How to Stay Organized on a Road Trip
Tired of losing items—or accidentally ruining them—while on the road? These fast fixes will keep you organized in no time.
Feel like packing up your car and hitting the open road? Road tripping is the best way to see many parts of the world. Route 66 and the Pacific Coast Highway are two of America’s most iconic roads, and globally, Australia’s Great Ocean Road and Iceland’s Ring Road also come to mind. There's nothing quite like rolling down the windows, feeling the wind in your hair, and exploring small towns and big cities at your own pace.
But when you’re on the road for multiple days, it can be hard to stay organized. For instance, at some point during your drive, you're likely to realize that you need something from your suitcase, only to remember that it's buried in the bottom of the trunk. (I frequently travel by car and have experienced this problem firsthand on a road trip from Georgia to Maine!) It can also be frustrating to discover that your bottled water leaked all over your clothing in your suitcase, or that your headphones got completely tangled up with your e-reader charging cord.
Figuring out what to bring with you, how to pack those items, and where to put them in the car will make your journey go a lot more smoothly. A little planning goes a long way!
Organizing Your Food and Snacks
What’s a road trip without snacks? You might want to eat on the go, so pack your bread, utensils, peanut butter, energy bars, nuts, dried fruit, cereal, and additional snacks in the Pack-It Active Roll Top Sac. Originally created for your dirty gym clothes, it keeps out germs and odors with its antimicrobial material and the closure can keep out insects. The Pack-It Sport Wet Zip Pouch can double as a cooler for bottled water and other drinks. It's lined, so it'll keep wet items from leaking and dripping on the rest of your belongings.
Organizing Your Entertainment
Cords and chargers are best suited for the Pack-It Sport Mini Stuffer Set. The set contains sacks that have drawstrings and come in three sizes. They're great for carrying your smartphone, GPS, and auxiliary cords. There’s nothing worse than battling with a tangled mess of cords when you need to play music or charge your devices. You might even want to put a different cord in each sack so that they don’t get bunched together. Keep your tablet, e-reader, and laptop protected from the bumps and turns in the road with their own padded sleeves. You might want to put these in the trunk for safekeeping unless you’re the passenger.
Organizing Your Clothing and Other Essentials
While you may have a smartphone with its own map app, I always like to bring real paper maps, as well, just as backups. You never know when your electronics will fail you or run out of batteries. Store them in a Pack It Folder to prevent them from getting crumpled in between uses. Traveling with a sleeping bag or beach towels? Compress them in the Pack-It Specter Stuffer Sac. It will give you extra room in your luggage. And most importantly, pack your belongings in luggage that is easy to get in and out of your car. A rolling duffel brings together the best of both worlds, allowing you to carry it up stairs if needed, and the No Matter What Flatbed is a great option. Create a packing list for clothing, toiletries, and the other items you might need so you don’t pack unnecessary items. Each should have its own packing cube, including one for tops and another for bottoms, so you can easily throw the cube in a drawer when you check into a hotel.
Lastly, think about what you're going to need while you're driving versus what you're going to need once you arrive at your destination. Anything that you might want before you pull over—like a map or a snack—should stay nearby (such as at your feet if you're a passenger). And anything else can go in the trunk. This will help you avoid making too many stops so you can get to your destination efficiently.
No matter where the road takes you, it’s important to stay organized while you’re traveling by car. Do you have your own methods for organization on road trips? Share them with us!
Related Links (from Eagle Creek blog)
How to Organize Your Car With Pack-It™
