Packing Your Car Effectively for a Family Road Trip

If you have a growing family you may be well aware that with each family vacation you plan, getting everyone’s gear to fit in the car becomes more challenging every year. Organization is the key to successfully packing for the trip.

Here are some tips on how to pack light but be prepared for almost anything; Clean the car’s interior thoroughly before starting. Get rid of all of the junk and things that you store in the car (including stored items in the glove box) that you will not be using on the trip.

 Make a list of the “must haves” with everything you absolutely need on your trip and divide it into categories: Personal (clothes and cosmetics), Food (snacks, drinks, containers, etc.), Equipment (cameras, audio players) and Entertainment (toys, videos, etc.). Have each member of the family add their “must have” items under the subcategories as well.

Survey the final list to see where you might consolidate or simply cross off unnecessary items. What you pack first in the car should be what you will use last, any items you need to get for stops along the way should be packed last such as items you need while en route, like snacks, games, maps, or clothes for an overnight hotel stay along the way.

 If you are taking a short trip, you may want to consider packing light with the use of commercial large sized zip lock plastic bags that can easily be stacked on top of each other. Duffle bags or other types of soft luggage work best for compression into small areas. Instead of using traditional luggage that is bulky. Renting or purchasing a car top carrier is advisable if you have bulky luggage that you must bring or you end up with more items to pack than your vehicle has space for. Make sure to pack only things that you will not need until you arrive at your destination in the car top carrier.

Pack a zip-lock bag of mini sized travel items like toothpaste and toiletries for making pit-stops along the way. The glove box is a great place to keep plenty of travel sized wet wipes, tissue, and even some toilet seat covers available for quick access when needed.

If you are shopping for a new vehicle with more cargo space for your family vacations, visit your local St. Louis used car dealers, at St. Louis Auto Stop today.