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15 Ingenious Road Trip Hacks You’ll Never Go Without Again

15 Ingenious Road Trip Hacks You’ll Never Go Without Again

Make Sure You Bring A Charging Device.

All heck is going to break loose if the DVD player, tablets and phones lose their juice. Don’t let that happen. Plan ahead by bringing a charger — or three.


Flickr / Dennis S. Hurd


Snackle Box!

Instead of leaving various plastic bags strewn about your car, keep everything neat by compartmentalizing your snacks in their own little sections.


Flickr / sk8geek


Shower Caddies Make Great Food Trays

The typical car doesn’t usually have a ton of table space, and the surface area it does have tends to be reserved for cup holders. To avoid making a giant mess with the road food you’ll invariably pick up on your travels, bring a shower caddy to keep everything clean.


Flickr / noricum


For When You’re In A Pinch

Not all cars are made equal. Some manufacturers see it in their infinite wisdom to grant their customers twenty cup holders, just in case they have to take the entire U.S. national soccer team to the next match. Other manufacturers provide two or three, which just doesn’t always cut it. In those times of need, a roll of tape will serve admirably as another place to securely store your drink.


Flickr / jm3


Please Be Able To Change A Tire

This means having both the knowledge and the tools for the job. Knowing what to do in case of a flat is just one of those things that every driver needs to know, because flats happen to everyone. On the flip side, most cars come equipped with the tools you need to change a tire, but it’s a good idea to make sure nothing is missing before driving any kind of distance.


Flickr / themozhi’s pixel displays


Hotel Room Hack

If the hotel room you’re staying in has a TV made on this side of Y2K, you’ll likely be able to find a USB port on it that you can use to charge your phone, a handy tidbit of knowledge in case every other outlet is charging some other device.


Flickr / dan taylor


Keep It Secret. Keep It Safe.

If you plan on leaving things in your hatchback from day to day, investing in a trunk cover is one of the best ways to keep your stuff hidden. It could be the difference between a smooth ride and having to deal with someone breaking into your car.


Flickr / tylertate


Here’s The Trick To Staying Cool

It’s a scientific fact that ice cold water is better than warm water. The studies have been published. That’s why people freeze water bottles overnight. However, few things are worse than being able to drink a few drops at a time as the ice melts. The best way to combat that issue is to freeze the water bottle on its side while it’s 1/3 to 1/2 full. Enjoy cold water all day. Or at least until the bottle is empty.


Flickr / Muffet


Bring Something With People’s Addresses

Nothing says “I care enough about you to send you a picture, but not enough to call you” like sending someone a postcard does. It also turns out that some people like getting them, so go figure.


Wikimedia Commons


Don’t Shrug At This Atlas

At some point you’ll find yourself in a forsaken land without internet or cell phone reception. Some people refer to this place as South Dakota. When this happens and you need directions, the important things to do are breathe slowly and then pull out your atlas, because you’re the most prepared person this side of the Monongahela River.


Flickr / AndyRobertsPhotos


Mix It Up With Some Mix CDs

So maybe you’ve got an iPod that has 30,000 songs, but nothing beats the fun that popping some of your old mix CDs into the player in the car brings. It’s like Russian Roulette, but instead of a bullet to the head, you’ll get memories from bygone eras.


Flickr / Maria T.


What’s That Smell?

Regardless of how clean road trippers try to be, there’s the inevitable stink that permeates the car after a few days. It turns out, though, that keeping dryer sheets out helps to reduce the bad odors and makes for a more pleasant drive overall.


Flickr / trenttsd


Keep The Change

Change just seems to accumulate on road trips, and it can get to be annoying if there’s no place to store it. On the other hand, it comes in quite handy if you’re taking a route that has tolls. In order to keep your coinage under control and accessible, use old candy containers like M&M’s minis containers as storage space.


Flickr / Nathaniel_U


Be Prepared

No one should leave town without an emergency kit. Although it’s likely that you’ll never need it, this is one of those situations where it’s so much better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.


Flickr / dlg_images


Learn What The Signs Mean

Knowledge is power, and knowing that exit signs are positioned according to which side of the road they’re on is incredibly useful. Now that you know this, you’ll never miss an exit again.


Flickr / cogdogblog