It's almost time to go on vacation! Your suitcase is zipped. Your clothes are rolled perfectly. Your toiletries are all bagged up. And you even remembered to pack your baby's favorite stuffed animal, too. Look at you go, super mom! You load your bags up into the car, get to airport on time, hop on the plane, get to the hotel, unpack, and... uh oh. There are a few small, practical, and surprisingly important items that you forgot to pack.Â
Don't worry, we've all been there. Even with weeks of planning, it's not impossible to skip packing a crucial item, and feeling like a dummy when you realize your mistake. Nobody likes that feeling, and nobody likes having to go shopping right after you get to your vacation destination! Here's our exclusive boutique cheat sheet on packing unexpected sanity-savers that will make your family vacation much, much easier!
The Hotel Room Hack
Our first surprise sanity-saver is... a roll of painters tape. Yep, painters tape! Before you get on the plane, stop by the hardware store for a roll. It fits easily in your suitcase or carry on, and has an unexpected amount of uses!Â
Hotel rooms have outlets that babies and toddlers, for some reason, really love trying to touch. A few strips of painters tape over those outlets is a quick way to baby-proof the room with hardly any work. Even better, the painters tape peels right off without any mess or residue, so you can leave with the room looking exactly the same as when you checked in.
If there are any dangling cords for the blinds in the room, a bit of painters tape can get them safe and out of reach from grabby little baby hands! If the smoke detector on the ceiling has a little blinking light that's bugging the baby (or you!), a tiny piece of painters tape is your instant solution.
Another bonus hotel room hack is a single big, black trash bag. Not everyone owns (or wants to own) a fancy blackout tint or shades, so if your baby needs a midday nap, the trash bag taped over the window can serve as a quick way to make the room dark. It's also a great place to toss dirty clothes and laundry after a long day of fun with the family. It's not the most glamorous item, not by a long shot, but it's a useful one to bring!
The 2 AM Lifesaver
It's happened to everyone at least once or twice: the inevitable vacation fever. It's almost like a rite of passage for vacationing families, and it's a huge inconvenience.
Nobody wants to have to wander around an unfamiliar city in the middle of the night trying to find these essentials, kicking themselves for not packing it in the first place! You can make surprise colds or stomach bugs easier to handle by bringing along a small baby first-aid kit. Include the essentials like infant tylenol, band-aids, a thermometer, and a snot-sucker. (Snot sucker... kind of a gross name, not gonna lie. I wish there was something better I could call it)
Before you arrive to your destination, take some time to look at the area around your hotel or Airbnb. Scope out the closest pharmacies, urgent care, and 24 hour shops. That way, in the rare instance you do have a medical issue, you'll know exactly where to go, no frantic searching required.
The Mess Managers
All children, whether they're babies, big kids, teeny boppers, or angsty teenagers, are basically walking messes, always on the go, leaving chaos in their wake. The messy factor, however, is at its strongest when it comes to babies.
Unfamiliar vacation foods can mess with your little one's digestion, so expect a blowout, maybe multiple. There's also the fact that lots of vacations include going to the beach or pool, so you'll be dealing with loads of sopping wet clothes and swimsuits, too.Â
Soiled clothes, wet swimsuits, and dirty laundry will all need a dedicated place to stay until it's time to checkout, so we suggest packing some gallon zip-loc bags or a couple of reusable wet bags. Keep a zip-loc bag or two on you whenever you're out and about in case any accidents happen in public, and once you're back in the hotel you can toss what needs to be tossed, and tuck away the rest to be out of sight and out of mind.Â
If your vacation involves a lot of time on the beach, we can't recommend Sande Kids gear enough! Their Beach Hauler bags are made of high-quality mesh, so water and sand filter through while your clothes, toys, and beach gear stay as clean as possible. That means you won't be tracking buckets of sand into your nice rental car when it's time to head back to the hotel. The Beach Hauler bags even include secure pockets to keep your phone, wallet, and other essentials safe.
Shop our Sande Kids collection HERE.
The "Swiss Army" Blanket
Even if all of your kids have outgrown the toddler stage, a premium swaddle is a great item to pack. Pick a high-quality swaddle or baby blanket made of natural materials like organic cotton or bamboo, because the soft, breathable fibers feel great, and are perfect for sensitive skin. Our favorite baby blankets come from Quincy Mae!Â
A high-quality swaddle has a wide variety of uses! It can be used as a:
- Blanket for baby
- Lightweight stroller shade
- Nursing cover
- Picnic blanket
- A spot to sit/rest on in dirty airports
- A clean surface for emergency diaper changes at the rest stop
Quincy Mae swaddles are made of high-quality natural materials and can be folded up to fit perfectly into your carry on bag or mom purse! It's one of the ultimate, and most unexpected, travel lifesavers!Â
Shop our Quincy Mae baby gear collection HERE.Â
Safe Travels!
Vacations sure are fun, but my goodness, they sure do require a lot of stress and planning. Take a few deep breaths mama, it'll all be okay! If you don't pack every single item you could possibly need, it won't be the end of the world. If you accidentally forgot to pack an essential, it'll be just fine. The fun family memories are 100% worth the hassle of planning your trip, and you're going to do great!
We hope you have an amazing time traveling! If you're in need of some of these travel essentials, check out what we have online or stop by the boutique in person!
On the search for last-minute beach gear? Shop for Sande Kids and other beach gear HERE.
Need to grab the "Swiss Army" blanket? Shop our Quincy Mae collection HERE.
PS: Are you worrying about flying with your baby for the first time? Don't stress! Make the flight as easy as possible by checking out our guide for flying with your baby HERE!