Welcome back, everyone!
Our little four-piece is gearing up for the last getaway for the summer. Labor Day is now behind us, but we still have several beautiful, summery weeks in Texas before cooler weather arrives. We’re taking an extended weekend to nearby Galveston aka Chocolate Milk City. The beach isn't the best I've ever encountered, but it certainly beats these four walls we've been staring at since our last trip in June.
As I prepare for our mini-vacation – basically quarantine with a change of scenery – I have to share how we cloth diaper on vacation. Our diapers have gotten quite a few miles on them. From Arkansas, Louisiana, and Tennessee, we've packed up our diapers a time or two and hit the road for some family fun.
I've learned, the key is to build in a wash day. As you know, you can lengthen the amount of time between washes by increasing the number of diapers in your stash. I have quite a large stash – it's about time I count it again. I know I began with 30-ish diapers with Bean and added quite a few (maybe 20 or so) diapers when Baby arrived. With all those diapers, each trip has gotten easier and easier. Here are a few ideas as you plan to vacation with your cloth diapering baby.
Items to never forget...
First, let's talk items you need on the go – just like a regular errand out with baby you need to have plenty of diapers on hand and your wet bags. Those are also our main go-to items on vacation. Depending on factors that we'll get to, you might also want to consider how you'll handle poo. I've used a hotel's shower head to get me through. Maybe you can use a garden hose in a family member's yard. If you'll be gone for an extended period of time, you may consider packing up your diaper sprayer for maximum convenience. Although I haven't used one, there is such a thing as a portable bidet that works for travel. If you pack your sprayer from home or invest in a travel option, just remember to do a final spray to get all the water out of the tube once it's unhooked.
Consider how you're traveling...
Our crew hates long car rides. Anything over three hours and we're booking a flight. If we're flying, I prefer not to travel with dirty wet diapers in luggage. If we have family where we're going, I'll use a family members washer to get our diapers laundered before we head home. My mom always helps me out on our Christmas trips to Memphis. She finds all the wire hangers in the back of my grandmother's closets and hangs my kiddos diapers across the back bedroom. It's not the prettiest sight, but it gets the job done.
Another option is to use the hotel washing machine to get your diapers fresh before you pack up. This is a throwback to college days, but you can always use a common area laundry room. Many hotels have hangers with trouser clips. Those make excellent drying rack substitutes while you're away from home. Hang dry your diapers overnight, and you'll be ready for your early morning flight home.
Consider how long you'll be gone...
Diapering should never come between you and a fabulous weekend! If we're taking a weekend getaway, I put less effort into creating a wash plan in contrast to our week-long Memphis trip. Over a weekend, I am comfortable with our dirty diapers staying in a wet bag until we return home. Although a solid wet bag shouldn't leak, it might be a good idea to take all your wet bags. If you have a particularly drippy situation, you could double your wet bags to make sure your suitcase or other belongings don't get wet.
For a longer trip, I definitely plan to wash at some point before we return home. A quick wash just makes things easier and you'll have more peace of mind as you move about.
Packing...
Our family typically travels with two large bags, My husband and I travel with an extra-large suitcase that we share. We have gotten quite good at using one bag for the two of us. I try to be an efficient packer. I've googled clothes folding tips and Marie Kondo has helped me here for sure. My kids share a medium-sized bag. It's too big to be a carry-on but sized down from our gigantic bag. In this bag, I stack all the diapers and roll my kids' clothes. Rolling helps me put their outfits together. When I reach my destination, I know that when I pull out a roll, it has a complete outfit – top, bottoms, socks, and bows. All-in-one, thoughtless outfitting process for vacation. The diapers take up about half the space in the kids' bag, but their clothes are so small, that it works!
Whether you're finishing off summer with a bang, or looking toward holiday travel in the months to come, hopefully you'll find these tips helpful. Travel should be less about the items, and all about enjoying every moment when you get to your destination!! Until next week, don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Insta!
Best,
