Making the decision to go on a last-minute vacation is always a thrilling and exciting experience. What may start as excitement can quickly turn to panic. Between the adrenaline from getting ready, to the lack of time you will have for packing, things can feel a bit overwhelming before you leave. Don’t let these initial feelings of stress take control of you. A spontaneous vacation can present you with unbelievable opportunities and memories that will last a lifetime.
Preparation is important, but as long as you have your essential belongings you’ll feel relaxed and reassured. And luckily, while traveling in an RV you are able to bring a sense of home and comfort with you in more ways than one.
Versatile Outfits
When packing for your trip, remember to bring versatile clothing and accessories to help minimize the load of your suitcase. Not only will this remove the stressful process of figuring out what to wear each day, but it’s also great for maintaining organization as well. For example, bring items that you know you can dress up or down. Some iconic pieces that can be worn both casually and formally are dark jeans, a plain t-shirt, or a belt. If you are going to a cooler climate, consider bringing a plain jacket or even a hoodie depending on the destination.
For additional accessories like shoes or jewelry, it’s important to remember to only bring what you know you’ll need. A classic pair of hoops or stud earrings can go with almost any outfit, and only bringing one pair helps eliminate any worry about misplacing or losing your favorite jewelry. You may also want to wear your chunkiest shoes while traveling to prevent bulky luggage. Oftentimes, footwear can be a pain to store while traveling due to its shape and style. So, choosing to wear them and opting for a shoe-organizing area for more than one pair can remove clutter and make things easy and effortless when getting ready.
Toiletry Pouch
One of the most crucial things to bring on any trip is a travel pouch containing all of your essential toiletries. This bag can help keep all of your belongings in one place while also providing you with all of your must-haves for your day and nighttime routines. Also, toiletries make up a lot of items on a typical packing list, so having everything all in one bag is an easy way to shift your focus to the other items on your list.
Some great items to include in your pouch include tweezers, SPF lotion, a small first aid kit with bandaids, antibiotic ointment, and hand sanitizer. Don’t forget to bring other vital personal items as well like medications or dental care. Another way to maximize the space you have in your bag is to cut down on the number of bulky items you pack. If you can, ditch the eyeglasses and purchase some contact lenses to bring on your trip. This will save you the space needed to store your glasses case and will prevent you from losing them on the trip. Some other items to consider leaving behind are hats, full-size toiletries, shower accessories, and larger items such as a hair dryer or curling iron.
Food and Drinks
A great perk about traveling in an RV is that you can bring many of your own belongings that you could normally not take with you to an airport or standard vehicle; one of them being food and drinks! When traveling via RV, it’s easy to store things that would otherwise be difficult to bring on a trip such as bottles of water. Essential for any occasion, these bottles can often make your bag extremely heavy, and if you’re traveling by airplane they are most likely not allowed onboard. Take advantage of the space in your RV to always have water accessible to keep yourself and others happily hydrated.
When traveling with food, it’s also important to remember to use non-breakable utensils and items such as plastic Tupperware, glasses, or kitchen tools. These will not only be easy to use in the kitchen, but they will also give you peace of mind knowing that nothing will crack or shatter while you are traveling. The last thing you want to do on vacation is clean up a mess that could have been prevented to begin with!
Lastly, make sure the food you are bringing will last your entire trip. Most RVs will have small areas for refrigeration and food storage, so you will not be able to bring everything you would have in your home kitchen. Be sure to check use-by dates for any products before you leave, and also try to bring along some non-perishable goods that will not spoil.
Mapping/GPS
Although most vehicles and cell phones come with built-in GPS nowadays, when traveling on the road it’s never a bad idea to bring a good old-fashioned map with you. Especially if you are driving where there may not be cellular service for a short period of time. This is extremely common on the way to certain lakes, beaches, or camping sites. If your cell phone or GPS happen to disconnect at all, a map provides you with the comfort of knowing that you have a backup plan on how to get to your destination! If you plan on utilizing a GPS, make sure to pre-load all of your route information to assure a smooth and stress-free ride.
Travel Pillow
Lastly, a travel essential no matter what kind of transportation you are taking is a good travel pillow! If you’re going to be sitting in the same seat for an extended period of time, having a supportive neck pillow can make an enormous difference to your body. Oftentimes while riding, it’s easy to fall asleep or drift into a short nap. Unfortunately, our necks are not often supported during this time due to the seat design, which can cause irritation and tightness within the neck area if not taken care of properly.
There are also many different shapes of pillows depending on the support you need. One of the most popular travel pillows is shaped like a U to help support your neck in all areas. However, if you are someone who finds yourself needing a little more firmness or direct attention to a specific area, a bone-shaped pillow can be extremely beneficial for traveling comfortably.
Overall, going on a spontaneous vacation doesn’t have to be stressful or overwhelming. This should be a time for you to enjoy and embrace, not spend it worrying about what you may have forgotten. Remembering to include organizational practices in your packing routine can help make your items easy to access and your vacation as stress-free as possible.
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