If you’re thinking of heading on a family road trip this year, we know that frantically cramming suitcases into the car is a common occurrence! Wherever you’re heading on your summer adventures, packing the car needn’t be a stressful experience.
Our ultimate car packing guide is full of tips on how to get everything in safely and securely to make sure your road trip adventures are smooth sailing.
1. Plan it out
The secret to logistics is all in the planning. From a simple spreadsheet to a quick list on a notepad, write down everything you intend to take and where you plan on storing it in the car. Start with the absolute essentials, then go onto non-essentials. This is where a big red pen comes in handy so you can start crossing out stuff that will just take up space without actually being of use!
2. Weights and measurements
Avoid overloading your car when packing for a trip, even though it can be easy to do. Excess weight can affect handling, increase fuel consumption, and may even exceed legal limits. To stay safe and compliant:
- Check your vehicle’s owner’s manual for the maximum carrying capacity
- Ensure the combined weight of passengers and luggage does not exceed this limit
- Confirm your luggage will physically fit in the boot before packing
When carrying extra weight, tyre pressure may also need adjusting:
- Many vehicles require higher tyre pressures when fully loaded
- Check the correct values in your manual or on the sticker inside the driver’s door or fuel filler cap
It’s also a good time to check tyre condition:
- The UK legal minimum tread depth is 1.6mm
- Tyres below this limit must be replaced before driving
- If unsure, a Halfords store can check your tyre tread depth for you
3. Prioritise your packing
It’s important to think about what order you store your items in. Make sure the most important things are packed last, so they are easy to reach.
Hard, low-priority items like sports equipment, camping furniture, toys and duvets need to be at the bottom of the boot or tucked out of the way, whereas essentials like medicines, phone chargers and spare clothes should be easy to grab from the top of the pile. You’ll thank us when you aren’t having to completely unpack the car in a motorway services looking for your sat nav charger!
On the subject of sat navs, are you still relying on road maps? Consider upgrading to a TomTom GO Superior 6″ Car Sat Nav, with industry-leading maps and wi-fi connectivity for easy updates.
4. Get a roof box
Save yourself the difficulty of having to jam luggage into every corner of your car by getting a handy box on the roof where you can store everything instead! Fitting onto a pair of roof bars (which you’ll need first), roof boxes are a real life-saver for larger families who have a lot of stuff to take on their trip away. They also come in handy for smaller groups who are going away for a longer period of time, as you’ll be able to take more clothing, food and kit with you.
Our Halfords 320L Roof Box is a great choice for short breaks and fits on a wide range of roof bars quickly and easily. It also opens from the side, making it easier to reach luggage no matter where it has been packed.
5. Take extra care
Always practice safe driving with a full car. Keep things away from the back window (and the windscreen for that matter), don’t have heavy items loose on the back seat, and never store anything in the engine bay. If you’re trying to force extra items into an already over-stuffed car, it might be time to rethink your packing or even consider hiring a larger vehicle.
Don’t forget to take breaks on longer drives too, and consider getting a Free 5-Point Car Check at Halfords before you depart for added peace of mind.
That concludes our list of car packing tips. We hope you’ve found it useful and now have some extra time to plan your road trip playlist!
Effective car packing is about planning, organisation, and safety. By prioritising essentials, managing weight, and using space efficiently, you can make your road trip more comfortable and stress-free.
Halfords Motoring Club
By joining the Halfords Motoring Club today, you’ll get access to a range of amazing benefits and discounts that are designed to keep you moving, keep you safe, and keep you saving.
Free Halfords Motoring Club Membership includes:
- Money off your MOT.
- A free 10-point car health check.
- A welcome voucher that can be spent on any Halfords product or service, including our range of windscreen wipers.
Or upgrade to our Premium membership (£5.49 monthly/£54 yearly) to unlock:
- An included MOT.
- 5% off all motoring services and products online and across our stores, garages, and Halfords Mobile Expert.
- 2 x 10-point car safety checks, worth £15 each.
- Even more exclusive member bargains and benefits.
