The sun is finally coming out to play and that means that British holidaymakers start to head out on to the roads.
It’s estimated that around 36 million Brits will be travelling this summer, meaning more cars out and about, but also lots of vehicles packed full of camping equipment, suitcases, bags and people.
New research from car manufacturer Dacia found that one in eight people find packing their car the most stressful part of any journey. Furthermore, the firm also found that family arguments flare up when packing a car, with a total of one in five admitting it being the most common occurrence.
We have compiled a list of tips for when you are going away and travelling with a number of different items.
Stay organised
The best way to pack your car in an efficient and stress free manner is to stay organised. In order to do this, write a list down of all the equipment you will need and even measure out your car’s boot capacity and in-built storage compartments to see if your belongings will fit.
If you can assure yourself that you will be able to travel with enough without overfilling or having to leave stuff behind, this will ensure less arguments and better time management as well.
Keep everything compact
If you load your car up with suitcases and bags, items such as clothing need to be folded and compressed into the smallest size possible. That way you can fit more into your bags and better still, it will allow you to carry more in smaller packages enabling more free room in the car.
Pack light
The best way to overcome any packing problems is to travel as light as possible. Look at what you will be taking with you and single out everything for its purpose and eliminate all the possessions and equipment that are not needed.
Travelling lighter not only makes your car more fuel efficient, but it will take less time to pack. You can secure things in place and you will get to your destination in a shorter amount of time with less risk of falling out with relatives over packing arrangements.
Maximise the space
If you know your car, make use of all the space it can accommodate. By that, we mean maximise all of its storage compartments with its door bins, glove compartment, cup holders, centre storage console and even under floor storage (if equipped).
Maximising your car’s full space potential will save you a lot of bother when it comes to loading it up for a summer holiday. Also, cars with tie-down hooks and tethering points located in the boot space can be a great help in securing things in place making them less of a hazard when driving.
Fold down seats if not in use
Most cars will feature a 60:40 split seat or even a 40:20:40 configuration, enabling for a selection of the rear bench to be folded when the seat isn’t in use. This will benefit massively when loading the car for a holiday as not only will you be able to squeeze more items in, but it will take less time to pack and load up the car.
Additionally, the benefit of split seats is that it benefits you to still carry one or two passengers as well as extra luggage – making it a win-win situation for everyone.
Do not overload your car
Travelling with too much can be dangerous. Make sure when loading up your car that you ensure that you have enough visibility and that nothing is obstructing your blind spots and rear window. Also, a jam packed car will add a lot of weight making it harder to stop in an emergency.
Our advice would be to check the car before travelling to make sure that you can see clearly and your passengers have enough room and are comfortable. Additionally, any items left loose will be a hazard under hard braking or worse – an accident. If you can, pack as many items in a box securely and out of sight, or if you haven’t got the space – don’t take unnecessary items at all.
