As I’ve mentioned a time or two (or twelve), my husband and I are going on a cruise at the end of this month. I am currently neck-deep in last-minute preparations before we leave. Any parent will tell you that preparing to go on a trip is a lot of work and this one is no exception. Leaving four children for a week–no matter who will be watching them–is a lot to prep for. I realize this is first world problems and I’m very thankful for the opportunity. But that doesn’t mean that traveling without kids is necessarily an easy task! Here are some tips in case you want to try traveling without kids abut aren’t sure how to make it happen.
tips for traveling without kids
start preparing early
Nothing can ruin the excitement of a great vacation more than being stressed out beforehand. I like to start preparing as early as is feasible. Start laying aside the clothing you want to pack, cleaning up the house, and preparing your kids for you to be gone. Make lists of things that need to be done as you think of them. Also important, don’t leave any miscellaneous tasks (such as printing up tickets, etc.) until the last second. Try to plan things out so that you can be well-rested going into your trip. This is especially important if you’re going to be stuck flying a red eye.
| Read: Planning a Vacation-themed Date Night |
work out a schedule
Whether you have one kid or six you probably have some type of schedule that helps things run smoothly at home. After all, most kids have extra activities and you are their manager and chauffeur. I always like to type up a schedule for whomever will be watching our kids. This printed schedule lays out a rough daily routine, plus any little extra notes that will be helpful. From favorite television shows to easy meals that the kids will like. Sometimes I also try to set up playdates for the older kids to make it easier on the babysitter. This written schedule is also a good place to jot down important phone numbers so it’s all in one place. Make sure you leave enough time to go over the schedule with the individual watching your kids!
stock up on essentials
Before leaving for a trip I always want to be sure and leave my house well-stocked. First of all, it makes life easier for the person watching my children so they don’t have to drag everyone to the store. It also helps makes things easier on my kids if they have the familiarity and comfort of their favorite foods and items. Don’t forget about things like vitamins and medication too. If the babysitter will be driving your car be sure that the gas tank is full, and think about leaving some gas money home too. And don’t forget about paper goods, like toilet paper and diapers!
| Read: Best Vacations for Couples in the Western U.S. |
clean things up
Personally, I hate leaving the house a mess when we leave for a trip. Nothing brings on the post-trip blues faster than walking into a messy house. That means I have to not only unpack, but also clean up. Blah. Since most people won’t leave a space messier than they find it, it’s a pretty safe bet that if you leave your house clean, you’ll come home to it clean. Don’t forget to make sure the laundry hampers are empty and clothes are put away as well!
| Read: Why Overnight Dates are Important for our Marriage |
a “traveling without kids” last minute checklist
I am always a fan of checklists and especially so before a big trip. My checklist before leaving the kids includes everything from packing to cleaning to typing up a current schedule for the kids. I also have a note on the home screen of my phone with items I can’t pack until last minute, like my phone charger. Once you’ve said goodbye to your little sweethearts you really don’t want to upset them by coming back to the house five times for things you’ve forgotten.
Have you and your spouse gone on a trip without the kids? How did you help them get ready?
Find more travel tips for couples and families on my Pinterest page!
14 Responses to traveling without kids: tips for making it possible
Those luggage tags are so cute! I absolutely agree about leaving the house clean. I frequently take my kids to see my family. We only stay gone a 4-5 days at most, but the house needs to be clean when I leave. Otherwise I won’t want to come home! Have fun on your cruise!
Have so much fun!!! The longest we have been gone is 3 days, enjoy your time away!! Can’t wait to see the pictures.
Have so much fun!!! Can’t wait to see pictures!
We went on our first kid-free trip last year, and we took the kids to grandma’s house so I packed all the clothes they could possibly needed and sorted them all by type/weather, wrote out routines/bedtime routine, etc. Let’s just say, there was a lot of prep involved but we sure enjoyed our trip! I hope you two have so much fun on your cruise!
Love this post. My husband and I live across the country from our family, so even if it isn’t a vacation we do a lot of traveling to see family. These tips are so helpful! (Especially the prepare early!) Never too early to start making lists! 🙂
There are so many great tips here! I am sure at some point my husband and I will want to go on a trip without our son, I will pin this to reference later!
I wish we could do this… but we don’t the support system needed for a whole week away. But these tips are good even for a short trip!
I have been begging my husband to take me away for just a weekend just us. Our son is 4 and we haven’t been away for any length of time just the two of us. We have date nights but never overnight. In fact, I’ve never been away from my son overnight. So it’s long over due. So, if my wish ever comes true, this is a great list of things to do! I love being organized and planning ahead. I hope you and yoru husband have a great time on your cruise!!
You’re so organized! We just have one so she’s pretty easy to just bring along when we travel but as we have more I’m sure we will utilize these tips for sure!
Great tips! I love that first picture of you all. My parents are on a cruise right now as well! I can’t wait to hear all about it.
we try to go away for three nights each year. It does take a lot of coordinating! These seem like the right details! Have a great trip, cant wait to read all about it!
Trackbacks/Pingbacks
[…] the hubby and I have date night probably every other week and might be able to sneak away for an occasional trip, but any parent will tell you that the prep time leading up to time away almost doesn’t make […]
[…] case you missed this post or all my countless Instagram posts my husband and I just got back from an early 10 year anniversary […]
[…] and I celebrated 12 years of marriage. Typically every year we forgo the anniversary gifts and we go away for a night or two together. However, since we went on a cruise last month we decided to skip the solo trip this year. […]