How we pack our trailer for transport

This is how I pack up our trailer for when we are in transit.  This is just how I do it, if you have a great idea please let me know!

We have a 22ft trailer.   Our space inside is a hot commodity and we try to use our space as best we can.

 This is our trailer all set up when we first got there.

 We usually keep a bag for trash inside and a bag tied up high outside (usually on the awning).  Cale is taking out the mat and shaking all the dirt off of it.  So we could then sweep it out before we pull out.

 We use the sink to hold things that usually are on the counter.  Some of things in there were still wet from being washed, so normally the bowls and cups wouldn't be in the sink - but more electronic items that I like to have access too easily.

 We haven't put our table up in a LONG time - usually there is a picnic table, we sit outside in our camp chairs or we just sit on the beds and eat.  So under the table bed (as we call it) we keep a case of water, my husbands seltzer water cans, and there is a small heater stuffed in there.  In the cabinets on either end of the bed we have the crockpot, my small air fryer, the electric skillet, and citronella candles - in one.  In the other we have board games, a basket of small toys and a box of legos for Cale.

 We leave the tv on the bed because it's not hooked up to anything on the wall because we like "outdoor" movies when we are camping.  It NEVER slides around and is always where we left it when we open it back up when we get where we are going.  Above the bed we keep a tote full of charger cords and boxes, I keep a couple extra hats and extra set of sheets.

 On the table bed we keep the extra blankets and pillows that the kids use.

 We don't use the shower because the places we stay usually have a bathhouse that has never ending hot water, and no issue if we want to take a 30 minute shower.  So we use the shower to hold things.  All the camping chairs, pool floats and our bag that we take with all the sunscreen, bug spray, goggles and towels in.

 We also use the toilet to hold things.  The table fits right next to it perfectly and the cooler slides right in and wedges in between the toilet and the bathroom storage cabinet. Above this we have a big "wardrobe" that we keep a bin with swim suits, towels and a laundry basket where dirty clothes are tossed when they are done for the day.  I just take the basket right out when we make it back home.

This is my biggest tip.  I ALWAYS make sure that the fridge and freezer is securely shut.  The kids don't usually push it hard enough to close all the way.  When we took it out over memorial day weekend one of the kids was the last one in the fridge and we found it open when we got to the campground and a few things fell out.  I have had a jar of salsa fall and break before.  So I'm a little OCD when it comes to the fridge I will find my self checking it 3-4 times before we hook it up and lock the door.

I got this wagon for my birthday 2 years ago and it goes EVERYWHERE with us. It's so dang handy.  If you have been on the fence on getting one, pull the trigger! So worth it!

My wagon lives here when we are traveling and sometimes when we are inside.  It fits perfectly.

 Once we have everything put in and safe, we back the truck up and hook it up.

 If we aren't hooked up to a full service site (sometimes they only have water/electric available) we have to go and dump the tanks.  In this back storage compartment - we keep our bug spray - invest in the BIG jug - you'll need it for your camp site - GUARANTEE IT! We also keep a bag of disposable gloves for when we dump tanks - no one wants black water on them.

 We hook up to the tanks and pull the black tank lever first (this is waste from your toilet).  It CAN be stinky - especially if you are in a hot climate.  We hold down the nozzle end so we don't accidentally get sprayed if it doesn't stay in the same position.  Once we hear the rush of liquid slow down we go to the top of the tub and move water that may have settled in the crooks of the tube to make sure it makes it's way down into the disposal tanks.

 You should NEVER dump your grey water before your black water.  Use your grey water (it's just the water from the sinks) to rinse out your hose after the black water has flowed through.

Once that is done you can continue on to your next destination.  I hope this helps SOMEONE that is just starting out and needs some ideas.  Once you start finding every usable nook and cranny other ideas will just pop up!!

 

How and what I pack for Dance Competition's

 Dress rehearsal for our first dance competition was last weekend.  Over the years I have learned a thing or two about what to pack and HOW to pack.  Everyone does it differently - there is no right or wrong way, this is the way that works best for us.

Three years ago we upgraded her smaller competition bag.  We were using a small rolling suitcase - but as she got bigger and her costumes got bigger it was clear we needed to make it bigger.  I purchased the red rolling duffel bag for $20 on black friday, the PVC pipe cost me no more than $10.  I already had the PVC cutters from the last one we made.  These name branded costume duffel/racks can retail for $200-$400!!  Sometimes that just isn't in peoples budget!!

Here is her bag at the beginning of the repacking process.  She still had stuff in it from recital last May!!

 I have painted a few wooden hangers - this way when things are getting crazy in the dressing room we aren't losing them or someone is accidentally taking them.

 Because in Georgia EVERYTHING gets a monogram!!!

 I keep all her tights and undergarments in this tub.  With her age we keep a nude and black pair of underwear in case we need them for girls time.  Thankfully her timing has been good and we haven't needed them but I like to have them JUST in case.

 I started putting her shoes in plastic tubs because there is nothing worse than having to take EVERYTHING out of the bag to find a missing shoe.  Each pair has it's own tub, her hip hop boots are in old pillow cases to make sure if something brakes in the bag they won't ruin her boots.

 How we keep bobby pins, hair elastics, eyelashes, donut bun when we needed it....I also keep a travel toothbrush and toothpaste in here because there has been times I have gotten her in the car at 5 am straight from her bed and arrived at competition 2 hours later.  I recommend HIGHLY that you keep a pair of small scissors somewhere in your bag.  We keep this pair with the eyelashes because we have to cut the ends off to fit her eye. 

 All emptied out and any debris was swept out.  The first time we used this I didn't think we needed to PVC cement the connections together.  We learned after that first season it was NECESSARY!  Everytime we opened up the bag something had come undone and we had to connect it back.  The cube shape really helps the bag keep it's shape and not cave in when it's popped up at competition.  I've seen others just put a bottom stabilizer and it just wasn't sturdy when costumes were added.

 We keep makeup remover wipes, a sewing kit, a box of 1500 safety pins, a small bathroom towel (because sometimes we have tile floor and it's nice to not have to sit ON the floor or stand on the cold floor first thing in the morning.

 A small extension cord is a must as well.  Sometimes someones bag is over the ONLY outlet and you need it!

 I bought this little steamer on Amazon 2 years ago during a daily deal.  It has come in handy more than once!  It's small enough to not take up a lot of room, and it heats up SUPER quick!

 I got these hanger covers from 31 like 5 years ago during one of their clearance events.  They come in SO handy.

 I got all her costumes all hung up.  In the hanger bag that is with her hip hop costume (yellow hoodie) I have her leggings, sports bra, and a pair of black socks.  Keeping it all together so it makes changing easy.  If she has a hair acessory I will stick it in the bag as well.  Hanging on the right side is her make up bag.  I added that little extra piece after her FIRST year of competition 10 years ago for that same make up bag.  It also doubles as a hook for her jacket when she is on the stage or changing.  Then it doesn't get thrown somewhere, someone doesn't pick it up thinking it's theirs and keeps the dirt from the ground off of it.

Everything in the bottom of the bag fits nicely and flat.  I need to keep all of those tubs flat on the bottom - once I pack it up I lay the costumes on it flat and zip it up.

Curtains for the bags are a newer trend.  Probably the last 5 years or so.  When I remade her bag to this bigger one I had to make a new curtain.  I chose colors that matched her bag and her team.  If you are a dance mom this is a GREAT addition as when there are a TON of these bags lined up the curtain with a name is super easy to spot and run to.  Before the curtains were a trend and all the bags were the dream duffel brand everything and everyone's looked the same.  If you aren't a sewer don't worry, a lot of my friends just bough super cute one panel curtains from Walmart, Target, Ross and TJ Maxx.  Even if they didn't bring it to me to put their name on it was easy to spot their own bags.

A lot of first year parents with one or two costumes don't see the need for these and that's fine, but once you have been in the game for a few years you can understand why you would need one because you accumulate so much stuff!!!

Couple Frugal Things.....

So while I've always considered myself pretty thrifty and making sure I'm getting the best deal - there is always room for improvement.  I started reading "The Frugal Girl" blog 4 or so years ago.  I like seeing how she manages her family on one income.  What I really take away from her posts is the ones where she repairs something that is still functional.  Before I started reading her blog I would have thrown something away that had a flaw/defect.  But now I look for ways to repair it before I let it go if it still has a function in my life.  Will repairing it be cheaper than replacing it?  She replaced a button on her jeans after the first one came off.  I would have in the past totally thrown the jeans away, but these fit her great and the only defect on it was the button!  It cost her $5 or so bucks to fix it after she got a kit that she can use again!

She does freezer challenges where she will eat the things in her freezer before she goes shopping again, or plans meals around the things that NEED to be eaten in her freezer before they go bad.  She has taught me to be more intentional about spending money.

Enter my closet!

 Like most of you I'm sure, you have watched the Marie Kondo show on netflix.  I binged it over a weekend and cleaned out my closet.  I got rid of that entire section!  HUGE pile I took to Clothes Mentor.  They offered me $37 for the items that they wanted to sell, I took that in store credit and then treated myself to a brand new pair of Lilly Pulitzer shorts that totally Sparks Joy in my life!  I still have money left over too.  The clothes they wouldn't be able to sell I went ahead and had them donate. They were still usable clothes just WAY too big for me now.

My favorite sunglasses...

 I'm sure you have seen a ton of pictures of me in these sunglasses on my blog.  They are my favorite.  I love glitter and rhinestones.  Recently they fell off my head and had a piece come out.

 Insert sad face!  There was definitely a chunk missing I couldn't get them to touch even if I wanted to glue that seam together.  Because I didn't want to damage them further I hadn't been able to wear them the last couple of weeks.

I realized the other day that I could repair them with my UV resin.  I'd been dabbling in this craft recently.  I don't have a picture of me placing the UV resin in the space with a Popsicle stick because it was a two handed job.

 My first cure, the resin shrinks a little during the curing process.  Once it was done (about a minute later - I always add time to it just in case.  I filled in a few small spaces - very carefully I might add, because I didn't want it to be all over the place and noticeable.

 From far away you cant even tell I did a repair job.  And if you are close enough to tell I did it, then you are WAY too into my personal bubble!  :)

 Close up of my handy work.

I'm so happy that they are fixed and I'm able to wear them again!!!

Organizational Repurposing

So it's not big secret that military families move and move often!  We have been fortunate to not have to move but every 4 years so far.  Well our impending move is creeping up on us.  It's time to purge and organize.  I stumped upon this blog (that post inparticular!) a day or so ago, and well she made me feel like a slob! :) 

So I decided to take action.  First I cleaned out my craft cutter table and got rid of ALOT of junk and stuff that I just don't use anymore, (I have a friend that just got her Silhouette Cameo so I'm gifting those things to her!) and then I went to town on my laundry room.  Got rid of excess couponed free stuff that I won't use for a LONG  time because I have so much.  (already got rid of 20 boxes of kleenex to my daughters teacher, boy was she EXCITED).  While I was cleaning off the top shelf in the laundry room I came across a jewlery organizer my mom bought for me when I was like 12 or 13.  LIGHT BULB!  I decided my cleaning supplies weren't cute how they were hanging on the wall.  Though they got used more because they were readily available, I'm tired of being depressed when I walk in the laundry room, which is alot since that is how I get too and from my car!

 MUCH cuter right?

 The organization countinued to my upstairs hall closet.  I went and purchased 2 sets of "shoe box" sized tubs from target (5 for $4.79 - on sale right now) and started purging.  I forgot to take a TRUE before picture as I had already started going through my kids games on the bottom before I realized.  Between this closet, under my bathroom sinks, bathroom drawers, my kids bathroom sinks and cabinet, I ended up with 2.5 bags of trash, and 1 BIG rubbermaid tub full of donateable stuff!!! YUCK!! But it feels so much better!

Master bathroom under sink

 master bath under sink

 Master bath drawers - organized into sections clips, fun hair ties, basic ties

 The BEFORE of my kids bathroom.  This was mid cleaning! The cabinet was practically FULL of boxes and somewhat organized, I just purged stuff we aren't going to need or haven't used.

 WOW!

I hope this has inpried other people!  If you aren't using it get rid of it!  It's less to clean up in the end!  Re-purpose where you can.  I'll show you in another post how I organized my daughters headbands!  I already had the stuff lying around the house I bet you do too!