25+ Genius Travel Hacks to Keep You Organized on the Road
Whether you’re road tripping solo like me in my two-seater Jeep or packing up the whole family, these genius travel hacks will save space, keep you organized, and make your trip so much smoother!
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Welcome to Chas’ Crazy Creations, where we’re all about smart, budget-friendly solutions for everyday life—including travel. Today, we’re diving into road trip hacks, whether it’s a solo trip or a family road trip, these should help you get to your destination. Let’s get this adventure started!
Road Trip Hacks Video
🚗 How to Pack Like a Pro
Let’s start with smart packing tips to maximize your suitcase space and minimize stress. I’ll be using a suitcase or luggage for this:
- Group Outfits Together: I like to bundle an entire outfit—undergarments, socks, pants, shirt—so I’m not digging through everything later.
- Roll Your Clothes: Rolling instead of folding saves space and reduces wrinkles.
- Shoes First: Place your shoes at the bottom of your suitcase and slip a shower cap over them to keep dirt away from your clean clothes.
- Utilize Every Inch: I fit three outfits on one side and another on the other side, leaving room for pajamas or extras.
- Collapsible Laundry Basket: Grab one from Dollar Tree! It fits neatly into your suitcase pocket.
- Laundry Tip: Use a trash bag to separate dirty clothes—and it doubles as a backup laundry bag.
- Travel-Size Detergent: Bring soap sheets or pods in a small container for easy laundering on the go.
A note from my husband, he loves to use packing cubes, he finds it a great way to be efficient with his packing.
🧳 Need a simple way to plan your packing? Grab my free packing list here.
💄 Toiletries & Accessories Organization
- Collapsible Toiletry Bag: Mine is from Walmart and fits everything I need with room to spare.
- Oversized Pill Organizer: Perfect for keeping jewelry tangle-free! I stash this in the top pocket of my suitcase.
- Flip-Flops: I always tuck a cheap pair in the front pocket—great for blisters, pool stops, or showers.
🚘 Clever Car Organization Hacks
Let’s talk road trip organization—because cluttered cars are no fun.
Stackable Crates
I LOVE collapsible crates!
- Crate #1 – Food & Snacks: Nuts, crackers, granola bars, protein shake mix, and more.
- Crate #2 – Essentials: Water, water bottle, homemade first aid kit, extra snacks, and an emergency blanket.
- Bonus Tip: Always keep a cozy blanket in your car—you never know when you’ll need it.
When you’re done, these crates collapse to save space!
🧊 Cooler and Basket Hack
Say goodbye to soggy sandwiches:
- Add ice and drinks to the cooler.
- Cover with more ice.
- Place a basket on top to hold lunch items.
- Add a drink koozie inside a sealed bag so it stays dry and ready to use.
🍴 Pro Tip: Muffin liners in your cup holders catch spills—just lift and toss (or rinse).
I always like to have hand sanitizer on hand for cleaning hands to cleaning up a quick mess.
🧼 Easy DIY Trash Can for Your Car
Make a compact trash bin using:
- A plastic bin and a cloth bin from the Dollar Store
- Extra trash bags tucked underneath the liner
- A liner bag on top—easy to change out on the go
No more fast food wrappers rolling around!
🧰 Create a Mobile Car Command Center
Use a shoe organizer and a towel bar from Dollar Tree:
Fill the pockets with:
- Sunscreen and bug spray
- Card games
- Flashlight (mine’s solar powered or wind-up—no batteries needed!)
- Disposable rain ponchos
- Napkins and antibacterial wipes
- Kleenex or paper towels
Hang it from your passenger seat—instant access, zero clutter.
🍔 Snack & Meal Storage Tips
- Baking Sheet Tray: Works great as a lap tray for food, journaling, or even laptop work.
- Suction Cup Soap Holder: Keeps small snacks in place.
- Dollar Tree Fast Food Caddy: Holds your drink, fries, and sandwich—super handy for kids (and adults too!).
🔌 Backups, Tech & Extras You’ll Be Glad You Brought
- Essential Tech Backpack: Keep chargers, cords, and your laptop in one spot.
- Portable Power Bank: I never leave home without one—it charges everything from phones to iPads.
- Compact First Aid Kit: I use a plastic school box filled with:
- Band-aids
- Alcohol wipes
- Gauze and scissors
- Ibuprofen or Tylenol
- Neosporin
🧽 Bonus Travel Tips You Might Not Know
- Dry Erase Markers: Use them on your car window or mirror for notes. Let kids doodle during the drive!
- Collapsible Travel Cup & Bottle: Silicone, lightweight, and easy to clean.
- Collapsible Backpack & Duffel: Perfect if you pick up souvenirs or need an extra bag on the fly.
- Cloth Collapsible Crates: Ideal for groceries or hauling gear.
- Lawn Garbage Bag Poncho Trick: Cut holes for your head and arms—voilà, instant rain protection or emergency blanket.
- Bring Plastic Bags: These work for groceries, garbage bags, or in a pinch helps in case someone gets car sick.
🧺 Collapsible Picnic Blanket
One of my favorite essentials—it works as:
- A picnic spot
- A cozy wrap
- A car seat protector
And it zips back up for tidy storage!
🧳 Final Car Setup & Tips
Here’s how I organize everything in my Jeep:
- Trash Can: Behind the seats for easy reach
- Shoe Organizer Command Center: On the back of the passenger seat
- Stackable Crates: Right behind the driver’s seat
- Cooler: Within arm’s reach
- Suitcase: Tucked securely in the back
🎒 Need help planning your trip from start to finish? Check out my Ultimate Travel Planner here.
Road Trip Hacks Video
Entertainment Road Trip Travel Hack Ideas:
Let’s talk about entertainment on the ride!
Adults/Driver:
I like to listen to podcasts, audiobooks (I have an Audible subscription), and movies. I know what you’re thinking… no I don’t watch the movies, I pick movies I love that I’ve seen over 100 times and I know them by heart. I “listen” to them and can picture what’s happening in my mind. Just make sure to download them before you leave.
Kids:
We always brought things like coloring books & colored pencils (I didn’t like crayons as I have had them melt in a hot car), activity books, a few toys that were compact (action figures, matchbox or hotwheel cars), magnetic travel car games, and I always had a few of the games we’d play like I Spy, the license plate game, songs, etc.
Road Trip Essentials:
Don’t forget some of those road trip essentials that every car should have (and not just for road trips).
🚗 Emergency Essentials
- First Aid Kit – Bandages, antiseptic, tweezers, gloves, etc.
- Jumper Cables or Jump Starter Pack – To restart a dead battery.
- Tire Repair Kit and/or Spare Tire with Jack & Lug Wrench
- Flashlight (with extra batteries or crank-powered)
- Road Flares or Reflective Triangles – For visibility if your car breaks down.
- Multi-tool or Swiss Army Knife
- Duct Tape – Temporary fixes for hoses, windows, etc.
- Fire Extinguisher – Especially if you travel off-road or in hot climates.
🛠️ Maintenance & Safety Tools
- Tire Pressure Gauge
- Motor Oil, Coolant, or Brake Fluid – Small bottles
- Tow Strap or Rope
- Work Gloves
- Foldable Emergency Tool (glass breaker/seatbelt cutter)
🧳 Road Trip Comfort & Convenience
- Phone Charger (car-compatible)
- Printed Map or Road Atlas (in case GPS fails)
- Snacks – Non-perishable (granola bars, nuts, etc.)
- Bottled Water
- Toilet Paper/Wipes & Hand Sanitizer
- Trash Bags
- Cash – Small bills and coins (for tolls or emergencies)
💬 What Are YOUR Favorite Travel Hacks?
Do you have a clever tip to share? Leave it in the comments below! I love hearing your creative ideas.
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🛣️ Safe travels,
Chas
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