Your Road Trip Packing Checklist on Globetrotting Mama

The Globetrotting Mama Great Big Summer Road Trip has been many months in the making. And now that launch day is almost here (Squee!) we can hardly believe it! In a few short days we’ll be setting off for a 30-day road trip journey which will take us from the East to the West coast, and through the United States of America.

As you know we’ve already started our summer with a trip to the UK. That trip meant that our time before departure on Sunday has had to be even more efficient. We’re following a few simple rules for planning and using this helpful checklist to keep us organized for launch day.

Simple Rules for Planning a Road Trip

Focus on the big picture and then “chunk” out the smaller details. We know generally where we’ll be on our trip but the finer details? Not so much. It’s by design. The goal isn’t to follow a rigid schedule of places we need to be but to be free to swerve left if that road looks more appealing.

Pack wisely. Unless you are taking an RV, space will be at a premium. Don’t skimp on the essentials, but consider how many pairs of shorts you really need (and ladies, how many pairs of shoes can you really make use of? Ok, don’t answer that. Just take fewer than you were planning).

Fugeddaboutit. Even with the best of checklists you’re going to forget something. Become ok with the fact that someone in your party likely won’t have packed enough underwear or a toothbrush. I can almost guarantee that there will be at least one store along your route and that fresh underwear and a new toothbrush are really just a detour away. Don’t sweat it if you forget it.
Make sure you do have the things you can’t live without. Some things are harder to replace – travel documents and car insurance for example. Make a good list of the things that are fundamental to the trip and make sure you check it twice before setting off. Pack these early, and check that you have them often.

Leave some information behind. Safety is always your first priority. Make sure you tell at least one person what route you are taking, when they can expect to hear from you and how to contact you on the road. Going off the grid may sound appealing, but not having a way of being in touch in case of an emergency isn’t such a good idea.

We are going through our checklist now to make sure we are ready for launch day: Sunday July 5th. A lot of hard work has gone into the planning, and we are so excited it is now coming to fruition! Remember to follow us on social media using #GlobetrottingMama.

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