Families who manage an early get away when going on holiday: AIBU to ask how you manage it?

[Nerdybeethoven]

2.5 hours this morning despite the fact that 3/4 of the car was packed yesterday and I made the packed lunch last night. Like this every friggin' time we go anywhere. Exhausted already.

[haverhill]

It always takes us WAY longer than we expect. I think it’s some kind of universal law especially with kids in the mix.
Sorry to be no help.

[youarenot]

Always get adults ready first. Make sure all suitcases are sorted ready to go, all documents are in the carry bag.
Strong coffee has been drunk and more on the go!
Then wake up the kids, get them dressed and then force them to have breakfast at 100mph. Depending on time we need to leave, they'll either eat it all or we'll take snacks/pick something up on the way. Then it's usually wash the dishes & cups whilst waiting for taxi (or whilst waiting for DP to drag himself out the bathroom!)

[AppleKatie]

How many kids?

Pack 90% of car the day before. Agree what breakfast is going to be with each individual before they sleep. Lay out clothes for the day night before.

All kids to be up/washed/dressed/fed (in that order unless ridiculous messy eaters) and then plonked in front of tv while adult(s) do themselves and the last minute packing (toothbrushes/phone chargers etc..)

All children over 8 responsible for their own packing of last minute stuff before tv (they forget it tough- I would still check/put in anything of theirs I was bothered about eg toothbrush!)

[PolkerrisBeach]

2.5 hours = faffing.

Nobody needs 2.5 hours to get ready, especially when you've done the bulk of it the night before. Pack the car night before. Everyone gets up, shower, dress, breakfast, out. No faffing permitted.

[Dermymc]

2.5hours? I could pack in that time.

Agreed you are faff central. Get in the car and go.

[cloudtree]

Pack car completely the night before. Its the only way. Clothes all laid out ready to put on.

We go away tomorrow morning and the kids are running around getting everything ready now and will then be clearing out the car so that we can load it up this evening ready to go. We WILL be leaving on time.

[hooochycoo]

If you are going in the car, just let the kids go in in pyjamas and take their clothes in their with a drink and snack. Make a big deal of the fact that it’s so early they can keep their pyjamas on and you’re all going to stop for a special first breakfast of holiday! They’ll run for the car! Then get them dressed when you stop for breakfast .

[DappledThings]

Everything in car night before. Including DC's clothes and everyone's toothbrushes in the change bag. Up at 4.45, dressed in clothes laid out night before. Children taken out of bed and straight into car with sleeping cuddly toys. Pull away by 5.05.

Stop for breakfast after 2 hours or so and do teeth and dressing then.

My parents are a 5 hour drive away. This is the only way to do it. Means I regularly have a nice breakfast in the glamorous surroundings of Tesco Extra Cirencester

[Bezm]

Everyone packed the night before with cases in the hallway.
Adults up, washed and dressed then car packed before waking kids.
Kids up, washed and dressed.
In car.
breakfast in McDonalds on the way!
It's the breakfast thing that takes so long. I can't leave dirty pots, so I'd have to wash everything up and put it all away! We also have a take away the night before and the night we return.

If we are flying, I get an early morning flight and stay at the airport hotel the night before. It's worth the expense for not having to worry about traffic hold ups on the way to the airport!

[Nerdybeethoven]

I pride myself in being organised and think I do most of the above. Packing, lists, tasks for others. 2 kids aged 13 and 11. Oldest has ASD and goes into overdrive in ways to be annoying and awkward at the slightest hint of change of routine. I just try to isolate him so that he doesn't wind the rest of us Up. Younger one can be helpful and I try to appeal to him to be our little helper and give him jobs to do. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. This morning it took DH 20 mins to get the bikes on the car and probably the same to sort out the greenhouse. We are in between 2 legs of our holiday so came home yesterday afternoon just for an overnight so didn't unpack and repack but even so ....

[Nerdybeethoven]

I find if we're flying or taking the train it's slightly easier because if it doesn't fit in the case, it's tough. Whereas in the car there is always the opportunity to squeeze in as much as possible. Although I try to be strict. DH and kids like their great big breakfasts whereas I eat mine while doing other jobs. And we all have showers. If we showered the night before, it might save time. I agree about airport hotels - we've done that before. Or if flying in the afternoon we rock up 5 hours early just in case....

[Nerdybeethoven]

Take aways - good idea.

[IggyAce]

We pack the car the night before, everyone’s outfits are laid out ready for the next morning. I get up first shower and dressed then get the kids and dh up.
A few times we have put the kids in pjs and got them dressed at services a few hours down the road where we stop for breakfast too. The kids love this.

[Singlebutmarried]

I loathe getting ready for holiday.

We’ve been ready to go before and DH has decided to wash the car. 🙈🙈

[UserX]

We had to leave at 5am to get a flight last week, packed night before, all clothes laid out. Got up at 4, dh & I showered, packed last bits, cup of tea, got kids up & dressed & out the door at 5. Not so hard really.

[Nerdybeethoven]

Dappled things: I'd love to be able to do that! My ex-neighbours always managed to get away at 5 am and I was so envious! When the kids were little we often used to go to my in laws 3 hours away and we'd put them to bed in the car at 7pm on a Friday night and back Sunday. That worked well and I used to have the afternoon to get ready while they watched Cbeebies. We had quite a lot of duplicate stuff at the in laws so it didn't matter if we forgot something.

[Nerdybeethoven]

I think I've answered my own question - it's the kids!

[SequinsOnEverything]

It seems to be actually impossible for us to ever leave the house at the time we plan for a day out or holiday. I have no idea why.

We can't get ourselves ready before waking the children up though, as soon as we are up, they are. Actually, they are often up first.

[Shylo]

It’s the showers and great big breakfasts that are slowing you down for sure ..... we Shower the night before and just pull out clothes on the next morning. Breakfast is a meal eaten en route, we just take flasks of coffee, juice and snacks in the car

[3WildOnes]

We put everything in the car the night before. Kids showered the night before. Quick cereal breakfast and then brush teeth, we are out the door in 30 minutes.

[Nerdybeethoven]

I suppose I'll get over it although I spend a lot of time thinking 'I'm not doing this again'. I might have forgotten by next holiday time ... I'm expecting a long, dull and busy journey up the bastard M1 though ... At least I'm not driving. Kids are watching DVDS in the back.

[Perpetualstateofchaos]

I pack the car the night before so just phone chargers toothbrushes and picnic to go in the morning. Picnic made the night before and clothes laid out. I get up about an hour before we leave to put picnic in cool bag get myself sorted then get kids up and sorted. Everyone in car with last bits that need to go in and leave. We always stop an hour or so into the trip for breakfast.

[GoldenWonderwall]

Shower/ bath the night before. Eat breakfast in the car or stop and eat. Takeaway the night before that doesn’t need lots of pots to eat with so you can focus on other jobs. Everything packed and by the door the night before.

If you go away a lot consider having some stuff that stays for going away so it can be always ready.

Plan outfits for the couple of days before you go so you’re not desperately trying to get stuff washed and dried the night before that you want to take with you.

Unless you’re going to the back of beyond you can buy most of what you need when you’re there, so focus attention on passports/ credit cards/ tickets/ prescription medication and try not to worry about the rest. I’ve just packed and I doubt we’ll use it all - 1 medium and 1 small suitcase for a family of 4 for a week.

[Idontbelieveinthemoon]

I'm super organised all the time but holidays are a breeze because I simply do everything. I think I could take over the world if I had 2.5 hours to plan.

I appreciate it should be DH and I together but I am a control freak so love knowing everything's done my way. The DC and DH pile up their clothes ready for packing, I give the DC's a backpack to fill with their 'essential' tat and I do the rest.

In the morning I lay out clothes, walk the dog before anyone gets up and clear away breakfast pots while they shower. Then it's straight into the car, which I pack the night before, and off we go. I pack my travel bag with passports, monies and all essentials the night before, too, so that our mornings are seamless.

[LooksBetterWithAFilter]

Yeah we don’t do showers in the morning that takes ages. Tbh travelling always makes me feel filthy so I want one as soon as I arrive somewhere so up clothes on. I try and get up first so I have had breakfast before I get the kids up. Then everyone is up breakfast, dressed, teeth and out. There is no faffing allowed and no sitting idle. If breakfast is finished you get dressed if you’re dressed it’s teeth. There are no gaps of doing nothing.