This mom’s packing hack for traveling with kids is time-saving and totally genius

Parents know traveling with children is no small feat. There’s the actual traveling of course, but also the packing aspect. Every time we plan a trip, my 6-year-old son wants to pack all five of his favorite stuffed animals, five monster trucks, and other toys and books “just in case.” But what if you didn’t even pack a suitcase for your kids while traveling by car? How much simpler would that make traveling with kids? This mom has a hack for speed packing for her kids and honesty, it’s genius.

Mom Jordan Taylor shared her speed packing hack on her TikTok page, and it’s going viral for good reason. When her family decided to leave for their beach vacation sooner than they had planned, traveling overnight, she had some work to do. Taylor simply used a portable plastic chest of drawers that can be found at Walmart, Target, or Amazon.

“If you think this is meant to be aesthetically pleasing and that everything’s gonna be folded nice and neat, for the most part maybe, but for a lot of it, no,” she said in the video.

Each kid gets a drawer, and then she places the entire contraption into the trunk of her vehicle. No suitcases. Just drawers. And the children’s items stay in the drawers for the entire trip. She said she can organize it better when they get to their final destination. But for now, she recorded herself shoving clothes, bathing suits, hats, diapers, undies, socks, and other necessities for her kids into each drawer, so they each have a drawer.

“Yes, we’re staying five days but, pee pee head over here needs a lot of stuff,” she explained, as she stuffed several pairs of underwear and extra clothes into that child’s drawer. 

Next, she uses a plastic container to stuff snacks, utensils, and water bottles into to throw into her car, and then records her packing first aid kit and toiletry items into one other plastic bag that she tosses into a Bogg Bag along with wipes, extra pull ups, sunscreen, beach towels, beach toys, and sandals. 

This packing hack is such a dream if you’re driving to your vacation destination, because it saves so much time and energy. Packing hacks honestly just make the entire travel experience much easier and more enjoyable for both parents and children.

The dresser idea keeps things organized and easy to find. This can prevent frustration and meltdowns when you need to quickly access a snack, toy, or change of clothes for your child. Having dedicated pouches or bags for different items can save time and reduce stress. We also love that it makes these items easily accessible—at least far more so than traditionally packing in a suitcase or duffle bag, where you can end up rummaging around for 20 minutes.

She ends the video saying all of her kids were passed out in the backseat and everyone in the car was in their “jammers” (pajamas) and were en route to their beach vacation, stopping at a friend’s house along the way at 2 a.m. before continuing on their trip. Luckily, all she has to do is pull out her plastic drawer system and she’s already done getting her kids’ stuff together for their stay and their vacation.

For the perfect traveling dresser like the one in Martin’s TikTok, you can find it here or here.