A Family Trip = A "Company Move"
Setting up a family trip is just like doing a "Company Move" on a film set - both require a lot of work, and are most successful when everyone can hit the ground running upon arrival!
Hi! Big news - this is my 50th Substack post!🥳 I find it a bit unreal that in just over a year I’ve written and sent out 50 of these newsletters that offer ideas to streamline the behind-the-scenes work of parenting. I created “Type A Mom’s Trusted Tips” as a space to write about how I merge my experience as a mom to 3 for over 11 years, plus my movie making efficiency skills, plus my Type A personality, to find ways to lessen all the work that goes into modern parenting. And, after 50 of these posts, I know that there are still many topics I have yet to cover because it’s clearer now more than ever that there is A LOT OF WORK that goes into modern parenting!
I’ve been sending these posts weekly (on Sunday mornings to give people a chance to read them in between family activities that day or save it for a quiet moment later that week), and I hope that the different topics I cover have been helpful in your parenting journey! On that note, in order to be more helpful to you, I would love it if you would reply to this or email me at hello@type-a-mom.com and let me know what you’d like more of from Type A Mom’s Trusted Tips. I’m here to help and have so much to say, so any requests for what is most helpful are welcome!
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A heartfelt thanks for subscribing to, and reading, Type A Mom’s Trusted Tips. 50 posts in and I can’t wait to keep going - THANK YOU!
Every summer I pack up my three kids (ages 5, 9, 11) and we move out of Los Angeles to spend their school break away from the city and in the mountains. My 3 kids spend their summer in more nature, and with more freedom, than they do while living in Los Angeles. And, they rarely have to be in a car for longer than 10 minutes a day… We are so grateful that we can do this, and look forward to this special time every year!
After doing this move for many summers, I realized that what I essentially do for my family is what a movie set calls a “Company Move.” A “Company Move” means that the entire production is moving to a new location, and it needs to bring everything with it. So, if the movie was shooting on a soundstage for a month but then the next month of shooting is on location in a neighborhood at a house, then once the soundstage month is completed the production starts right away at the house location.
Time is money while making a movie, which means there isn’t time to waste waiting for the next set to be set up once you’ve completed work at the first set. So, while the cast and crew are filming at the soundstage, an entire other part of the production is setting up the new location to make sure no time is lost during the Company Move. The soundstage location will wrap one day, and then the next day the cast and crew will report to the house location and will begin shooting the movie again that day.
Getting the next location set up is a huge logistical feat! The set must be ready for all the cast and crew departments to start their jobs immediately upon arrival – departments like lighting, camera, sound, wardrobe, catering, medic, hair & makeup, transportation, etc. They all have very specific, and differing, needs that must be met in order to hit the ground running on that first day on the new set – organizing and executing what must be done for all those departments to be successful at the new location is a lot of work!
When we travel somewhere for an extended amount of time (about 5 or more days) thinking about what we’ll need immediately upon arrival, and organizing it all, is also a lot of work! So thinking about the entire process as a “Company Move” for my family has been really helpful for me to put it into perspective and realize that all the prep work I do is to help us take advantage of every moment of the trip as best we can – which is definitely my goal! I don’t want to spend the entire first day of the trip setting things up and wondering where I’m going to find everything I need – I want us all to jump right in to whatever trip we’re on and start enjoying it!
Knowing that we’re all in the middle of summer break, and that many of you are also traveling somewhere with your kids for a longer amount of time than just a quick trip to a hotel, I thought I’d share my prep checklist for when we travel and do an extended stay in a home/Airbnb/VRBO. Hope these ideas help you hit the ground running on your next trip!
Top Tips for a Smooth “Company Move”
COMMUNICATION
When we stay somewhere other than a hotel, I make sure I know all of this before we travel so I know what to do when we encounter hiccups!
How to Access Keys: if it’s a lockbox, what do I do if I can’t open it!
Best Transportation at Location: Uber, Rental Car, Subway, Bus
Wi-Fi: is there a code
Printer: is there one (if we need it for work)
Maintenance Issues: what number do I call
Housekeeping/Supply Needs: what number do I call
Heating/AC: how does it work
TYPE A MOM TIP: Print all of this information on one sheet of paper before you travel so if your phone dies, you have access to it!
PHYSICALLY SET UP THE SPACE
Each stage of childhood has specific needs for a place to be comfortable for kids and for parents! Check if each of these items is at the home, and if not, then make a plan for how you’ll find them:
Beds: rent or bring a crib from home (this is my fave travel crib - light, easy to store, and lasted through all 3 kids)
Highchairs: rent or bring a countertop attachment from home (I loved this one - easy to clean, easy to store, and simple to set up)
Baby Gates: rent or ask the rental place to provide them
Bathtub: rent or bring an inflatable one to put on the floor of a shower (I used this inflatable tub all the time)
Stroller: if it’s an outdoorsy area I like bringing a hiking stroller (this all-terrain stroller is the best one by far - great on trails and in snow)
TYPE A MOM TIP: If you need to rent items, I’ve had great luck with googling “baby equipment rental” with the zip code where we’re staying – be sure to do this at least a month ahead of time to get the equipment you want!
SHIP AHEAD
One of the best ways to get set up immediately is to pre-order items and have them shipped directly to the vacation home so that they arrive the day of your arrival. I order from Thrive Market, Amazon/Target, and Costco. This is what I order from each place:
Thrive Market: Finding the food your kids like and is easy for you to cook can be challenging in a new place. For that reason, a week ahead of time I always order a few pantry and frozen food favorites from Thrive Market so I can have it when we arrive and not have to scramble and go to the market right away! The yearly fee to use Thrive Market is worth it - the groceries are discounted and they offer the brand names we all know and love, so I always find items we love and that are a good deal! I make sure I have a quick meal/heavy snack for us if we’re arriving in the evening, and something for breakfast the next morning – Hangry Kids (and parents) do not make for a fun first day of vacation!
Oatmeal: I make this with water if I don’t have time to get to the market to grab milk before the first morning!
Frozen Breakfast: sausages, pancake bites, and egg frittatas are so easy for me to make for the kids, and the kids have had these exact ones before so I know they’ll eat them!
Pancake and Muffin Mix: again, easy for me to put together and know that the kids like to eat it!
Syrup: they offer the right size for a short trip
Dried Fruit: great snacks for us all
Favorite Chips: this is for me to keep me sane😉
Healthy Ramen Bowls: delicious quick warm dinner if it’s a late arrival (and something we don’t eat often so my kids are excited to have this!)
Granola Bars: easy snack to grab and run out the door to explore the area right away
Pasta and Pasta Sauce: basic and it works!
Soup: simple to heat up and serve!
Amazon/Target: Ordering these basics has been so helpful to us on every trip! What we need for each stage of childhood has changed, but over the years these items have been most helpful:
Diapers & Wipes: why pack these when you can have them sent directly to your location!
Duplos: when my kids were young and we’d visit family, this was important for keeping them occupied – especially for my oldest son because he was the first grandchild on both sides so there weren’t toys ready to use when we’d arrive
Color Wonder: these markers that only work on special paper were amazing when my kids were super young
Road Tape & Hot Wheels: so simple but kept my kids busy for hours
Clothes: packing up my kids usually highlights what they’ve outgrown! This summer I ordered t-shirts for my N(11) and shorts for my daughter C(9) from Target that were delivered to our place because when I was packing I realized they’d outgrown those items!
Water Balloons: fun for summer days!
Costco: If the stay is longer stay than a week, I know I’ll need certain cleaning supplies and some bulk food basics I’ll order from Costco. Items like:
Laundry Detergent
Dishwasher Soap
Paper Towels
Toilet Paper
Kitchen Trash Bags
Cereal
Rice
TYPE A MOM TIP: Be sure to confirm the exact shipping address that the carrier needs in order to deliver it so there are no delays!
LOCAL ACTIVITIES
One of the best parts of travel (especially extended stays) is getting to explore local activities and attend local events with your kids. In the weeks before you leave, follow these on Instagram and/or look at their sites for different ideas (many of which will be free!):
Local Rec Centers
Local Parks Department
Local YMCAs: they often offer day passes, have pools, have kid day care while you work out, and offer camps
Local Museums
Local Libraries: there are usually free story time sessions and activities for kids
Local Art Studios: they often have open studio times
Preschools and Elementary Schools: check what camp offerings there are
Local Resorts/Hotels: follow their events page
TYPE A MOM TIP: The further ahead of the trip you research what these places offer the more likely it is that you will be able to find a spot for your kid (and you) to participate!
CAMPS & LESSONS & GEAR
If we’re traveling during a busy time (like summer or winter break) then I always reach out ahead of time to book activities and gear for my kids. These activities differ for each trip and age of the kid, but some of the ones I like to book ahead (and need to book ahead to guarantee we get to do it) are:
Ski Lessons
Tennis Lessons
Day Care
Day Camp
Ski Rentals
Bike Rentals
River Rafting Day Trip
SET UP PARENT FUN
This is usually the last thing I think about, but it is often what makes the trip go the smoothest since when my husband and I take time for ourselves, we have more energy (and bandwidth) to show up for our kids😊
Babysitters: we set these up ahead of time for a couple of nights, and a couple of 4-hour daytime chunks – this means we can go out to dinner and we can do a day activity too!
If you’ve traveled to this place in the past, contact sitters you’ve liked. If not then we either reach out to friends who live there for ideas, google nanny agencies, or call a hotel and see if they have ideas
Friends: before I arrive I reach out to friends who live there/will be there at the same time and set up time to see them – that way I won’t miss them while they’re there which would be super frustrating!
TYPE A MOM TIP: Create a note in your iPhone with a title like “out-of-town sitters” – every time you like a sitter while on a trip, add their info (location, name, phone, rate) into your iPhone’s notes app
HOLIDAYS
If we’re traveling during a holiday, I consider:
Special Food: order birthday cakes ahead of time
Decorations: pack a few mementos from home to continue family traditions and make it feel like that specific holiday
Gifts: Christmas and birthdays are something where I’ll ship gifts ahead of time (with plenty of time in case of shipping delays) so I can be sure to give my kids a gift I know they’ll want!
MEDICAL
Kids get sick anywhere! So, consider prepping for that by:
Packing Medicine: pack prescription meds (like EpiPen) and what over-the-counter meds they’ll actually take if they get sick (over spring break I found out the hard way that I shouldn’t expect a local pharmacy to have what my kids are used to taking!)
Pack a Thermometer
Find Out the Location & Hours of the Nearest Urgent Care
Applying the idea that we are doing a “Company Move” as a family when we take an extended trip has helped us make the most of our vacation! It also stops me from getting frustrated that we missed doing something we wished we’d known about ahead of time, from getting bored because we need more to do, and from getting uncomfortable by something that could have been prevented.
I hope these ideas can help you also make the most of your travels with your family!
❤️, Amanda, your Type A Mom Friend
For more info on traveling with kids, check out these related articles:
Packing for Travel With Your Kids