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

[thelionqueen]

Inspired by another thread, I thought I knew almost all the secrets of making our WDW trip extra organized and extra magical..but alas, I do not.

I just read another thread about people brining over the door shoe holders that you can buy for $1 at the dollar store and using them to store all kinds of goodies in your room. Loved this idea and figured there were a lot more.

So think of your most invaluable advice on packing, organizing, planning or whatever else you can think of here so that we can use them too.

My 1st tip and item I used very minute of every day...

Lanyard/cord that hold up to 8 different ID's/credit cards. I always had my park passes, Credit Cards and other ID's available around my neck and never had to worry about losing them. Bought @ Target for .88cents!

Share yours here!!

 

[OurMsBrooks]

My favorite trick that I read in a parenting magazine a long time ago is to put the littler kids' clothes in gallon size ziplock bags. Put the entire outfit (shorts, top, underwear, socks, even hair barrettes and hats), except for the shoes, in a bag, and bring as many bags as days, plus a few extras. This keeps the suitcases in great order, and all the kid has to do to get dressed in the morning is grab a bag. As a bonus, you end up with a lot of gallon size ziplock bags, which are great for everything from wet bathing suits to open bags of snacks.

 

[JulieNMM]

My biggest tip, which is contrary to everything I read on here, is to pack more clothes!

We just came back from a week at WDW and it was sooooo hot! We would wake up in the morning and put on an outfit, go to a theme park, then come back to the hotel, put on swimming suits and swim, then change into another outfit for the evening. So we used 2 outfits per day. We did not want to wear the same clothes again (from the morning) because we had totally sweated in them.

On our trip, we ended up having to rewear gross clothes a few times... I suppose we could have done laundry but we were soooo busy that we didn't have time!!

What did I pack that I didn't use? SWEATERS!!! (except on the plane). It was toooo darn hot!! Also, bring more than one pair of shoes. DH only brought one pair of shoes to wear with shorts and ended up with blisters. (He brought long pants and dress shoes but couldn't wear them as it was way too hot, even in the evening.)

HTH!
JULIE

 

[thelionqueen]

keep em comin!

Another idea I had heard was to bring the collapsible hampers so that you can keep your dirty clothes in it. Also the cheapo $1 laundry bags for dirty clothes, then you can just pitch the bags when you're done.

 

[daisyduck123]

We went thru may handi-wipes at the park. I buy the individually wrapped ones - they hardly take up any room.

I would pull some out of my messenger bag each time we stopped to eat.

I did not bring enough last time. Giant sells them in a box of 24 - -I thought 1 box would be enough....wrong!

I'm bringing 3 next time for our 9 day trip.

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

For the kids outfits in ziplock bags, we found that one per day was too much because we were in WDW and we bought our DD plenty of t-shirts and little outifts that she probably wore only half of what we brought if that. now we know better and figure we will bring only a little bit and then if worse comes to worse we will do laundry which we do every vacay anyway...we can't stand bringing dirty clothes home but the ziplock thing really works! it was easy for DH to get her dressed in the morning (the king of dressing her in mismatched outfits!!).

 

[Sweedee]

We will also be taking clothespins for the drying lines in the bathroom.

 

[thelionqueen]

We will also be taking clothespins for the drying lines in the bathroom.

Great idea!!
Anyone else??

 

[powellrj]

we even pack our clothes in ziploc bags. You can get the large (I think its 2 1/2 gallon) size and squeeze all the air out of the packages. Its great because everything is all in one bag. When the clothes are dirty, you just put them back in the back and you don't have to worry about keeping dirty and clean clothes apart!

 

[welovedis]

Organizational tips:
I make a spreadsheet at home with each day (vertically) and include park hours and EMH info. When we make our ADRs I put the conf # on there too. About a week or so before the trip I print out the spreadsheet, cut the days into separate strips and use my home laminator. Or you could use contact paper or some over thing to cover them. My friend just tapes hers to index cards. It is great to have everything in one small spot that way you can just tuck it into your pocket or fanny pack and not have to look at those sheets & dig thru anything to find your dining #s.

I also make up a small sheet that has telephone #s on it--like the resort, the airline we are using, even the local 24-care clinic. It is just a little piece of mind for me knowing that I have that info on hand.

Space Saving tips
I agree with those who use Ziplocs, great to keep everything organized. We use them for all our clothing & toiletries, etc....esp considering that the TSA people can search your bags, do you really want them touching your stuff or have to worry about your sandals getting your clothes dirty.

I also send a box of items to our resort ahead of time, I use my FedEx account (for my eBay store) and send down snacks, even toiletries if we are trying to pack really light. Costs very little & can save you time & money if you want some snack items & don't want to have to pack them in your luggage.

I bring an extra collapsible bag & pack it inside one of our suitcases. No matter how often we say we won't be lots of souveniers, we always come home with a bunch & we don't have to cram our suitcases to make them fit.

Trip Making tips
Hmm, not sure how much trip making they are but I would buy a mister fan if you are going down there when it is hot/humid--they really do help. My DS has to carry it because he's the one who wants to take it.

Remember to stop & smell the roses, literally, check them out in Epcot or just sit down on a bench & soak up the atmosphere!

Try something new, a new kind of food, miniature golf, a swim in the resort quiet pool or just watching the entertainers on the Boardwalk!

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.

Have a magical trip!

 

[thelionqueen]

WOW Karen, great ideas! I love all of them. I use Fedex ground too for my ebay items and sent our costumes down last year. It was a HUGE box (about 36X36X36") and it only cost me $13.00.

I love the ROAK idea too, what a great way to experience and share the magic.

I create a "Disney Bible" with all of our info. in it. I include EMH hours, itineraries, dining ressies, where and when to meet characters, you name it! I am considering putting all this info. on index cards, but my way has worked so well was wondering if I should mess with it

Great ideas, keep em comin!

 

[BANNISTER]

We used the shoe bag and it works great to save up on previous counter space in the bathroom. Can't wait to hear more ideas.

 

[hollyb]

I bought a travel bag from QVC years ago. I can fit an entire 2 weeks worth of bathroom stuff in there. The full size bottles of everything. 2 kids 2 adults. All in one bag. It has a handle that we hang on the door knob. We love it.

I put all our clothes in ziploc bags, after we wear them they go back in the same bag.

 

[holden]

Some might find this wasteful, but we try to pack some things that we can throw out after we've used them. This creates a little extra space for those souveniers. Old socks, shorts, bras...anything that we wouldn't pass on to a charity. Also, I bring travel sized shampoo, hair spray, etc. and throw those out too. If we have any leftover sunscreen or something similar that we don't want to take home, I give those to someone checking in while we are leaving. I also pack so that I don't have a choice what to wear (i.e. pink shirt goes with the white shorts rather than "Which shirt should I wear today??"). This forces me to pack minimally. Also, any evening clothes (i.e. a skirt for dinner) can be worn again another night since I will only wear it for a couple of hours.

 

[INDISMOM]

I use the ziplock also.

We are going in June and both DD's (5 & 8) needed summer clothes. I made sure all the clothes were in colors that could be washed together. That way if I end up having to do laundry it would only be one load.

Also (I know I am a little nuts on this one) I am so afraid of DD (5) wandering off that I bought DDs matching outfits. That way if she gets lost I don't have to remember what she was wearing -- I just look at her DS!!

 

[boomersmom]

I bring bottles of liquid hand soap for the hotel bathroom. I can't stand the gooey mess left by the bar soap. I also bring an inexpensive toothbrush holder (the kind that sits on the counter) so that we have someplace to put our toothbrushes.

 

[thelionqueen]

I bring bottles of liquid hand soap for the hotel bathroom. I can't stand the gooey mess left by the bar soap. I also bring an inexpensive toothbrush holder (the kind that sits on the counter) so that we have someplace to put our toothbrushes.

I love these I deas!! I can think immediately I've seen those toothbrush holders at the dollar store, we always have our toothbrushes all over!
Anybody have any ideas for storing curling irons, toiletries etc?

 

[INDISMOM]

I can't take credit for this one -- I read it on another post.

Have a box that is designated for shoes and the items you take to the park everyday -- fanny pack, water bottles, etc. When you get back to your room everynight everybody puts their items in the box. That way in the morning you can find everything and aren't delayed searching the room for that one missing shoe!!

 

[Silverbelle990]

When we went to Disney I bought collapsable toothbrushes for a dollar at walmart. They fold up easy and we were able to just throw them away when we left. I use an electric at home and they take up too much room in the make-up bag. They worked great.

 

[Cindy's Mom]

I am a true believer in the hanging shoe organizer ....I take one with me everywhere I go now...also I got another one resort board yesterday....the values don't have a privacy curtain so people have been bringing tension rods along with shower liner to make the curtain. Another thought that people were saying is to get those 3m removable sticky type hooks and just hook the liner to that. I think I'm going to do the hooks. First time in a value, and I KNOW I will miss that privacy curtain.