Post your best organizational, space saving and trip making secrets here!!

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

Bunchkin--BED TIME!

Anyways those autograph books sound tooo fabulous!! i may have to make one for DD and DS!!! (for them yeah right!! haha).


About the shoe organizers--> we use a suction cup with a hook on it we bought at TARGET, it works great and makes no mess!! and totally re-useable! we store it in the shoe organizer throughout the year!

[Bunchkin]

I was thinking about using one of those suction cup shower organizers to hold everyone's shampoo and soap in the shower at our resort. There never is enough room in there for everyone's stuff!!

[thelionqueen]

You guys are SUPER!! I am on my way to Target this morning to check out the clearance as well as the Oust..my kids and I will be eternally grateful

We also make our own autograph books, and the kids just feel so special because no one else has one just like theirs, you know what I mean?

Keep em comin'

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

The Lion Queen:

you will find the clearance OUST in the exit aisles, you know where all the junk they force you to buy is?! haha...At least that's where it's been at like 5 targets i went to! yes i'm an OUST freak! i bought like 10cans! haah...they are great for a purse, fanny pack, diaper bag!!! woohoo!!!

[39CINDERELLA]

Originally Posted by pooksma

Take a digital shot of your family members each morning before you hit the parks. If someone gets lost you have an instant photo to show all the helpful CMs.

I do this with my cell phone, then send it to my email. If the phone gets lost or ????? then I can get the pic off the web.

[disgram]

This is a great site!!! I have learned alot and will use most. Ziplocs for clothes is a MUST!!! On a trip to my son's, my luggage was pulled and the Security people pulled everything out!!!! My undies were all over the place and they had their hands on everything!!!! YUCK!!!!! Now I use them religiously. They can see through the bags and no need to TOUCH!!!!
I also am carrying the Tide Sticks. While I am going with teens, they do drop and spill, (heck, so do I!!). The wipes are also a necessity for the same reason! I am also taking Clorox wipes for use in the room. Sorry, but I have read and have seen things in the bathrooms that are just too disgusting. For that same reason, I am taking seat covers for the restrooms in the parks. Am I a fanatic?? YUP!!!!

[mumzie2three]

As a result of reading these boards I have or will:
Purchased Payless Crocs (love 'em!)
Bought inexpensive Disney gift/toys to take with us to save money
Bought giant Ziplocks for packing
Bought travel size Tide (at Target, right where a DISer said it would be)
Stay offsite at Windsor Hills (see you there )
Get Fast Passes when it suits us
Go on the KTTK tour
Have Grand Tea at GF
Made ADRs for Boma, Brown Derby, GF and Akershus
Gotten a good deal on a rental car using coupons and codes found here
Found a letter I edited and printed for DDs school
And there's a lot more I'm sure I'm forgetting

[zookeeper]

[QUOTE=welovedis]Teach your kids to perform a RAOK (random act of kindness) now & then. DS once gave a coveted balloon to a boy that was really admiring it. We often give up parade seats (DH & I) for those with young kids behind us. Buy an ice cream for the person behind you in line. I honestly believe in paying it forward, good karma & all that.

Along the same lines, I packed a bunch of packages of glow bracelets from the dollar store for our kids to wear. They were a huge hit after dark and a lot cheaper than anything they sell in the parks. During Fantasmic, my boys 8 & 7 gave some extra glow bracelets to some younger boys who sat next to us, but didn't have any. It was awesome to see the faces of my boys and the other boys when they shared such a simple thing. That was $1 well spent!!

BTW, I also did the ziploc bag packing and it saved TONS of time and frustration, especially with my DD who takes forever to choose an outfit. She and I organized her outfits at home and didn't have even 1 hassle about clothes while we were there.

[bobcat]

We've used a lot of these tips over the years and it makes our room much more organized, not to mention our packing. Since there are three of us we each get a drawer for our clothes and the smaller drawer holds all of our extra stuff. This keeps the kids junk corralled for the most part. The pop up hamper fits nicely under the sink area and its out of the way.

One item I took last year and loved is a suction cup hook for the shower. I have to use a scrubby and like to hang it to dry. This worked great. I also bring a couple of wire coated hangers. You never have enough in the room and even though I can ask for more these don't take up any room in my luggage.

I also have my emergency duct tape in my bag. I've never had to use it but won't travel without it.

This will be the first year we have flown in a while and I am already stressing over luggage weight. We usually drive so we have expanded our must have's over the years. Any tips to keep luggage weight down?

[Swimnoid]

A tiny tip from me but it is a great help to us....I always take a small plastic basket....dollar tree....about 8 X 6 X 2...to hold stuff in the bathroom. They fit on most counters in even the values. It helps keep all your toothpaste, tylenol and bathroom"stuff" neat and easy to find. Also dont forget to bring from home cold medicines, allergy medicines, pepto and such since it is sooo much more expensive there.

[vhoffman]

My dh and I both take a variety of vitamins, including calcium, etc. That used to mean several large bottles rattling around in the suitcase. Now this is what I do -- go to a local pharmacy and ask for several perscription bottles. Usually they will give them to you free. Pack a days' supply of supplements per bottle, and I print out labels with name and supplement name. Its so much easier that way. You just take out your bottle for the day and that's it, no rummaging around for this and that bottle. Just throw the empties away when used.

[vhoffman]

Instead of taking a plastic basket to hold bathroom stuff, we just use the ice bucket in the room to store bathroom items. One less thing to pack.

[fuji]

My family and I drive to Disney from MASS. We have DS 11, DD 6, DS 7mth. We pack a rubbermaid plastic storage container for each of them, full of paper color penciles (no crayons they melt) cd players, games ect... (toys for baby). If they have room in the container they can bring it, if not to bad. Then when we arrive they have toys and games in the room. Don't forget batteries for camera, kids toys ect... At wal-mart they have lap tray's near the check out for $3 they are good in the car for playing and snacks.

[house_of_princesses]

I couldn't wait until I could lose the diaper bag. Now that we're out of that stage, I find myself packing my LandsEnd diaper bag w/ all our toiletries. Works great with all its' pockets and dividers.

I also pack a mesh bag I purchased from http://www.saltwatercanvas.com/meshbags.htm I can hang all the wet bottles, razors, etc and let it dry. Have a second smaller one for all the tooth brushes and paste. If you look around the above link, you'll find beach bags. I put all our bathing suits, goggles, sun screen, etc. in one of these (I have the whale bag) and our swim gear is ready when we are. Because its' mesh, it's also good for the gear when wet. (BTW, I have no vested interest in the above e-store.)

Sharper Image had a refurbished travel alarm w/ soothing sounds. We need white noise and this provides great choices.

We have an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet w/ all the basics on it. (Quick itinerary, ressies, phone numbers.) For day to day use, I love my Passporter. I usually carry a folder to put my papers in. Resort news, itinerary, maps, etc go in there.

At home, I have an under bed plastic storage container. We store our lanyards, GOH pins, autograph books, guide books, spinny things that light, etc. If we want to relive our trip, or get ready for the next, it's all there. In the past, I've purchased WDW themed party wear (plates, napkins, whatever) on clearance and put it in the box. When we go to WDW, I pull it out either before to rev up the troops, or bring it w/ for fun.

Should you be so fortunate to find pins on sale before the trip, purchase them and hand them out during the trip. They can trade or keep as they wish. Acutally, I've purchased pins I thought they wouldn't like, to encourage trading. Worked once.

My dds are always given DDollars before the trip. They know how much they have to spend, and that's that. If someone finds something extra special, I try and purchase it on the sly, and save it for a birthday or Christmas.

[mamahucks]

Where did you find a letter tp print out for your DD's school? If anyone has this I would love to see it, I need one for my DD also. Thanks so much, I have learned so many things from this thread. I it!!!!