-saving feature has to be considered.
— Analyze your clothing.
Think about how the outfit will travel. Some outfits are stunning, but wrinkle and need lots of TLC by the time they get out of a suitcase and back onto the human.”
