Travelling this Christmas? Consider creating a holiday travel kit to make packing quicker and easier.

Juggling packing with end of year celebrations can be overwhelming, particularly if you have a large family. Then there is the game of Tetris to fit everything in the car – all whilst inconspicuously hiding the special something’s from the man in the big red suit!

Packing doesn’t need to be stressful, with some organisation and planning, packing for a long family holiday can be as easy as packing for an overnight trip.

One way to simplify the packing process is by creating a holiday travel kit.

By creating a pre-packed holiday travel kit, it means that each time you travel you only need to pack clothing and everyday essentials. This also makes packed items easier to locate at your destination.

A holiday travel kit is a pre-packed container of items that you need for a successful trip, excluding perishables. Your accommodation, destination and your needs determine what you include in your holiday travel kit. If you are going to the beach, your holiday travel kit would include everything you need for a beach holiday. Or if you are camping, your holiday travel kit would include the items you need when you arrive at your campsite.

You can download a copy of my quick start guide to packing that my family uses when we travel here.

It is important to consider the size of containers you use for your holiday travel kit and ensure that they stack well into the boot of your car or trailer. I like smaller containers as they are easy to handle.

An inventory of what is in your holiday travel kit will help you identify that you have everything you need and replace, if necessary.  Attaching this list to the inside lid of the containers will ensure that you always have the list on hand when you need it and if you laminate it first or pop it in a plastic sleeve you can easily protect the packing list from water damage.  Whilst away, you can also add items to the list that you think would be handy for your next trip.

With a holiday travel kit, you really only need to worry about packing your perishables (if you are not purchasing them at your destination), your clothing, toiletries and anything special that you may need for your unique trip.

You can store your holiday travel kits in your garage (or any other storage area within your home) – that way your holiday travel kit is it’s always ready at hand for when you need to travel.

There is no need to unpack the kits when you get home – just remove anything you added when packing the car, including your clothing, toiletries, any perishables you may have added during your trip, all flammables, as well as batteries from your torches or other devises. I like to store my batteries in a neat little container within the kit all ready for next time we travel.

Please travel safe over this Christmas and holiday season and remember not to over pack and leave plenty of room for the gifts your family may receive for the return journey!