If there is one thing that Zach & I are good at it is spontaneous and last minute trips. Whether it is a weekend getaway or a last minute day trip, Zach and I love to pack it all up and head out. This past weekend we went up to Michigan to camp by the pond at his parents' house. It was a qauzi spontaneous trip because while we'd talked about going, it wasn't really cemented until later in the week. I love throwing out all the plans and just doing something new, here are 3 tips to help you stay organized when it comes to a last minute getaway.
Permanently Packed Toiletries Bag
This has come in handy for a lot of trips, not just spontaneous ones. A permanently packed toiletries bag that is ready to be grabbed up at any moment saves you one extra step in packing. I use a pretty compact clean train case style bag (like this one) and stuff it with other little compact bags to keep things separated. I make sure that I have all the necessities and after a few trips I've boiled it down to exactly what I need. The little bags I use are small cosmetic bags, ipsy bags, & bags I've gotten other beauty samples in. They fit perfectly and create a little file system so I know that all hair care is this silver bag, all shower stuff is in this green mesh bag, toothpaste is here, etc. Having this packed and ready to grab in such a compact way is a time saver.
Know What You Need
Gone are the days where I pack a What If outfit. No I will probably not have dinner with the queen so I don't need that fancy cocktail dress for 2 nights away. I try to make a plan of what we'll do and pack accordingly. Since most of our trips are weekend getaways I try to stick to just one duffel bag. I always bring a sweater, a 'nice top', two bottoms (shorts or pants, etc), walking shoes, a t-shirt (or two), underthings, & PJs. You never know what might happen but you can 100% guarantee you won't meet the queen so there is no need for the extra fluff. Try trimming the fat on your packing for a few trips and see what you can totally live with out.
Trim Down the Gadgets
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Permanently Packed Toiletries Bag
This has come in handy for a lot of trips, not just spontaneous ones. A permanently packed toiletries bag that is ready to be grabbed up at any moment saves you one extra step in packing. I use a pretty compact clean train case style bag (like this one) and stuff it with other little compact bags to keep things separated. I make sure that I have all the necessities and after a few trips I've boiled it down to exactly what I need. The little bags I use are small cosmetic bags, ipsy bags, & bags I've gotten other beauty samples in. They fit perfectly and create a little file system so I know that all hair care is this silver bag, all shower stuff is in this green mesh bag, toothpaste is here, etc. Having this packed and ready to grab in such a compact way is a time saver.
Know What You Need
Gone are the days where I pack a What If outfit. No I will probably not have dinner with the queen so I don't need that fancy cocktail dress for 2 nights away. I try to make a plan of what we'll do and pack accordingly. Since most of our trips are weekend getaways I try to stick to just one duffel bag. I always bring a sweater, a 'nice top', two bottoms (shorts or pants, etc), walking shoes, a t-shirt (or two), underthings, & PJs. You never know what might happen but you can 100% guarantee you won't meet the queen so there is no need for the extra fluff. Try trimming the fat on your packing for a few trips and see what you can totally live with out.
We are a very hobby & gadget oriented family. So any time there may be down time you gotta make sure you have something to pass the time. I love bringing something to work on if there is that time because it is a little bit of home. But I've learned I totally will not be finishing that crocheted blanket a long with a design project, with a side of some other DIY. While some free time maybe unexpected - torrential down pour and your stuck at the hotel - it doesn't mean you will have oodles of time in the less than 72 hours you may be gone to do all these things. Narrow down what you will actually be able to do in that free time - bring the iPad to blog instead of the laptop, or bring just the small project your working on not the whole thing. This has helped me throw together a fun bag a lot quicker that running around trying to cram a bit of all of my hobbies in.
Spontaneous weekend trips are fun and even if you go only a few hours away keeping these things in mind will help you get on the trip a lot faster. You'll spend less time packing and more time away on your mini adventure.
Do you have any last minute packing tips? Are you a fan of spontaneous trips?
xoxo, Moe
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