Laundry baskets as trip-packing and present-wrapping organizers

Sara shared this excellent organizing tip -- ideal for holiday travel and gift prep:

In the week or so leading up to a trip, I get out one or two of our spare laundry baskets and set them in our bedroom and J.'s bedroom.  As I think of things we need to take/pack, I just toss them into the basket.  Sometimes I'll even make lists and toss the list into basket, to be filled at a later date.  It's a great way break the job of packing into small steps.  When the time to finish packing comes, I've got half of the work already done and am less likely to forget anything.

I'll also use laundry baskets for short-term projects like Christmas presents that need to be wrapped (toss presents and wrapping supplies into the basket, then when it's time to wrap you know you've got most of what you need), party supplies, etc.

Some actually use laundry baskets instead of suitcases on beach- or other casual road trips. Another laundry basket use: as a baby bathtub

Tags: Family travel, Getting organized, Holidays, Parenting

Comments

[Elizabeth]

Or laundry basket as bassinet. Essentially the same thing.

[Mama Duck]

It's a beautiful thing, we use it every year to transport gifts between houses for Christmas (just a short drive).

[Char]

I love using laundry baskets for travelling. Not only do they make it easy to keep track of all the extras that don't go in your suitcase, you then have a place to throw all the laundry while at your destination.

[Maggie]

I use the laundry basket for quick clean-ups around the house. Since we have three small kids and a two-story house, I like to take the basket and throw everything inside, then go around the house putting things away (JUST ONCE) in each room. It saves so much time, AND my back. If company is on the way, this can be a lifesaver because I just throw the laundry basket full of "stuff" in the closet and then put the things away later that day.

[Serrina]

I use the actual suitcase I'm going to bring on the trip instead of a laundry basket. This allows me to gage how much I can really pack!

[Ilene]

I use laundry baskets or if I don't have a spare laundry basket, a box does the trick to for trip planning. Laundry baskets make great catchalls. In fact, I have one going right now as we plan our trip to VA from NJ for Thanksgiving.

[cary]

Speaking of laundry baskets on trips, I always bring one ON the trip. A collapsed fabric basket fits easily in the suitcase at first, and it provides a good place for everyone to throw their laundry when we're there. It's especially useful when we're visiting multiple houses on one long driving trip.