This post is sponsored by Tide. All opinions are my own.
The last day of school is this week and by Saturday, the kids will be off to spend 3 weeks with their grandparents. And if three weeks to be footloose and kid-free wasn’t enough, my husband surprised me with a relaxing getaway with a few of my friends. Unfortunately, in order for us to enjoy our amazing vacations, I have to jump one major hurdle. I have to pack!
Not only do I have to pack my own clothes…but I must get three kids ready to be away for three weeks. I have been a wife and a mother long enough to know that the way in which you prepare for your family vacation has a large impact on what happens during the vacation. Because if you don’t prepare properly, you will go into the vacation stressed out, tired, irritable and no fun to be around (at least for the first 12 hours or even longer.) And that just defeats the purpose…doesn’t it?
So here’s how I plan to prepare for our upcoming trips and still have enough energy left to enjoy myself.
Get Started Early
If you are always packing until the wee hours of the morning before your trip, then that is part of your problem right there. Start packing 3 to 5 days before your trip. Pack your bags and put them aside until you are ready to start your vacation.
Hack: Before you start packing for longer trips, make sure that all your laundry is done so that you have plenty of clean clothes to choose from. If you haven’t done so already, try using Tide PODS® for cleaning your laundry. They have definitely been a game-changer for me as a busy wife and mom of four.
Ask for Help
One way to ensure that you are happy and stress-free on your family vacation is to ask for what you want and need. Before I started asking for help, I would try to do everything myself, and then I would become passive-aggressive with my husband and family because I was bitter about all of the work I had to do to prepare for our trip. Now I ask for help.
First, I ask my kids to pick out their clothes for the trip. And then, I talk to my husband about everything that needs to be done and we split the duties. That simple conversation alone alleviates a lot of stress for two reasons.
First, he does not think of all the things that I think of doing. So when we go over the list, it gives him an opportunity to say:
“I’ll do that.” Or,
“You’re doing too much.”
Which is true (sometimes.) I can admit that I go overboard at times…lol.
The second reason that communicating with my spouse is so important is that I often get so caught up in all that I am doing, I don’t recognize that he is also preparing for the trip too. He’s working extra hours, taking care of the car, and making sure that our travel arrangements are confirmed.
Hack: Ask your kids to take a crack at picking out their clothes for the trip. Eventually they will get better and better at packing and will not need your help at all.
Roll with the Punches
After the packing is done and your family vacation starts, it’s time to relax and just roll with the punches. Things will be forgotten at home, plans will change and the kids may misbehave from time to time, but the more flexible you are and the more you can just roll with the punches, the happier you will be.
Hack: Be flexible, be open to trying new things and don’t get so caught up in the way things should be that you can’t enjoy the way things are.
At first, I was skeptical about trying Tide PODS® because I was satisfied with my regular laundry detergent. (After all, it took me a while to find a detergent that I liked…so why should I change?) Plus, I always poured a lot more liquid than the recommended amount to ensure that my clothes were clean. So how could this tiny pod do so much (clean, remove stains, and brighten the clothes?) Well I’m glad that I followed my own advice about being flexible and open to trying to new things, becauseTide PODS® are amazing. My clothes are clean and fresh and all I have to do drop the pod in washer and keep it moving!
The funny thing is, these 3 simple rules not only help me have a stress-free vacation, but they also help me have a stress-free life. Planning, communicating and being flexible are the keys to me thriving in my everyday life as a wife and mother.
BMWK: What share your best packing tips below?
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Tide. I’ve partnered with them to share the benefits of Tide PODs®. All opinions are my own.