It is time to start planning for Summer vacation. My family and I always take our van on vacation and bypass the expenses associated with flying. I always pack WAY too many things in the van, but why not? If someone gets thirsty, there’s no need to stop and buy a drink when I have a full size cooler packed in the back. I also pack a bag of snacks, a first aid kit, a blanket, pillows, you get my drift? Planning for a trip takes me awhile because I want to be prepared while on the road.
Don’t forget those empty, plastic grocery sacks. Who knows when someone will get sick or you will need a trash can fast! I also like to carry ziploc bags for leftovers on the run. I can’t tell you how many times we’ve stopped for pizza and we had left overs. It is great to be able to easily slip them in your cooler in a ziploc bag. The left over pizza makes a great late night hotel snack! My family complains about all the extra “junk” I carry on trips, but my first aid kit came in handy when my husband stepped on a bee while at a gas station “pit stop.” I have no idea how that bee got in between his foot and his flip flop, but it did!
Getting ready for vacation, to me, has always meant thoughts of pre-planning and laundry organizing. My husband’s biggest vacation planning includes cleaning out the van and taking it to the shop to have everything checked out before we take it on vacation. Texas requires us to have a yearly auto inspection and if you don’t pass, you must repair your vehicle to meet Texas standards. For example, if my windshield has a crack in it that obscures the driver’s view, I would be required to replace my windshield. With this said, my vehicle does get its’ yearly inspection, but my husband wants me to have the repair shop check the brakes, tires, lights, fluid levels, everything that will ensure a safe trip on the road before every road trip we take. It would be bad to break down locally, but worse to break down in a strange town. Can you imagine having to wait in a repair shop for hours with your kids while your car is being repaired? I’d rather schedule a repair when I can drop my car off and wait at home while everything is being fixed.
If you’d like to learn more about maintenance checks if they are not required in your state, I found a site that tells you why it is important to schedule auto repair and maintenance services. I used to get irritated with my husband when he wanted me to take time to set all this up, but now I realize that he was right and has always been looking out for his family’s safety. After years of summer/holiday maintenance checks, it’s become part of my pre-planning vacation routine.
Stressful vacations are never fun, so always be prepared!
Bobbie Anne
Nice article about her experience getting the family ready for a road trip and what steps needed to be prepared including basic car maintenance.
Trips usually take me 2 weeks to get prepared for, but once we get on the road I know I\’ve got almost everything that we\’ll need so we don\’t have hunt down a Wal-Mart on the way. No one likes to get off our trip schedule to hunt down something that we forgot to bring!
Bobbie Anne
Great tips! Always forget the simplest things that can make a big difference.
Thank you Tori, my van is COMPLETELY packed up, but I\’m less stressed about my vacation:)
Bobbie Anne