TRAVELING HACKS, TIPS, AND IDEAS //

Whether we’re heading to family for the holidays, spending time at the lakes in the summer, or even just doing a day trip, I have things I do to help with the craziness of it all.

Yes, traveling can be exhausting, especially with kids, but man is it worth it. Here are some of my traveling hacks, tips, and ideas!

striped laundry bag // solid laundry bag

why you’ll love it:

• keeps dirty clothes separate from the clean clothes in your suitcases
• easy to bring straight to laundry room and dump into washer when you get home
• it’s foldable for packing but also structured and can stand on own when it’s up for use

PS: Sign up for the H&M Loyalty Program. It’s free and comes with a lot of perks including free online returns.

vegan leather gathre mat

why you’ll love it:

• vegan leather on top, flocked suede on bottom
• waterproof
• compact
• use in the grass, sand, dirt — most things shake off or can easily be wiped off
• use as a layer of protection at night for kids who are still in the potty training process; if they have an accident, the fitted sheet and mattress is protected and you can clean the mat with disinfecting wipes

PS: We have been using Gathre pieces since our first born and are at seven pieces and counting. They make a great baby shower gift!

insulated stainless steel bottles that my boys use:
funtainer tumblers // camelbak tumblers
(lots of colors, designs, and characters to choose from!)

why you’ll love any of these:
all are leakproof, dishwasher safe, and fit in cup holder

I label my boys’ bottles with these custom silicone bracelets. They’re waterproof and well made with strong, thick material. They ship super fast too. (These are great for school water bottles!)

Here’s what I did for my order:
color: black
size: medium
font: Arial Bold
and then I put a space in between each capital letter like this:
B R O O K S / E L L I O T T

Of course get the Stanley for yourself. I didn’t think it was worth the hype until I tried one and woweeee I love mine. Where I go, my Stanley goes.

I use the straw it came with but I added this silicone tip because I like to bite my straw. Also, it comes in handy when you’re with your friends and there’s a collection of Stanley tumblers around– so easy to spot your own.

insulated bottle

why you’ll love it:
If you have milk-lovers like me, you need this bottle. It’s easy to pour from and keeps milk cold for 24 hours.

backpack cooler

why you’ll love it:
First of all, it’s a backpack with comfy straps and it also has tons of extra pockets to store things like wipes/napkins, utensils, bottles, etc. 10/10 recommend this one– it’s by far the best we’ve tried.

ideas to keep littles busy and happy in restaurants, hotels, car/plane etc.

1. clickable markers bright or standard // no lids dropping on the floor (!!!)
2. collapsible cup — multiple colors // stick the markers in here to set on the table, collapse it when storing in car for next time
3. building toy — multiple colors // it’s so fun to see what your kids build with these
4. pattern matching game // my 4yo and 5yo love this game and play it whenever we’re out to dinner
5. 4-D animal cards // these are SO cool and packed with interesting facts (great gift for animal lovers)
6. doodle board — multiple colors // this thing is fun and so satisfying; plus, no mess
7. UNO // one game that isn’t the worst to play compared to other kids’ games (imo)
8. zipper bags // keep them all organized in these bags and grab a bag or two before you head into dinner
9. bin // and keep all those bags in this bin in the back of your car

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