Mum’s £2.49 travel essential is a ‘must have’ – it saves space to pack more
A mum has bought a £2.49 travel accessory which means she can always pack more clothes for her holiday.
She explained that her trick is a “game-changer” for her and that it is great for people going on a longer vacation or long-distance trip.
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The mother, who remains anonymous, took it on online forum Mumsnet to reveal her travel trick after another user asked for the best travel advice.
They titled their post: “What’s your best travel tip and travel accessory?”
And then wrote further: “Random question, but since I had to cancel my trip to New York for the third time, I’m comforting myself by looking at travel accessories on Amazon and reading loads of trip reports on TripAdvisor. What’s yours?
And one mother quickly gave a detailed answer.
They wrote: “Roll up your underwear and put it in a ziplock bag. Squeeze out all the air and seal it to save space. Do the same with socks and bras.”
A Ziplock bag is a flexible, rectangular plastic storage bag that can be closed and opened multiple times.
They are also known as grip seal bags, resealable bags and plastic seal bags and can be purchased for £2.49 on eBay or Amazon.
And it didn’t stop there.
The anonymous mom wrote: “Pack outfits you can mix and match, plus something fabulous that you’ll only wear once.
“Bring enough shoes, you never know when you might need them!
“Bring flip-flops or slippers for the hotel room – I never go barefoot in hotels (puke face).
“Bring an A4 wallet or envelope to keep all your paper souvenirs in (or is it just me? I always bring paper maps, price lists of activities I’ve done, entrance tickets to places, etc.).
“Only if you don’t follow the KonMari method.”
What is the KonMari Method?
The KonMari Method is a popular approach to tidying up and organizing, developed by Japanese tidying expert Marie Kondo. The method is described in detail in her book “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up.”
These are the main principles:
Tidy up by category, not by location: Instead of sorting room by room, the KonMari Method suggests organizing your stuff by category (e.g., clothes, books, papers, miscellaneous, sentimental items).
Follow the correct order: Marie Kondo advises following a specific order to tidy up effectively:
- Clothes
- Books
- Paper
- Komono (various items)
- Sentimental items
Keep only that which brings joy: The cornerstone of the KonMari Method is to keep only those items that “spark joy” or make you happy. Hold each item in your hands and ask yourself if it sparks joy. If it does, keep it; if not, thank it for its service and let it go.
Visualize your ideal lifestyle: Before you start decluttering, take a moment to visualize what kind of life you want to live. This vision will guide your decluttering process and help you make decisions about what to keep.
Respect your property: Treat your belongings with respect. This can include simple actions such as folding clothes neatly and storing items in a way that makes them easy to access and enjoy.
Put an end to tidying up: The KonMari Method encourages a one-time, all-encompassing tidying up, rather than a step-by-step approach. This helps create a more dramatic and lasting change.
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The mother will also do extensive research on places: looking at prices, options, discounts, times, lesser known places, Google Street View of the hotel and the surrounding area, restaurant reviews.
The mother continues: “If we don’t do certain things, we at least save them for the next time we like the place.
“And don’t forget to bring a book or a Sudoku in case you want to put down your phone or camera for a moment and just enjoy the atmosphere.”
Time-Saving Hacks for Moms
Morning routine
Bedtime Preparation: Lay out your and your children’s clothes, pack lunches, and organize backpacks before going to bed.
Effortless Breakfast: Keep easy, healthy breakfast options on hand, like overnight oats, smoothie packs, or ready-made breakfast burritos.
Meal planning
Weekly Meal Prep: Take time each week to plan your meals so you don’t have to make decisions every day.
Bulk cooking: prepare larger quantities and freeze portions for later use.
Home Cooking: Use slow cookers or Instant Pots for easy, unattended meal preparation.
Pre-Cut Vegetables: Buy pre-cut vegetables or cut them all at once to save time during the week.
Household chores
Daily laundry: Wash a load of laundry every day to prevent dirty laundry from piling up.
Clean regularly: Encourage children to clean up after themselves and complete small cleaning tasks throughout the day.
Efficient multitasking: fold laundry while watching TV or listen to audiobooks/podcasts while cleaning.
Organization
Family Command Centre: Set up a central hub with a calendar, to-do lists, and important documents.
Daily tidying: Spend a few minutes tidying up every day to keep your home organized.
Organized Storage: Use bins and baskets to keep items neat and easy to find.
Child management
Prepared activity bags: Make sure you have bags filled with supplies for different activities (e.g. swimming, sports).
Routine Visual Aids: Use visual schedules to help children follow their routines independently.
Delegate tasks: Give children tasks that are appropriate for their age. This will give them a greater sense of responsibility and reduce your own workload.
