Top Ten Things You Never Thought to Pack on Your Road Trip
Posted by Roadtrippingma in Gadgets, Packing the car, Top Ten Lists
- Small Tupperware containers or plastic baggies – Don’t bother with overpriced, environmentally-unfriendly individually wrapped snacks. Pack small containers or baggies to fill for each child from a bag of munchies. Passing back the entire bag for them to “share” will guarantee fights over who got more, as well as a nasty mess of crumbs. Also handy is the ability to toss snacks to the back of a minivan, well, that and a good aim.
- Wet wipes – Fingers covered in sugar, salt, chocolate, ketchup and more are guaranteed to rub artistic renderings all over the car upholstery unless prevented with the hasty pull of a moist wipe. A more earth-friendly and economical choice is to keep a Ziploc with one or two damp cloths handy.
- Empty pitcher with a lid – No, it’s not to make orange juice. It’s a barf pitcher. Hopefully it will never be used but should a child suddenly complain of an upset stomach, reach for the pitcher. Have you ever seen a three year old try to hold a bag open to vomit? I have. It ain’t pretty. The barf pitcher is easier to use than a bag, is leak-proof, and provides peace of mind (sorta.)
- Paring knife – Getting sick of junk food? (This is directed at the parents, not the kids.) Stop at a grocery store or farmer’s market along the way and pick up some fresh fruit or vegetables. While some produce can be munched whole, it’s helpful to have a knife for others, such as carrots, cantaloupe, cucumbers.
- Laundry soap – “Accidents” and spills do happen along the way and, thankfully, running water is readily available at most every stop. Laundry detergent, however, is harder to come by.
- Griddle and flipper – If you want to avoid stale froot loops and day-old muffins offered at the hotel’s free continental breakfast, spark up the griddle beside the TV and serve fried eggs and bacon right in the room.
- Garbage bag – This is so obvious that it seems ridiculous to include, however, it’s amazing how many times we’ve forgotten to pack any kind of garbage bag and have had to use an empty potato chips bag, instead. Two empty grocery bags should do it.
- Overnight bags – Planning to stop at a hotel along the way? Save time and effort by packing a separate overnight bag for everyone that includes pyjamas, essential toiletries, and a change of clothes. This way, you don’t need to lug the large pieces of luggage out of the car (or roof top carrier) until the final destination. Also comes in handy if there is a messy accident and someone needs a quick change of clothes.
- Toilet rolls – Think road side hotel, two in the morning, four-year-old has to go, and the room is fresh out of toilet paper. It could happen. Don’t let it.
- Corkscrew – Celebrate! It’s the end of the driving day, and you’ve survived day one (or two, or three) of your family road trip. You might get lucky and find a screw top bottle of wine in that rinky dink town you’re in, but why take the chance?
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