Two Moro's Travels

Vacations. They offer us a respite from the challenges of everyday life. A much-needed rest. Getting away for a day or a weekend requires one to tackle that dreaded step:  packing. I do not consider myself an expert, but I will share some tips that have worked for us. Hopefully, you can use or adapt some of them to fit you and your family’s needs and make packing less stressful.  

           I want to preface this by saying, though we do travel by plane at times, most of our trips are by vehicle. We love the freedom of stopping and admiring the landscape when we see something that captures our attention. We also do not book hotels ahead due to this; it has worked for us. Though others may want the security of knowing they have a place to sleep. It has taken my husband awhile, but he has shifted to the “fly by the seat of your pants” method as far as hotel accommodations. When we are going to one specific place and staying for an extended  period of time; we do book accommodations, such as, our trip to St Augustine. We are driving there and spending 5 nights and 6 days and, yes, we did book a hotel. 

When to pack:  I pack 1-3 days before we leave.  I do laundry and start packing straight out of the laundry basket. The suitcase will then sit out in an out-of-the way spot until we leave. When I take the laundry basket upstairs with the washed clothes that I am not taking, I will then select my vacation wardrobe and bring them downstairs in that same basket. 

Suitcase:  Rolling suitcases are my preference; we have both large and small depending on needs. I always pack a new kitchen sized garbage bag to store the dirty clothes in the hotel room; and when I get home, laundry goes straight to washer room.   Our suitcase houses toothbrushes, toothpaste, and deodorant that I do not unpack for two reasons. First, one less thing to worry about. Second, we travel very often. The small toothpaste you get at the dentist is great for this. I buy toothbrushes at the dollar store and keep them in different suitcases. My husband is always green; I am always blue. The leftover colors are great for visiting guest or the sleepover grandkids who forget their toothbrushes; I keep those extra ones in the bathroom.  

Tote-bag: Another essential, must-have bag is a big tote bag.  In this bag, I place snacks for car, hair necessities (brushes, hair spray,) make-up bag, first aid ointments, vitamins, medication, …

Most, if not all of these, are placed inside clear plastic reusable zip bags. It makes it easy to identify and grab what you need and be able to see it. One small bag might have protein bars, all tidy in one place together. What to put in there varies on your personal needs and those of your family. This bag sits in the center on the floor behind us and can be reached without stopping the vehicle. I have even thrown in wet bathing suits in this bag because you must take that last trip to the pool or ocean before you check out at 11:00 A.M. Or is it just me?   My bag of choice is an oversized Seabag

I received one for Christmas from my daughter and husband. Though expensive, they are made from old, recycled boat sails which allows doing your part for sustainable living and they can be machine washed and hold up beautifully. 

Clothes to pack: Rolling clothes or folding small works better than laying out flat. Rolling decreases crease marks. Put items in order of usage. Pj’s on top since that will needed the the first night.  First day’s outfit after that. By outfit, I mean the shorts rolled or folded with shirt right below it.  I pack clothes, such as light T-shirts and thicker sweaters that I can easily switch in case of weather changes. For example, one short winter trip to Nantucket, I packed tans and blacks mostly. This allowed me to wear my chestnut Uggs (bulkier) and pack my black sneakers in suitcase (wrapped in a plastic bag.) Since my husband and I travel together, we use mostly our bigger suitcase and half is his clothes and the other half is mine. This enables him to find his clothes without rummaging through the entire suitcase. Undergarments – I roll and stick down the sides, his on his and mine on mine. I keep a small pair of house slippers (you know that Christmas gift you got.) I don’t wear them much at home because they have little support, but they are great for hotels. I keep mine in a plastic bag and always packed in the suitcase. Another thing I keep in my suitcase is one bathing suit for each of us and a small rolled-up Turkish towel. These towels dry very quickly and take up almost no space in your luggage. Who knows when a hotel may have an indoor pool in the winter? 

Keep in vehicle: We keep hand sanitizer in the van, even pre-Covid. Another must have are baby wipes which are more economical and are larger than regular wipes. They are great for freshening up at rest stops, or if you van- camp for a night. 

Each day must start with coffee: hot coffee for me and cold brew for my husband. We stop and get our morning coffee, but we immediately transfer it to our Contigo  travel mugs. We have found these to keep beverages cold or hot for hours. 

I am not an expert. I just am married to a photographer who loves to travel whether it is a long journey like he has planned for this summer (driving to Alaska and the Arctic Circle) or just a short weekend trip (like the Nantucket one we took over the holidays). We have made many mistakes, mostly by taking too much.    Remember, “just in case, is the curse of packing.” It is better to underpack than to overpack. Bon voyage

 Quote by Alexandra Potter