Going on a vacation? Planning for that vacation is part of the fun. Packing for that vacation is the part of the planning stage that I love.
Ok, I was once a girl guide. The motto, Be Prepared still sticks with me. To be prepared for anything. On vacation, I often pull out from my bag all sorts of things when necessary. I used to carry a swiss knife with me as it is so handy, until I got sick of setting of alarms at airports and having to submit to body checks, just because of that swiss knife in my bag.
#1 Roll your clothes Your luggage can only pack in so many things. How are you going to pack your clothes, your kids clothes and your other travel essentials into that one bag? How do you get your clothes in without too many ugly wrinkles. Fold each item lengthwise, then roll it tightly. Pack in the large items first, then stick the smaller rolls into the empty spaces. Pack in the sock (also rolled into little balls) last as these can fit into the smallest spaces in your luggage. Oh, and stick to fabrics that don't wrinkle easily. Cotton polyester mix is great for a warm vacation while wool is great for a cold vacation.
#2 Bring along some detergent Your kids are going to run, play, sweat, get dirty over and over again during the vacation. At least that's what mine do anyway. Every family vacation calls for a bag of detergent. When I can find detergent bars, I'll bring those along, packing them in only when dry, to avoid messing up my luggage. When I can't find detergent bars, detergent powder would have to do. Either way, every night after we get back to the hotel, if we are going to stay in that same hotel for more than 1 night in a row, I'd wash everyone's clothes and dry them before I go to sleep. That way, we do not run out of clean clothes halfway through the vacation. After washing the clothes, I'd wring them as dry as possible and hang them up to dry. To make them dry faster, I'd drape them over the lamp shades and leave the lamps on when we go out. The heat from the lamps would dry the clothes faster than normal. Be careful you don't burn the clothes though. Keep the clothes off the bulbs.
#3 Bring a tiny light What I find handy is a tiny little torchlight. I use that to find my child's lost toy in the dark. On holiday, that mini torch is very useful at night. I even carry one in my purse when I go to the movies. We lost the car keys before and I used the mini torch to help me find them again. If you are going somewhere warm, a mini light and fan would be so useful. When it is hot, use the fan to cool you down. When it is dark, light the way with your torch. When the children are bored, you can entertain them with your mini light and fan. Blow a paper toy you fold with the fan. Tell stories with shadows cast by that light at night.
#4 Bring non spillables where possible Ever opened your luggage only to find that your lotion bottle exploded? Happened to me a couple of times. Everything in the suitcase is all messed up. A rotten way to start a vacation if you ask me. For your facial moisturizer, you could use single dose capsules you break and apply like the ceramides. For your body moisturizer, you could use solid lotions which are spill proof. For bathing a bar of soap like a good goats milk soap would suffice. Remember to dry it before you pack it back in.
#5 Bring your camera. If you are going to the beach or a hotel with a swimming pool, bring along a waterproof camera. You want to capture all the happy memories in photos. That camera is a must for a vacation. Better still, bring a digital camcorder that lets you make a home movie about your vacation.
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