How to Get out of the House Faster (When You’re Travelling with Kids)
Tips and tricks for getting out of the house faster when you’re travelling with kids!
Over the past couple of years, we’ve gotten a little better at getting out of the house at the time we planned to leave, but there’s still the scramble. The ‘we’re going on a road trip but we have to do these last minute fourteen things’ before we go scramble. There’s the last minute things to pack, the quick turn around because it was so chaotic that we can’t recall if we closed the garage door and the quick check to make sure the sleds/skis/pool floats/paddles were in the Thule.
Three kids and nearing fifty road trips later, we’ve got a bit of a system that we use to get out of the house a little faster than we did before – and you know when you’re travelling with kids, every minute counts.
Here’s how to get out of the house faster, when you’re travelling with kids:
Teach Your Kids to Pack
That’s right. Skip packing for your kids and put them in charge. We’ve always encouraged our kids to pack their own things when we’re going away for the weekend. Each kid has a standard carry on size piece of luggage, with wheels, making it perfect sized for a weekend trip away, and small enough for them to be able to pack, bring to the car, and even up to the hotel room, on their own.
Make a List
Before you head out the door on your next road trip, make a list. Make a list for each season, the things that you need to bring with you on the trip. This gives you a baseline of what to pack, and lessens the amount of time that you’re scrambling to remember everything to bring with you.
Get the Kids Excited About Travelling
If you’re heading out on a road trip print off this Eye Spy Game for everyone. This fun checklist will keep the kids entertained in the car!
Pack the Day Before
Rather than packing the car, last minute, pack the night before. This means packing everything you need for the trip early, nearly eliminating the amount of prep required to get out of the house and into the vehicle. Packing the night before, while the kids are asleep, could almost be considered leisurely.
Preload the GPS
Unsure where you’re going? Preload the destination into the vehicle so you can save a couple of minutes on the morning you’re leaving.
Distract the Kids
During the last step, while you’re readying the vehicle, and the family, to go – distract the kids. We put them in the car a few minutes early, in the garage, strapped into their carseats with something to occupy them – like a new book or iPad. They are distracted, strapped in, and they aren’t going to hinder us doing those last minute things while we try to get on the road.
