More and more people are buying small cars because they are cheaper to run, more environmentally are a lot easier to handle when it comes to day to day driving. Even if you have a Mini you will probably still want to go on road trips, and there is absolutely no reason why you shouldn’t. If you follow this guide to road trip essentials guide you will have a comfortable trip with everything you need, even when you are short on boot space.
Check Your Car
Before you take on any long road trip it’s important that you do a basic maintenance check on your car. A simple visual check will not take long and should include things like tire tread and pressure, oil levels and all the lights. If you need to replace any small parts quickly your expert for car spare parts on the internet is EUspares.co.uk. It’s also a great idea to have cheap mobile mechanic insurance in place incase you have any issues during your trip.
Find Out What’s Provided
If space is a premium in your car the first thing you should is see what is provided at your holiday accommodation. If they provide things like towels, hair dryers, toiletries then this could be things you don’t need to pack. Leaving bulky items like towels at home can save lots of space in a Mini for example.
Use Soft Suitcases or Bags
If you have a small car choose your luggage wisely. Soft suitcases or bags are much easier to squeeze into the boot that hard suitcases.
Packing Cubes
If you haven’t bought packing cubes yet, they are perfect for trying to squeeze more things into the back of a Mini and making the most of the space you have available in your suitcases.
Write a List
Writing a list of essential items you want to pack for your trip will really help you focus on what you need. Without a list packing can really escalate out of control.
What Can You Buy When You Get There
If you are travelling with children there is definitely an urge to pack for every possible eventually. Sometimes you have to be realistic about whether it will fit in your car. If you are packing it in the car just in case ask yourself if it’s something you can buy when you get there if you really need it.
Cut Back on Bulky Items
When you have a big car you can easily throw extra pairs of shoes, big coats and jumpers in the boot. This isn’t so easy to do with a Mini. You might need to restrict the pairs of shoes you can take and stick with thin layers if the weather is cold.
What Don’t You Use
Think about previous road trips you have taken and be honest about the amount of things you have bought back home unused. Do you regularly pack too many clothes, did you read that book you thought you would have time for or did the kids play with all the toys you packed for them? Thinking about these types of questions can help you save a ton of space in the back of a small car.
Having a Mini or small car should not stop you taking road trips. If you follow our road trip checklist you will have a safe journey and be able to fit everything you need into your compact boot space.
Useful post and good tips for checking – i love packing cubes they are great!