While traveling can be an incredibly fun way of making memories and shifting your daily mundane activities for something new and exciting, the thought of packing and getting there is something else.
Packing and traveling with a family can indeed come with its own levels of stress, which is why you want to ensure you’ve got everything packed and ready to go as soon as you’re able to. At the same time, there are certain tips you can make use of in order to make the process as smooth and hassle-free as possible.
With that being said, here are some helpful tips for stress-free family vacations, including packing trips and luggage storage solutions.
Start early when it comes to packing
When packing ahead of time, you end up reducing the amount of stress that naturally comes with packing last minute. Particularly when you’ve got multiple people to pack for. If you’re someone who typically packs very last minute, consider starting earlier than planned. Put a reminder in your diary to start packing the basics and the items that won’t crease as easily.
You might want to consider allocating a room within the home where you can lay out all the suitcases and pack them in the lead-up to the family vacation. The earlier you start, the better because it helps get everything done sooner rather than later. You also have the opportunity to really think about what you need to pack.
Often what happens with last-minute packing is packing things you don’t actually need. You may also miss things that are essential and while you can likely buy things when you’re on vacation, it’s worth saving money by packing the items you already own.
Pack as light as you can
Packing light is always a benefit when you’re going away. It can already be a challenge having to transfer multiple suitcases from one end of an airport to the other. However, when they’re heavy and often overloaded, you’ll find it even more of a challenge to shift the luggage you do have.
When packing, it’s good to lay out everything that you’re intending to take. Once it’s all laid out, start looking closely at what you’ve got and try to cull it where possible. You may find that you can cut down your luggage by a quarter or perhaps even a half depending on how much you tend to pack typically.
It’s a bit harder to pack light when you’re going away to somewhere that’s cold and wet. However, you don’t need a dozen or so jumpers for a week’s vacation. You could probably have half and wear them more than once.
Plan your itinerary but be flexible
An itinerary can be helpful to have when it comes to a family holiday. However, while it’s good to plan, you also want to make your itinerary flexible where possible. That’s because a lot of the fun and stand-out memories often happen when you’re being spontaneous.
Planning your itinerary is important though because you want to make sure you fit in everything you plan to do while you’re away. Some locations might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and therefore you want to ensure everything you do has been logged into the itinerary, otherwise, you might regret not having done it.
Choose family-friendly accommodations
Family-friendly accommodations are something to be mindful of when planning a trip with the family. This is particularly important when you have young children who might be fussy with their food and need an all-inclusive option.
The same goes for the type of rooms that are in family-friendly accommodation. You’re more likely to find that you’ve got bigger spaces to lounge in when it comes to family-friendly hotels, as well as cot and high-chair options.
Family-friendly accommodations are a much more flexible choice for those who need something more appropriate for families and larger groups.
Consider private transfers where possible
Private transfers are definitely worth their weight in gold when it comes to getting your family members from home to the airport and from the airport to your vacation destination.
With private transfers, you’ve got the luxury of having someone who picks you up specifically instead of waiting in a group setting. You’ve also got the flexibility that private transfers offer, so if your plane lands a lot later than planned, your private transfer will still be waiting until you arrive. Public transport may end up running ahead without you or not being available.
Keep your luggage somewhere until check-in
Luggage is something that you should be looking at when it comes to making it easier to get around. You may arrive earlier than your check-in at the accommodation and until that check-in time, you’ve nowhere to put your luggage.
Thankfully, there are luggage storage Dublin services that are great as a temporary place to put your belongings until check-in opens.
Having luggage storage is helpful for having a safe and secure place to put your luggage while you go off exploring. It means you’re not losing out on any time to explore your surroundings either.
Work together with the adults in your party
When it comes to a family vacation, there will likely be more than one adult person in the party. That’s why it’s good to work together with the adults in the party so that everyone is doing their bit where possible, to make the journey and travel elements of the vacation, easier for all involved.
Make sure you’ve spoken with the adults traveling with you so that everyone has sight and hold of the children where required.
When it comes to stress-free family vacations, there are certainly some ways in which you can improve the experience so that it becomes more enjoyable for everyone involved. Use these tips to help make every future vacation, a stress-free and fun experience. That way, you can get excited in the lead-up to the vacation, instead of dreading the whole journey.