Weekend Trips and Packing

I think you need to work on packing. We fly most of the time and can pack for a week (DH, me and DS) in three carry on bags for a winter trip with planned parties/meals out plus outdoor/hiking type activities.

I do wash almost everyday when we go away, that way I can pack less.

I recommend trading in your pilot for the minivan. You'll have tons more space :-)

I tend to be a throw-a-toothbrush-and-change-of-underwear-in-my-purse-and-go kind of packer.
Would your friend be okay with you leaving spares of some things at the bungalow - leave the OTC meds, theremometer, and other first aid type stuff in the medicine cabinet there?
If you go every weekend, perhaps keep a bag of dog food stored under the kitchen sink.

I don't pack sweaters or jackets into our bags, I hang them on the backs of our seats in the van. That way they are handy if the air conditioning is giving someone a chill, and they aren't taking up a ton of suitcase space. As far a medications go, don't bring a bunch of different bottles, pack one little travel bottle with an assortment. When you pack clothes into your bag or suitcase do not fold them, but roll them. Rolling them up takes a lot less space and results in less wrinkles. If you are at the lake you really don't need fresh clean clothes for every day of the weekend. If you are going for two nights you should be able to get by with one pair of shorts, one pair of pants (yoga pants, tights or sweatpants are easier to pack than jeans), two t-shirts a sweater, swimsuit, underwear, towels and pj's. Remember, most of the time when you go away for a weekend you are not so far away from a store that you couldn't buy something if you really needed it. No need to pack the whole house up just in case.

I've found that packing each person's stuff into a laundry basket or rubbermaid tote makes things SOOOOO much easier! Things are easy to access, the baskets stack and store nicely, and you can fit a LOT in them!

According to Clark Griswold, you can put the dog on the roof. ;-)

Kidding, kidding. But what about using the roof rack for your stuff? They make big roof "trays" that you can put all your totes into. They're called luggage baskets. Like this: http://www.rackoutfitters.com/product_images/uploaded_ima...

There are also hitch carriers that you can attach to your towing package. Like this: http://www.cargocatch.com/images/P/plt-cg-17_w650.jpg

Think outside the car. You can fit and carry LOTS of stuff and have tons of room inside.

Yes, there is a lot of stuff to take when you have a baby. What you NEED depends on how remote the bungalow is. Early on I decided that if it wasn't a remote place, I wasn't packing diapers (just what was normally in my diaper bag), snacks/food/baby food, or more than 1 sample bottle of baby motrin (which I also routinely kept in the diaper bag). I figure - anywhere we go will have stores. Once we get to where we are going, one of us can make a quick store run for food and diapers while the other unpacks. We have the small motrin bottle for an initial dose if someone runs a fever in the middle of the night, and then I would buy more the next day if needed.

Also, does the bungalow have a washer and dryer? If so, no need to pack extra clothes. So for a weekend (arriving Fri, leaving Sun), all you need per person is 2 pairs of shorts, 2 shirts, 1 pair of jeans, 1 sweatshirt OR jacket, 1 set of jammies, underwear, socks. If something gets muddy, wash it. For shoes at a bungalow, wear tennis shoes and throw in a pair of flipflops - they take up very little space. If this is really all you take, you should be able to both yourselve and your child into 1 duffel bag. Or, when baby #2 comes, put your 4 year old and the baby into 1 bag since baby clothes are very small. If there is not a washer/dryer there, then I agree it is hard to pack light with kids.

You can do it if you really think about what you need and not much more.

ADDED: I read through the answers, and I LOVE the 1 ziplock per outfit idea. My kids (age 3 and 7) pack their own clothes and they always share a bag and all the clothes get jumbled when they search through it and sometimes they forget something. I will definitely use this idea - every day, they just pull out a bag with a complete outfit! And when they pack, I can remind them that each bag needs 1 pair of shorts, 1 shirt, 1 pair of underpants, and 1 pair of socks (and I can easily check it when they are done).

We have always packed light.
I can pack clothing for a week into a carry on suitcase. We did that when we went on vacation in Colorado a few years back. we always lose luggage, so it was necessary to pack light!
We are going away overnight soon. My bag for that is the size of a large purse. I need 3 sets of underwear (always have a spare), 3 pair of sox, a pair of shorts, pair of long pants, a dress, 3 tops, tshirt for night, a hairbrush, toothbrush, toothpaste, camera, One pair of dress shoes, a sweater that is always in the car anyway, and I wear my tennies.
When our kids were little, I packed them in a small bag. The medicines got tossed into the diaper bag, we traveled with few bottles and washed them out, formula was powdered. We took very few toys. We did bring the pack and play! Decide what you really need.
Need vs want is usually the issue.

ETA: If you are having a second child? I would consider moving up to a Minivan - you'll have a ton more space and no one will be crowded and uncomfortable.

A.:

Make a list and pack accordingly.

If you go there often - consider asking the owners if you can leave a box of your stuff there that you need all the time.

As to the car? Get a Cargo Carrier and put ALL your bags on the top of the car - then you have ALL the space inside the car.

A weekend bag should work for you. Pack your clothes in sets per day - bottoms, socks, panties, bra, shirt - put it in a ziploc bag. Do one for each day you are gone. If the owners allow you to leave a box there - keep the medicines (just note expiration dates), tooth brush, toothpaste, shampoo, etc. in a Rubbermaid tub with your name on it. It doesn't have to be a big tub - you can use one that stores shoes.....many of your items would fit in that and fit under a bathroom sink (if they have a vanity).

Find a kennel for your dog - a TRUSTED and well respected one - PetSmart has a Pet Hotel. Check with your veterinarian, they sometimes have kennel services or will recommend one.

Hope this helps!

I am with you... we just went camping last weekend.
We have a truck- 3 totes & 3 coolers. We bring the bike trailer (as a double stroller for my two kids). stick the bags inside the camper. & we bring the small picnic table.
We also bring the floaties, and enough clothes for two outfits a day as it gets cold at night. 3 pairs of shoes for the kids.. etc.. you get the picture. It is so hard to pack light especially when you do not have a washer and dryer avialble.

Next time you go.. Mark the items you used. at the end of the weekend , decide what you did or did not use.

Also, when we go to FL in the spring. I bring enought diapers for the plane ride down.. and pick up the rest when we get there. It helps save space.

You might need to consider a different vehicle ... I don;t have a dog, but I know she/he would not fit with us. lol.

Good luck

Well, a minivan with a roof rack and cargo carrier will give you a place for luggage and not take up room inside the car.
If you want to go one step further, have a hitch on the minivan and you can tow a small trailer behind you to carry even more stuff.

Living where were currently live, we see lot's of tourist traffic coming and going to Outer Banks and various other vacation destinations.
You'd be amazed how people transport bikes, kayaks, canoes, fishing gear, surf boards, luggage and more.
The ultra huge motor homes usually are towing a small car behind them.

I just wonder how they 'get away from it all' when they take it all with them!

Since this is a regular spot you visit, I wonder if you can't leave some of the stuff there...dog food bowl, medications, etc.

Some things I have found that make it easier.
Medical bag...we have a first aid kit. It has tylenol, allergy medicine, band aides,thermometer, the ear drops to dry out ears, etc. It just stays stocked. We add to it as needed. It's just ready to go. No need to hunt it down. And no need for a huge box of bandaides, a small zipper bag with 10 is plenty! Most meds are available in travel size too.

For one night, the dog will be fine without a dog bed. I'd leave that behind. Keep toys to the bare minimum. My kids are generally allowed one or two things to do in the car...not a bag of toys. Once you get to the destination, I imagine she doesn't play with things too much.

Have a kit for each person with personal stuff packed and ready to go. For my kids I bought some pencil cases and they have their toothbrush, body wash, brush, hair stuff etc. All in travel sizes. I found fold up brushes they keep in there too. I don't have to hunt for things and it's all in one spot. It's compact and doesn't take up much space. My bag is a bit larger to carry all my personal stuff, but pair it down. If you wear makeup choose one eye shadow for the weekend instead of 10.

I pack one bag for me and the kids. We keep it simple. One or two extra outfits and not a ton of shoes. To keep things easier, I often pack the outfits in ziplock bags that I reuse multiple times. I put the PJs for both kids in the pj bag. MY kids are 4 and 7, and I have plenty of room. Instead of digging around dumping clothes everywhere, I flip through ziplock bags and get their clothes. I do this for outfits too...socks, undies, clothes.

Keep in mind that many things can be worn more than once. Jeans will make it a whole weekend in a pinch. One sweatshirt will do fine to keep you warm. If you pack multiple shoes, wear the bulkiest ones and pack the smaller shoes.

I have created a form for my husband and me to use when we pack. I have a section for toiletries and consider all my glamour and hygiene needs. I make note of each day's events and note specifically what I want to wear--which underwear, jewelry, perfume, shoes, golf cap, hair clip--not just the outer clothes. One neutral sweater if it's cool. (Check the weather before you pack.) Once I figure that all out, I see where I can consolidate. People laugh at me for it, but it keeps me organized, and I don't forget anything. I also don't get anywhere near bringing the kitchen sink. I am a shoe hound, but I went to Mexico for nearly a week with two pairs of shoes (in addition to the travel shoes)--sandals, one super flat and one super high, in neutral colors. There were morning/afternoon activities and evening activities, and this fashion plate was very proud of how she worked it out.

That said, figure out what you will be doing and what kind of mood you're in. Determine the absolute essentials for your child(-ren) and dog, and go from there. What do you keep in your diaper bag? For my toddler, there is an essential Ziploc bag of Benadryl, antiseptic, and bug repellant. Those go everywhere he goes. Then...diapers, wipes (not the whole box because we can use wash cloths), petroleum jelly (because away from home and during activities I can't always tell how long between diaper changes), one simple outfit for each day plus one extra (so what if he gets dirty?), one set of pajamas for every two nights plus one more, whatever is needed for grooming.... Do you have to bring towels? If so, bring only bath towels and use a corner to wash your face.

I don't know how to pack for a dog. I like one poster's idea to leave something at the bungalow, since you are regular visitors.

I emphasize that you should determine your absolute essentials and go from there.

I'd consider renting a storage facility for a few bucks per month in the area you go to. We rent a 10'X20' for $30 per month.

You could keep an extra set of dog supplies, several boxes of different size diapers/pull ups, extra wardrobe of old jeans and sweat shirts, all sorts of shoes, I wouldn't keep extra dog food though, that will draw in mice or roaches.

If you put a few sprinkles of rat poison along the walls that will keep all your stuff safe. We've had stuff in storage for years and never once found a mouse left over or a roach but I've heard stories from small mom and pop type of places.

This way all you have to bring are supplies that you need this one trip. Have both hot and cool weather items. This way you can pop over if a storm rolls in and you need warmer clothes. You can also go grab swimsuits if the sun pops out and it turns up to 90 degrees outside instead of being rainy and cool.

I think you can find a way to not take hardly anything except fresh food items for the kiddos and dog.

Duffel bags squish better than hard suitcases.Keep a toiletry bag packed (and just occasionally restock) with small travel size toothpaste, deodorant, just a few Tylenol and other meds not the whole container! Keep a container at the lake with a dog dish, dog blanket for a bed, a few toys for your daughter and sweatshirts and sweatpants for everyone. With the new baby you'll want to make get-aways easier so anything you can possibly keep there will help- an extra thermometer, extra bathing suits, old shoes, swim shoes or flip flops. Buy diapers, wipes and dog food near the lake house and keep them in the container as well (get a separate plastic one for dog food) Your so lucky to have this, hope it can continue to be a fun place for you all!