Think Twice Before Trying This Laundry Basket Packing Hack For Your Road Trip

There are as many ways to pack for a road trip as there are road trippers, and packing efficiently and effectively for a long trip is no joke. This is why many of us are constantly seeking new ways to make the experience easier, especially with kids. There's one hack that went viral, where each member of the family uses a laundry basket to "pack" as opposed to a suitcase. This sounds easy, but in reality, it might actually be a nightmare.

The phenomenon of repurposing everyday household items for road trips is common. There's a viral hack of repurposing a tackle box for snacks that's become a favorite for keeping kids satiated and entertained while on the road. Over-the-door shoe racks are another favorite among parents to create easy-to-reach storage behind the driver's seat. 

It's not just closet essentials that make for great road trip hacks. The laundry room offers a treasure trove of reappropriated trip essentials. Pack a few extra clothes pins, as the ubiquitous household item serves many travel purposes. Or reach for some extra dryer sheets to stash in between packed clothes to keep everything smelling fresh. And then there's the laundry basket trick that we mentioned earlier — but this hack might be a miss depending on your situation.

Some travelers swear by it, and others might want to pass on this idea. The road-trip packing hack is simple: Give each member a laundry basket to use instead of a suitcase. The laundry baskets simply stack up in the trunk, providing easy access to each person's clothes and toiletries. The visual component makes the hack more appealing too — you can easily see most items from the top; and if your basket is mesh or plastic, you can likely see from the sides, too. Once you arrive at your campsite or hotel, each person can just grab their laundry basket from the trunk. 

This hack would probably work best when traveling either with older kids or babies. Why? Because older kids can keep their laundry bin organized and be responsible for putting their personal items back in their own basket. For babies, parents can keep it organized, making sure that essentials, like diapers, are within easy reach. However, this packing tip might not work for every family.

There's a certain age of traveler that might not fare well with the laundry bin travel hack: toddlers and kids too young to be able to repack their own items. Since laundry baskets have no lid, kids can easily grab items without putting them back. Things can quickly get thrown around, meaning that the laundry bin method of packing could actually lead to a huge mess. What would start out as an organized trip could eventually lead to chaos and no clue as to where anything is. 

So if you know that your kids and family members aren't the type to keep things super clean and tidy, then this method could lead to more stress and chaos. In that case, it's better to go with a good ol' suitcase, complete with zippers and a top that keeps things contained in one space.