Are you hitting the road for Thanksgiving, or for Christmas, Hanukkah, or New Year’s? If you are you are, of course, far from alone. For example, AAA predicts 54.6 million people will travel 50 miles or more from home this Thanksgiving. That’s a 1.5% increase over 2021 and 98% of pre-pandemic volumes.
Traveling to your destination is not usually the most enjoyable part of your holiday plans, but with some forward planning and travel organization it does not have to be a nightmare either. Here to help you plan a more organized holiday roadtrip are some of my top tips as a professional organizer, many of which I make use of myself. There’s even still time to make use of them before you hit the road this Thanksgiving week!
Rent a Car Or Drive Your Own?
You can decide to rent a car for your road trip for a variety of reasons. It might be less expensive to use a rental automobile for a cross-country trip if you lease your car and have a defined mileage limit than to pay the penalty for exceeding your limit.
Renting a 4-wheel drive vehicle could be the best option if your day to day car isn’t capable of a long trip or an adventurous itinerary. Additionally, it might not be a good idea to test how temperamental your car’s engine is in the middle of a winter storm your car is unreliable. Of course, you might need a car to move about if you’re flying to your starting place, but check out local transport first, to see if making use of that will be more affordable.
Have Whatever Vehicle You Are Driving Thoroughly Checked Out
Make sure to visit a mechanic and have your car inspected a week or two before you go on your trip. That way, you’ll have plenty of time to address any issues and assure the car was serviced properly. Make sure the oil has been changed, the windshield wipers are up to snuff and all the fluids are filled. You should also ensure that your tires are balanced and aligned properly and that they are all inflated to the right pressures, as that will both save wear and tear on your vehicle and money on gas.
Shop Smart for Overnight Accommodations
If you are breaking up a long trip with an overnight stay, or will not be spending the holidays at someone’s home, a little organized searching will help you get decent accommodation booked at a good price. However, be prepared to put in the time to do some comparison shopping and don’t rely solely on Airbnb. These days many hotels, aware of the competition that they face from Airbnb and similar sites, have some great deals. Booking.com is a great place to find them.
If you are not familiar with the area you are going to be staying you should also take the time to ensure that amenities that are important to you are nearby, including things like restaurants, transportation stops, a good coffee shop and maybe ven a place to walk your dog (if he’s coming along for the ride.)
Plan Your Route Properly
Getting stuck in bumper to bumper traffic and getting lost altogether are two nightmare scenarios that can make any holiday road trip worse. The best way to avoid this is to organize your route as far as possible in advance. I find that Google Maps is the most helpful tool to use here.
Not only will Google offer you ALL of the available routes to your destination but they provide a lot of information about each one. This includes any tolls you’ll have to pay, all of the big landmarks you should know about – especially gas stations, rest stops, drive thrus and more – and it even offers live traffic updates and will offer to adjust your route accordingly when you are on the move. And yes, I know many GPS offerings have a lot of this too, but the biggest advantage of Google Maps is that it’s all free!
Make a Travel Budget
Speaking of expenses, the last thing you want is to arrive at your destination broke. Make a budget for your trip, and, as far as possible, stick to it. When it comes to payments, where possible add the debit/credit cards you plan to use to your phone’s digital wallet – which makes thing a lot easier – but do have at least some cash on hand, as not every small store takes card payments and if you need a cup of coffee…
Organizing Your Vehicle – My Top Tips
Once you have your organized planning done, and are ready to hit the road, having an organized vehicle will make a big difference to the efficiency and enjoyment of your trip too.
Make Sure Your Glove Box is Stocked
Yes, you’ll need to ensure you have your insurance and registration documents in easy reach, but that’s not all an organized glove box should contain when you are heading off on a longer trip.
You should also plan on having: the owner’s manual (this would be an ideal time to read it—or at least skim it—if you haven’t already), a spare phone charger with cable, paper maps since phone and GPS reception might be sketchy depending on where you are, and a multi-type tool for safety scenarios.
Have Plenty of Organized Storage Options
Having a variety of storage options is a must for a small space such as the family car. Adding bins underneath seats or around the back of head rests will create options for all types of objects. Pick storage options that are not only practical, but that can be removed easily. Any bulky containers or items that can limit seat space should be avoided.
One prime area for extra storage, even in a smaller vehicle, for backseat passengers – probably the kids – is the back of the front seats. Organizers like these can hold all kinds of things and help not only keep your car more organized but also allow kids to get what they need ‘next’ without bugging you too much.
Be Prepared for the Unexpected
Be sure to keep emergency items in your vehicle at all times, and make sure these have a designated spot! One of the easiest ways to do this is to make, or purchase a travel first aid kit.
Most people get premade first-aid kits to save time and money compared to buying individual supplies and assembling a kit. Another reason to choose a premade kit is to ensure you don’t overlook any important supplies or tools.
Which kit should you get? Consider the following:
Group size: Kit-makers usually estimate the number of people a kit will serve. Kits for bigger groups simply include more of supplies you use up, like bandages and pain meds. Medical tools like thermometers, tweezers or splints remain fairly constant from kit to kit.
Trip length/distance: Same thing; you’ll usually find an estimated number of days in a kit’s product description.
Trip activity: Kit-makers might, for example, include a fully waterproof pouch that makes a kit suited to paddling. Smaller, lighter kits are appropriate when you’re planning light-and-fast pursuits like trail running. Bigger, more comprehensive kits make sense for activities like car camping.
Comprehensive kits: Even if you don’t know how to use everything, it can be valuable to get a kit with advanced tools and supplies because others in your group or area might have greater medical knowledge.
Next consider the following additions, regardless of the kit you choose:
Trip risks: Example: If you’re headed where poison ivy and ticks are concerns, consider adding a poison ivy treatment and tick-specific tool to your kit.
Special needs: For example, if you require prescription meds or an EpiPen, you should add them to your road trip first-aid kit.
Another important – but easy – way to keep your car organized is to keep a grocery bag in it at all times to collect accumulated garbage and then dispose of it all very easily when you hit a rest stop. And don’t forget poop bags so you can clean up at rest stops if your traveling companion is a pooch.
For road trips, allow each child to pack a small bag with only a few items to keep them busy on the trip. Having a place to keep their toys or electronics will keep them from getting lost. Switch items out when you stop to use the bathroom or when a child is losing interest and getting rowdy while on the road.
If you are traveling with fur kids – aka pets – they will need their supplies too. Ideally they should be restrained, either in a crate or a pet seat, and all their essentials should be stored in a single bag.
Make Organization Pit Stops
While taking breaks on your road trip, take a moment to tidy up between stops. Toss out any garbage, put any loose items back in their designated spots and encourage the others in the car to do the same. This way your vehicle won’t look like a disaster area on arrival at your destination or when you get back home.
Bring Busy Items
Probably the best way to keep your car organized during a road trip is to have something for children to do while you drive If they are busy doing something else, then they will be less likely to make a big mess in the car.
Encourage them to bring a pillow and blanket from home so that they can take naps on longer car rides. Coloring books, tablets and book also make for hours of busy work. If you are traveling with pets on board ensure they have a toy, or a favorite blankie, to keep them occupied as well.
I hope these top travel organization tips make all of your longer holiday journeys easier and more enjoyable, and that every celebration you are looking forward to this holiday season is a wonderful one. And don’t forget, if you need any kind of holiday organization help this season, we can help. Just Organized by Taya can work with you physically in the Greater Houston area, or virtually anywhere in the world. Contact us today to learn more, or get started right away by booking an appointment here.
Working with Taya and her team is easy. You can book an appointment easily on her website, or contact her directly at 832-271-7608
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