Ten Tips for a Stress Free Roadtrip

It’s road trip season! Not saying you cant get into your car and explore at any time of year, in fact I encourage you. But we all know, Summer entices you to travel and now that the temperatures are soaring, I have a few tips to help you avoid any unnecessary road trip stress.

Having gone on my fair share of road trips, I’ve learned, usually the hard way, that going on trips can actually result in frustration and stress, when they should do the opposite. I’ve picked up a few new habits that I try and stick to now so that things run more smoothly. Luckily for you, my misfortune means I can share these tips with you, and allow you to have the most stress-free road trip of all time!

I’ve had a look at what’s on offer and the majority of the posts on this topic I’ve seen, are for families with children. You don’t have to have kids to go on a fun weekend away. I thought it only right to highlight other stresses while traveling, because there’s a lot. I also have ten tips to bypass them, for a stress free road trip. Here they are :

1.Write a list. 

 It’s near impossible to arrive at your destination with everything you intended to bring. Forgetting that charger or bank card can ruin your day. We’ve all done it. Don’t do it anymore! ALWAYS write a checklist. Before you leave, as in, just before you get in the car, go through your list and check it all off. I guarantee there will be something you were missing, and now it will be there when you need it.

2. Organise your stuff

Organising your bags is probably the most helpful tip when it comes to reducing road trip stress, and it also saves a hell of a lot of time. I’m a last minute packer. I always throw a load of stuff into a bag and head off. Then, when I’m look for something in a hurry, I have to empty all my bags out on the floor. This is not helpful when you’re at a petrol station and you can’t find your purse! Having a fit when you can’t find your phone charger and your phone is on 3% is not fun. Don’t do it to yourself!

Organise your bags properly! Eoghan has been at me to do this for so long, When I finally did, couldn’t believe how much easier it made things. If you’re someone who likes to bring all your worldly possessions (like me), I suggest you bring one bag for your clothes, keep them separate from everything else. One bag for makeup, toiletries and chargers and then a snack/food bag – we will get onto snacks in a bit! It may seem like a lot, but it means you know exactly where all your stuff is. Perfect when you need something fast.

3. BRING SNACKS.

For all my fellow food lovers, or my fellow stomach problem sufferers, you don’t want to be halfway through the day, stomach grumbling, and then find out you’re an hour away from the next town. I’ve been there so many times, and it leads to agitation, a bad mood and debilitating stomach pains. Hangry doesn’t make for a good day.

Bring yourself some, or a lot, of food. Bring a bag with easy and healthy snacks to eat on the go. To make it easier, bring foods that won’t go off quick and don’t need to be kept at particular temperatures – fruit, nuts, cereal bars, popcorn, protein bars, rice cakes. There’s also so many meals you can make that can be brought along in a cooler bag and eaten cold.

Don’t forget to bring cutlery! Also, throw a 5 litre bottle of water in the boot. You’re welcome.

Realising I can bring along healthy food has been a real game changer. As someone with a whole host of digestive issues, I used to get really stressed between meals and after a few days away I’d be hit with the usual, stomach aches, dyspepsia, reflux and I’d be so lethargic I wouldn’t be able to enjoy myself. It’s so difficult to get tummy friendly food while traveling, so being able to eat consistently throughout the day means avoiding the digestive issues I’d usually have.

If anyone is interested I can do a post on the foods I like to bring which agree with my GERD/IBS. Comment on this post or send me a message if you’d like stomach related posts.

4.Pack Sun cream.

You might not be thinking about it when you’re revelling in the heavenly sunshine and you might not think it’s a big stress, but when you’re lying bed later and you can’t sleep because your face is on fire and no matter what way you turn, you’re irritating raw skin, you’ll be filled with regret. We’ve all been there.

Always always always bring sun cream, no matter what the forecast says. The forecast might be cloudy, but the weather man has been wrong before!  You can also add moisturizers and foundations with SPF to your daily routine. Grab a SPF lip balm in Penneys next time you’re in. Also, don’t forget those UVA/UVB sunglasses. This is such an important tip, save your skin. Always bring it, and always wear it.

5. Be prepared for all weather possibilities.

Bring clothes for all weather. Especially in Ireland when it can go from Sunshine to lashing rain in milliseconds!  It might be summer and you pack all t shirts because it’s 26 degrees, but before you know it, those clouds could come rolling in, and once that sun goes down, so does the temperature! Have at least one warm jumper,  and a rain coat, just in case! It’s always good to have shoes you don’t mind getting destroyed too haha. You’ll never regret bringing them, but you will regret not bringing them if they’re needed.

6. Map your route.

Before you go, get out google maps, or a real map if you’re really feeling it, and roughly pick where you want to go. Get to know the nearby towns. That way, if your signal isn’t working, you’ll recognize the places on signs and know where you need to go. We all love the idea of spontaneity, but it can lead to disaster. You don’t want to drive around aimlessly all day, without finding anywhere you want to go. Have a rough idea of the route you’re taking.

7. Check your car.

Before leaving home, check your oil, your tyres, maybe buy some jump leads and fill your window washer. Make sure you have enough fuel to get to your destination too. Car troubles on the road can be an absolute nightmare. I know you can have car trouble at any time but at least you can prevent small issues. It only takes a minute.

8. Charge your batteries.

Charge all your devices and back up batteries. There’s nothing worse then when you’re using google maps to get to your destination and your phone starts flashing that it’s on low battery. Jumping out of your car to get a snap of that beautiful sunset and your camera won’t turn on.  The night before you go charge everything. And format your memory cards. That’s one I need to start remembering!

Also A friend recommended to keep a car charger in the glove compartment at all times, which I thought was a great idea!

9. Bring Toilet roll

This one needs no explanation!

10. Bring a rubbish bag.

This might sound like a stupid tip, but always bring a bag for rubbish. There is nothing more irritating, then watching your car quickly fill with food wrappers and bottles.  The more people on the trip, the worse it is. Keep a bag in the back that you can empty in a rubbish bin when you stop. Do. Not. Litter.

Now, go forth and let your instagrams blossom with pictures of your stress free trip! If you use any of these tips, please tag me in your insta pics @tinyb00ts so I can see them in action!

More importantly, go enjoy yourself. As my grandma says, “travel while you can, and be good. But if you can’t be good, be careful!”.

Tinyb00ts.

*Go to the bottom of the post for a basic downloadable checklist I put together*

I didn’t know whether to include this, cuz I don’t want people to waste paper (cough, tree hugger), buuut decided to include this anyway, if you do use it, print it on the back of scrap paper haha.

Click here to download Roadtrip Checklist