You could hop on a plane and be a hundred miles away in a flash or embark on a cruise ship and meander lazily through the seas, but the truly adventurous travel the open road. Get ready to tackle the classic road trip vacation with your family, but be smart and learn how to pack up the car for both convenience and safety.
Make a list of the items that are essential for the vacation. To save room in your bags, don't include items likely to be on hand where you will be staying, such as shampoo, soap and towels unless you simply must have your own things.
Pack back to front. Begin with the things you will not need until reaching your destination, such as clothing suitcases, makeup and shaving kits. Put these in the furthermost part of your cargo area.
Distribute the weight of your suitcases and other objects evenly in the cargo area. This will help balance the vehicle and keep from putting undue pressure on one side of the car.
Put very heavy items toward the center of the vehicle to help you maneuver. The automobile will handle differently with the added weight you are transporting for your vacation.
Pack an emergency road kit with flares, jumper cables and basic tools. This kit goes in your cargo area, but it needs to be in an easily accessible location. In addition, check the spare tire to make sure it is in good shape for the trip.
Use your vehicle's roof rack to free up space inside the car. This is a great place to store irregular-sized articles, such as fishing rods. You'll need strong straps or tie downs, which can be found at specialty stores like Cargo Gear and Rack n' Road (see Resources below).
Take multi-purpose items to lighten your load. A stroller that folds down into a crib, a ten-in-one games box set and a Swiss army knife are good examples of multi-purpose things you can pack to save room.
Keep a cooler with drinks and snacks within easy reach. You don't want to have to stop every time someone gets hungry or thirsty.
Pack a small bag of items you need specifically for the trip to keep up front near the driver. Include baby wipes or paper towels, a phone number for roadside assistance in the case of emergency, medications, a cell phone and a map.
