Call me the MacGyver of family travel! For young readers, MacGyver is a fictional spy from the late 1980’s who used all sorts of everyday tools to get the job done. No gun required. I’m certain that if MacGyver wrote a travel blog, he’d include these three packing essentials too. Curious? Read on!
Binder Clips
As the self-proclaimed MacGyver of family travel, I recommend these little beauties for their versatility. Binder Clips are so useful that I give them as wedding gifts! True. Some things I use them for during travel include:
- Chip clips — keeps snacks, cookies, and cereal fresh.
- Shade makers — clip a beach towel to the edge of the umbrella to provide more shade.
- Beach towel anchor — keep the towel from blowing off my chair.
- Paper organizer — holds necessary papers together better than a paper clip
- Garbage bag holder — clip a garbage bag to the pocket on the back of the front car seat so kids can get to it easily
- Emergency belt — yes, it’s true! We forgot our daughter’s belt one trip and used a binder clip to tighten her skirt. 🙂 Shhhh…. don’t tell.
- Anchor for clothes line — need to hang the swimsuits? Tie a string around a binder clip and attach it to the shower curtain. Tie the other end around the shower head and voila! Instant clothes line.
Ziploc Bags
- Ice pack — just add ice to treat bumps, bruises and sunburns!
- Laundry bag– pack wet clothes for the trip home in a gallon size bag so other items stay dry
- Carry-on organizer — when we travel by plane, each family member packs emergency essentials in a gallon size bag. Sickness, food spills and travel interruptions are easier to manage with fresh clothes. Bonus: the dirty clothes can be repacked in the bag keeping other items clean.
- Collections — kids love to collect things. Why not give them a bag to control the size of the collection?
- Barf bag!
- Receipt storage — instead of carrying all the travel receipts in wallet or purse, keep them in a ziploc bag. After vacation, everything needed to reconcile the credit card statement is in one convenient place.
Medical Tape
- Treating larger scrapes — medical use, of course!
- Keeping an ice pack in place
- Replacing a belt (yep — I did that once too. Our daughter is really thin and, apparently, I am quite forgetful!)
- Securing luggage — overpacked bag? Broken zipper? Medical tape packs small but holds strong.
- Fixing a shoe
- Repairing broken glasses
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[…] include emergency items. I call these the “MacGyver” of travel tools — for those old enough to remember the show. The best one, a binder clip, can be used in so many […]
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Thanks so much for sharing at Heavenly Treats Sunday!
Ohhhh Shannon,
Update that fanny pack with a cross body bag and the kids will find you so much more cool. It also provides space for the tour book or your itinerary or your phone!
Happy travels!
Joy,
I really do give binder clips as wedding gifts — though with something that comes from the registry — not JUST binder clips! I think they're wonderful, but not quite wonderful enough to stand alone as a gift 🙂
Karen… you cease to amaze me! Love the tips… but what I do love more was your reference to MacGyver and how you clued in the “younger” readers! I LOVE MacGyver … funny my husband and I call each other Mr & Mrs MacGyver because we always come up with some good little improvisations. Grace, peace and blessings, Carla
Okay MacGyver you're just about the most organized traveler ever! My kids make fun of the “fanny pack” filled with bandaids, medicine, seat covers, garbage sacks, etc. that I take on vaca. I must admit I have no binder clips though. I must add these to my collection!
This was a fun post! I really liked the idea of using ziploc bags for receipts. My purse is always a mess after a long trip.
The medical tape was a great idea too. I hadn't thought of how useful it could be before. We'll definitely stick a roll in the car before our next trip.
This is such a great post. I never would have thought to pack binder clips with me on a trip!
such great tips I know I'll be putting theses items in the bag on our next trip.
Do you really give binder clips as wedding gifts? Braver than I! Hope you lace them up first or something 🙂 Love the post! So practical. I'm going to start adding these to our travel arsenal!
Heather,
On our last trip, my son stoved his finger. My husband suggested we run to the local pharmacy and get medical tape. I laughed… and said, “You know I always carry it with me!” They both gaped in amazement, though I truly don't know why they were so surprised. I also made my son an ice bag. 🙂
Karen
I use Ziploc bags for everything! It really helps when I'm traveling to organize things in these bags plus if they spill I'm safe. I like your uses for medical tape-hadn't thought of ho handy it could be.