School holidays have a funny way of sneaking up on you.
One minute you’re doing the normal school run. The next, the car is packed, someone needs the toilet five minutes after leaving home and you’ve already heard “are we there yet?” before reaching the motorway.
After plenty of drives with four kids, I’ve learnt that the goal isn’t to create the perfect road trip.
It’s to make the inevitable chaos a little easier to manage.
Here’s what I actually prepare.
1. Keep a change of clothes within reach
Not buried underneath the luggage.
Not somewhere in the boot you’ll need to unpack half the car to find.
One simple change of clothes for each child can save you after wet swimmers, spilled drinks, muddy playgrounds or toilet training accidents.
I usually keep them somewhere I can reach quickly. Our Luxe Bags are perfect for this as they have convertible straps and can be hung around the head rest on any seat in the car.
2. Pack something for the wet things
Swimming lessons, beach trips, unexpected rain and drink-bottle leaks all have one thing in common: suddenly you have something wet that you don’t want touching everything else.
A waterproof or water-resistant wet bag gives it somewhere to go until you get home.
Use. Wash. Repeat.
3. Put the car seat liner in before you leave
This is the preparation step I wish I had thought about sooner.
Kids make mess.
That part isn’t changing.
The difference is whether dealing with it becomes a quick clean-up or another job waiting for you at the end of an already long day.
The Luxe Liner sits inside the child restraint and is designed for the spills, wet swimmers, toilet training accidents, crumbs and everyday mess that come with kids in the car.
Remove it. Wash it. Put it back.
Simple.
4. Create a rubbish spot
It sounds almost too basic to mention, but having one designated place for wrappers, tissues and snack packets makes a huge difference.
Otherwise they somehow migrate into every door pocket and under every seat.
A small reusable rubbish bag or car bin does the job.
5. Pack snacks in portions
I learnt this one the hard way.
Handing a child an entire family-sized bag of anything while sitting behind you in the car is an act of optimism I no longer possess.
Smaller containers mean less mess, less fighting and slightly better odds that some of the food will actually be eaten.
6. Keep wipes somewhere you can actually reach them
Again: not buried in the boot.
Door pocket. Centre console. Seat organiser.
Future you will be grateful.
7. Leave some breathing room in the plan
With kids, a three-hour drive isn’t always a three-hour drive.
Someone will need a toilet. Someone will need food. Someone will desperately need to stop at a playground they spotted from the highway.
Building in a little extra time makes the whole day feel easier.
You don’t need a perfectly organised car
That’s really the point.
School holidays aren’t meant to look perfect.
The car will probably still collect shoes, drink bottles and things you don’t remember packing.
But a few thoughtful essentials can mean less cleaning, less stress and more time actually enjoying where you’re going.
That was the thinking behind The Luxe Journey from the beginning.
Practical things, designed beautifully, so they work with family life instead of adding to it.
Because practical is the new luxury.
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