Do you ever find that sometimes the lead up to a holiday can be so stressful that you almost find yourself wondering what’s the point? Especially with small children thrown into the balance.
The only way I find to avoid this pre holiday meltdown is to plan, plan, plan. Nothing is left to the last minute in this house when holidays are coming up. I make lots of lists, lists for the bag for the car. You know the bag with all you need to save your sanity on long car journeys – DVDs, iPads, books, etch a sketch, snacks, more snacks, drinks and all the wet wipes plus caffeine for the driver of course.
Then there is the actual journey planning, the best way I find to avoid a huge you shouldn’t have taken that road argument is to use a satnav. Be prepared with all the postal codes you need before you go. I tend to note them in my phone as that rarely leaves my side whereas a bit of paper will definitely go astray. When you arrive at your destination particularly if you are flying somewhere you can save a fortune by prebooking your parking. There are lots of companies who offer this service including Purple Parking who also have a really helpful holiday advice section.
Next up is the wardrobe planning, unless you are going somewhere with guaranteed sunshine I advise preparing for all weathers but if you don’t want an overloaded suitcase you can buy roll up macs which fold into pockets or little bags which I find really useful. I tend to take light cardigans or sweaters when I travel abroad as I’m always cold on the plane and it tends to get chilly at night even in warmer countries.
I also take snacks suitable for the children and us, no matter where we go. We usually eat out in restaurant/cafés when we go away but it’s the little snacks and treats throughout the day which eat away at the holiday budget so granola bars or packs of crackers etc are really handy for hungry children and for grown ups too.
On the subject of children I find when you are off on a journey, short or long it’s of the utmost importance that they are wearing comfy clothes, no zips or buttons or stiff denim. They need to be cool and relaxed with extra layers in case it gets chilly. This is not bad advice for adults either. If you think your children may sleep on route ( lucky you ) then pack their teddies or snuggly blankets in your hand luggage or somewhere close for you to grab if going by car. Don’t let yourself head into a meltdown when your 2 year old realises you don’t have her monkey!
Do you have any useful tips to help destress the lead up to your holiday so that all you have to worry about is take off?
*This post is in collaboration with Purple Parking.