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I love a good vacation but you know what I hate? Packing for a vacation. If someone could pack and unpack for me, I would be in hog heaven but alas, the reality is that I have a family for 4 to pack for every single time.

As the child of a military father, I’m well accustomed to having to pack quickly and efficiently; my husband, eh, not so much. Because of the constant moving around I’ve done my whole life, I’ve figured out quite a few packing hacks that just might help anyone feeling overwhelmed.

Make a list
I know you don’t want another list but trust me, it works. I make a list of each outfit my family and I are going to wear each day. Be sure to account for at least one wardrobe each day. Once you have your list made, you’re ready to start packing.

Start at least a week out
Give yourself at least a one week head start with packing. This will eliminate the chaotic part of making sure you have everything.  Refer to your list for outfits and layout by each day. Make sure you have all parts of the outfit listed and layout as well.

Time to load the suitcase
Stack your clothes in the suitcase, starting with the last outfit of the week, working your back to the first day of vacation. On each layer, because to put your undergarments in between the top and bottom items. This keeps it all together. Jewelry should be interchangeable with each outfit so those go in a makeup bag.

Travel-sized toiletries only
I never use my home toiletries. Hit up your local Walmart, Walgreens, etc  and purchase travel size toiletries. Think about it – you’re only going to end up using as much as they provide in those 4oz bottles anyway so why not save yourself the time? Plus, you can just throw the bottles away when you’re done without worrying about something opening and getting all over your clothes.

Wash before you return
If you’re lucky enough to stay at an Airbnb or a hotel with washing machines, save yourself some time when you get home and wash everything before you leave. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve returned home from a trip exhausted and dreaded having to washing clothes. In fact, it can take me about 4 days to get everything washed. That’s not even including putting them away. Wash your clothes before you return and you’ve saved yourself a ton of time. Besides, who wants to travel with dirty clothes?

I like to consider myself a “travel packing expert” in some regard but really its just years of trial and error. Take the time and be strategic in your packing and you’ll save yourself the headache.

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Growing up, I never appreciated just how organized and efficient my mother was when it came to my two brothers and I. Like any daughter, I didn’t come to realize how important these things were until I became a mother myself. Much like my mom, I am a working mom with two kids and that means, every single moment of every day has to count.

I’ve always prided myself on being a highly-organized person but once you start throwing kids into the mix, you have to figure out a way to make the most of your day while still doing the fifty million other things on your list. For this, I turned to some tried-and-true tips that I learned from my mom on how to make mornings with kids a little less chaotic.

Prep a Week’s Worth of Clothes in Advance
Every Sunday, I get clothes laid out for the boys and myself for the week. Pants, shirts, socks, underwear, shoes – you name it. When you have more than one person to get ready in the morning, the last thing you want to do is scramble to find something to wear. Getting my clothes out in advance saves me about 20 minutes each morning – plus it gives the kids something be responsible for.
Time saved: 20 minutes

Prep breaskfast the night before
My oldest son is quite the picker eater so he takes his breakfast every morning. To prep for this, I use Ziploc bags and write the day of the week on the outside of it. Inside, I pack it with his favorite breakfast meal which consists of bacon (cooked in the morning), berries, orange juice and an item of his choice. This takes grab-n-go to another level.
Time saved: 1 hour

Leave Bookbags and Briefcases by the door
When we get home from work and school every afternoon, the boys and I leave our bags by the door to the garage. Instead of spending 15 minutes searching for a lost book bag each morning, we now know where they are. Everyone is responsible for grabbing their bag in the morning, and so we grab one and march out the door.
Time saved: 15 minutes

Back Your Car into the Garage
This may seem mundane but believe me, this is the ultimate hack. Think about the time spent backing a car out of the garage. You have to look up and down the street, you have to adjust your positioning, etc. When you back your car in, not only are you reducing the need to do as many of those checks, but you’re also in key position to peel out and get your day started.
Time saved: 2 minutes

Mealplan and Prep
I’m a working mom so every moment has to count. I spend every Sunday planning our meals for the week and prepping them as best I can. I even post it on the fridge so that I don’t get the “what are we eating for dinner?” question over and over again. Planning our meals in advance and having them prepped saves a ton of time. Not to mention, incorporating things like a crockpot is a huge help with meal time. Nothing is better than coming home from a long day and dinner is already done.
Time saved: 1 hour

These are just a few tips that I’ve found tried and true for me as a working mom and wife. I hope you find them just as useful too.

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