what are the two best things to pack for a long trip

One of the toughest things to do before taking off on a big road trip is trying to fit everything you want into the car. It doesn't matter how big your car is or how long yous are travelling for there never seems like there is enough room for everything.

If you are travelling for a longer catamenia of time you could consider getting a pod for the top of the automobile to store extra stuff, but with that you as well demand to consider the effect information technology volition have on the cars fuel efficiency. It tin can significantly impact your cost of fuel by nigh 50% more, and this is a cost you lot may not exist able to beget or justify on top of the travel costs.

The obvious get-go pace is to try and choose a lot more than yous originally wanted take. Be totally realistic, I am sure there are many things on your packing listing that you don't really need as much equally other more than essential items.

Another way is to find artistic and space saving means to pack more into the infinite that y'all accept. And that's what this post is all about, showing you how to pack the car for a road trip without having to choose to many items from your packing list.

My tips and tricks were learnt during the process of packing my automobile for a long road trip many years agone and can be translated to any size automobile or any length of trip. Read on to detect out how to your car for a route trip.

How to Pack Your Car for a Long Road Trip

Essential Items to Pack for a Road Trip

Bated from the obvious clothes, shoes, toiletries and personal items, there are a few handy and critical things you lot should take in your car before you lot embark on any road trip.

• Spare Tyre – make sure you cheque this well earlier you set off. I it still in good condition? If not, get a new i earlier you leave.
• Tyre Jack – if the unfortunate happens and yous get a flat tyre, you should exist able to change the tyre on the side of the road, or go a stiff passer-by to aid at the very least.
• First Aid Kit – go on this in the glove box and make sure it contains at least band-aids, unproblematic bandages, antiseptic and safety pins. This could get very valuable if you trip and fall while on the road.
• Water – and non just a half litre bottle for drinking on your bulldoze, lots and lots of water. If you break downward in the middle of nowhere or get lost, you lot may be stuck without assistance in the element for hours (or more than). Make sure you have at least 2-3 litres extra per developed in the vehicle.
• Toilet Gyre – I don't know almost where you live only just about every picnic spot toilet block along the highways of Commonwealth of australia is void of toilet paper. Keeping one handy in the car will save you from using the local flora.
• Umbrella – keep this in close reach. It might be sunny when yous take off in the morning and pouring with rain later a few hours driving.
• USB Cables – well-nigh cars these days have USB ports for charging phones etc. Keep cables for your principal devices in the car for quick charging. If y'all are travelling in remote areas your phone will get in and out of reception regularly and this has an effect on your battery life.
• Hand Sanitizer or Wipes – as with the toilet roll, soap is non-existent in most road side toilet blocks. This volition keep your hands clean until you tin can become to some soap.
• Reusable Shopping Bag – don't be that person collecting plastic numberless around the world and leaving them in hotel bins. Having one (or a few) small folded shopping bags volition hateful you are doing your bit to salvage the world.

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How to Pack Your Car for a Road Trip

Roll Not Fold

The affair you volition probably accept the most of is clothes, so it is very important to ensure yous pack them in the almost space saving way possible. Enter the packing cube and the coil non fold method.

I love packing cubes and hope by now y'all practice too. But if you haven't already got yourself some and so now is the time. They volition continue each unlike blazon of wear divide and get in easier for you to find exactly what you want right in the boot of your car.

And then take it one step further and gyre your clothes in tight neat bundle before packing them into the packing cube. Rolling is proven to take up less space than folding and if done right, volition leave your dress with less creases in them.

Space Bags Will Save You So Much Space

If you are travelling with linen, pillows or bulky soft items similar big jackets only in case yous may demand them, then you will need a space saving solution to ensure they don't take up the whole car boot when you lot pack the car.

The answer is having a few handy space bags, you know the ones you roll to remove the air. These will allow you to halve the amount of space they have up in your car.

On my big trip I used the space bags for sheets, a doona and an extra wintertime blanket in case the place I was staying had an extra accuse for linen or if it got super common cold. I also have a pillow with me for a bit of extra comfort and to avoid a stiff neck from poor pillows in cheap accommodation.

Utilize Every Nook and Cranny

I'g not sure about your car, but virtually accept and then many handy fiddling nooks and crannys that are perfect for packing certain items to make them easily accessible or the opposite, tucking things away that won't be used so often.

Think under the drivers and passengers seats, in the pocket on the back of the seats, the glove compartment or smaller compartments in the centre panel.

The car I was travelling have a super handy pull out draw with matching open compartment at the back of the kicking. In the draw I have picnic items like plates, cups and cutlery for like shooting fish in a barrel access when stopping for lunch and the open compartment had towels and the infinite bags I mentioned above.

Under the forepart seats I put a few things that weren't to exist used all the fourth dimension, similar walking boots and spare oil and water for the car in case of an emergency.

Take the time to call up about what each nook and cranny in your car could be almost useful for. I guarantee you it will save you space when you lot pack your car and brand the important things much easier to access.

Large Plastic Tubs Continue You Organised

One of the best investments I fabricated was a good set of plastic storage tubs. For merely over $100.00 I got three large, two medium and 2 small tubs that I used for keeping everything organised.

Each tub had a different purpose and earlier I bought them I actually thought about which size tubs would work best for each item grouping. Here's a run downwards on what I had in each tub:

• Large No.i & 2 – Excess clothes/shoes – I've had vii days worth of clothes in a backpack which I would take within with me and the residue stayed in these tubs. I would  swap them out equally needed with some clothes only getting used at certain times of the year (i.eastward. winter coats, overnice dresses etc.).

• Large No.3 – Bits & Pieces – I used this tub for things that don't fit into whatever of the other tub categories. Things like reading books, stationary, goggles for swimming, tennis rackets, playing cards and many more other bits and pieces I might accept need along the manner. This tub always stayed in the automobile and I but grabbed things out as needed.

• Medium No.1 – Cooking Utensils – I noticed on other trips I've taken in the past that some accommodation kitchens don't take everything you need to cook a decent repast. And then I packed a few things I deemed every bit essential to ensure I can cook what I want. I also packed things like cling flick, foil, ziplock bags and plastic containers in this box to assist with saving leftovers and packed lunches.

• Medium No.2 – Excess Food – I was travelling with two food tubs and this one was for excess items. Things that I won't utilise on a day to day basis. This tab too was stored in the car most of the time and I could merely grab what I needed when I needed it.

• Pocket-size No.1 – Everyday Nutrient – This tub had all the everyday food items I needed like tea and coffee, cooking oil, a few sauces, pasta, rice, etc. Everything I put in this tub I knew I would utilise at least a few times each week, if not everyday. This tub always came inside with me for convenience.
• Minor No.2 – Excess Medicines/Toiletries – While I had everyday toiletries and medicines with me in me "go pocketbook" (more on that beneath), I left all the excess or infrequent apply items in this tub in the car.

Accept a "Go Handbag"

This is probably the about important affair to have and will keep yous sane for y'all road trip. What I call a "get bag" is a haversack that is full of seven days worth of clothes, shoes and toiletries just. Having this saves you lot from having to pack and unpack all the time, something I detest doing.

One time you've used the seven days worth of clothes they get washed and packed dorsum in the car in the excess tubs and a new seven days is packed in the "go handbag" prepare for use. And the reason I chose to go with 7 days is because almost of my stays were for a calendar week, pregnant that each fourth dimension I changed locations, I inverse to a new set of wearing apparel.

In the haversack I too used a large packing cube to go along everything nice and neat. I only had the shoes that I knew I would wear in those seven days and just enough toiletries to become me through.

Pack Smart

My concluding tip is really a simple one, pack smart. And what I mean by this is that you should really accept a good think and lay everything out before you put it in the auto.

Think about what you'll exist using the most and make sure information technology is easily accessible from either the rear of the car, a side door or simply having it on hand in the front end.

The tubs that will be staying in the car most of the time tin be subconscious in the middle of your packing and the tubs and numberless y'all will use most ofttimes should be easily accessible for when you arrive at each new destination.

You don;t desire to exist unpacking the whole car every fourth dimension you pull up at a picnic area or at a new destination but to observe one matter. Pack smart and y'all'll have ane less thing to worry about while exploring this wonderful world nosotros live in.

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Planning a Road Trip?

Check out some of my virtually popular route trips from destinations around the world with new road trip itineraries being added all the fourth dimension.

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Over to you!

Do you have any tips on how to pack your machine for a road trip? Have y'all packed your car for a long road trip before? What did yous learn from the experience?

Let me know using the comments section below or join me on social media to start a chat.

Thanks for reading and I promise y'all enjoyed this post.

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