Any tips to stay organized?

[lds26]

Hello everyone, Im just full of questions since this will be our first family cruise. I am wondering since I am travelling with 3 boys who are usually disorganized at home. How will I keep them organized onboard. I know that the cabins are small and there arent much room to lose things but I dont want to have things all over. What do you all use to keep things orderly ie: dirty clothes, shoes, hats, toys. I want to make sure that we have everything planned before we go. Has anyone used an over the door shoe holder to keep things organized?

[PAMWANTSTOCRUISE]

I've taken a shoe organizer on all my cruises. It's sometimes "interesting" getting it to fit on a door but we always manage. I think the last time we put in on a closet door instead of the bathroom door. We store everything from sunscreen, sunglasses, medicines, hair products, brushes, barrettes, toothbrushes, toothpaste, disposable cameras, deodorant, goggles, waterproof pouches, flip flops, change, small toys. Otherwise everything ends up spread out all over the cabin.

 

I also take one of those multi-pocketed file folders for my papers. Reservation information, photos purchased on board, daily capers, receipts, etc. Otherwise that stuff ends up in "my" drawer and is a mess by the end of the cruise.

[Terpnut]

Hello everyone, Im just full of questions since this will be our first family cruise. I am wondering since I am travelling with 3 boys who are usually disorganized at home. How will I keep them organized onboard. I know that the cabins are small and there arent much room to lose things but I dont want to have things all over. What do you all use to keep things orderly ie: dirty clothes, shoes, hats, toys. I want to make sure that we have everything planned before we go. Has anyone used an over the door shoe holder to keep things organized?

You don't say how old your boys are, but to the extent that they will actually listen to you, we have had luck with:

 

- All luggage goes under the bed and/or in the closet

- Shoes also go in either the closet or under the bed--their choice.

- Pop-up hamper: all dirty clothes go here

- Dresser and nightstand drawers (there are not many!): each kid gets one or two drawers, put clean or once-worn clothes, and other "stuff" here

- Sofa: my kids use this for piling and sorting once-used clothes, swimsuits and/or pool towels because they never actually sit on it.

- Bathroom: kids don't have much so the vanity and medicine cabinets offer ample storage. As long as they can find their own toothbrush, I don't care what they do here. :)

 

Good luck!

[martinchem]

Good Luck!

[Onessa]

Even for older kids, packing whole outfits in separate large zipper-lock plastic bags really helps (the older the kid, the larger the bag). Another bag with extra underwear, a second with one or two extra shirts, and a third with extra "other stuff". Then a hard-and-fast rule that outfits STAY TOGETHER -- no pulling stuff out of another outfit's bag. All dirty clothes go into the hamper.

 

That leaves you with "only" pjs, dress-up clothes and swimming suits to stay organized in the clothes department.

 

As others have said "good luck"! :)

[lds26]

Even for older kids, packing whole outfits in separate large zipper-lock plastic bags really helps (the older the kid, the larger the bag). Another bag with extra underwear, a second with one or two extra shirts, and a third with extra "other stuff". Then a hard-and-fast rule that outfits STAY TOGETHER -- no pulling stuff out of another outfit's bag. All dirty clothes go into the hamper.

 

That leaves you with "only" pjs, dress-up clothes and swimming suits to stay organized in the clothes department.

 

As others have said "good luck"! :)

 

wow I have been given so many wonderful tips for helping my poor husband stay organized in "his" room. I will be in the next room but want to help him to keep the boys in check. This tip of the ziplock bag is great I think it will help him to be able to dress the boys in the morning and make sure that they dont have things all mismatched and all over their drawers. I am really glad that I posted this question. Thank you all so much!

[crusinmama06]

I always grab the plastic laundry bag in the closet that is suppose to be used for sending laundry out to the service. I use that bag to keep all of our dirty clothes in it. And I keep that in the closet. So when the kids take their clothes off it goes in there.

 

And then at the end of the vacation, that bag goes right into the suitcase. :D Then right into my laundry room at home.

[Julienatul]

We have a few pop-up collapsible hampers we bring . We got them at Walgreens 2/$3 and they fit nice in the zippered side of the suitcase. Great for toys, clothes etc. Get one for each child and keep his/her stuff in it in the cabin

[audraz2]

I always bring that 7 day outfit organizer that hangs in the closet to sort the childrens clothes. It folds up nice and my husband and I have the drawers to ourselves. We also have a pop up hamper for dirty clothes and for the toys they only bring what can fit in a backpack.

[lds26]

I always bring that 7 day outfit organizer that hangs in the closet to sort the childrens clothes. It folds up nice and my husband and I have the drawers to ourselves. We also have a pop up hamper for dirty clothes and for the toys they only bring what can fit in a backpack.

 

I have never heard of a 7 day outfit organizer. Can anyone enlighten me on where we get one of those???

[Roadtripster]

I have never heard of a 7 day outfit organizer. Can anyone enlighten me on where we get one of those???

 

You can find them just about anywhere. Online, the toy store, wally world, etc....

 

Here is something similar.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Kangaroom-5-Shelf-Kids-Clothes-Organizer/dp/B000RA11GU

[lds26]

You can find them just about anywhere. Online, the toy store, wally world, etc....

 

Here is something similar.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Kangaroom-5-Shelf-Kids-Clothes-Organizer/dp/B000RA11GU

 

Oh thank you so much for the link. Now I understand what that is. I am thinking that this will be a wonderful item to take along. Oh my gosh with all this wonderful input I know that we should be well organized! You all rock!!!!!!

[sysguy]

I agree with everything that's been said so far!

I, actually, bring 2 over the door hangers, 1 for inside the bathroom door for meds, hair care stuff, face creams etc..(I don't like to keep anything on the counter except toothbrushes and those are all in one with the toothpaste inside the handle so no little monkeys getting toothpaste everywhere!!:D)

and 1 for outside the bathroom door with sunscreen, sunglasses etc.. stuff we need to get at daily.

I take suction hooks to put on the large expanse of mirror (!) for the sign & sail cards so everyone always knows where they are!! The kidlets goggles usually end up on a hook as well.

I also take a 7 day organizer that hangs in the closet-I put the all the underwear, bathing suits and small stuff in there with each family member getting a shelf!!

I'm sounding a bit anal here, aren't I? Hey, I do what I need to to keep us clutter-free in such a small space.:)

A pop-up hamper for sure, usually goes in the closet. I take a small dollar store bathroom basket to suction to the shower wall to hold my razor and hair stuff.

It sounds like heaps of stuff but it really takes very little space or weight (we fly from Canada) and is worth it when we have a nice organized room every day, which I'm sure our steward appreciates!!:D

Have a marvelous time!!

Cindra

[lds26]

I agree with everything that's been said so far!

I, actually, bring 2 over the door hangers, 1 for inside the bathroom door for meds, hair care stuff, face creams etc..(I don't like to keep anything on the counter except toothbrushes and those are all in one with the toothpaste inside the handle so no little monkeys getting toothpaste everywhere!!:D)

and 1 for outside the bathroom door with sunscreen, sunglasses etc.. stuff we need to get at daily.

I take suction hooks to put on the large expanse of mirror (!) for the sign & sail cards so everyone always knows where they are!! The kidlets goggles usually end up on a hook as well.

I also take a 7 day organizer that hangs in the closet-I put the all the underwear, bathing suits and small stuff in there with each family member getting a shelf!!

I'm sounding a bit anal here, aren't I? Hey, I do what I need to to keep us clutter-free in such a small space.:)

A pop-up hamper for sure, usually goes in the closet. I take a small dollar store bathroom basket to suction to the shower wall to hold my razor and hair stuff.

It sounds like heaps of stuff but it really takes very little space or weight (we fly from Canada) and is worth it when we have a nice organized room every day, which I'm sure our steward appreciates!!:D

Have a marvelous time!!

Cindra

 

Welcome fellow Canuck!!!! I appreciate all your tips and I know that I will be using them. The hooks on the mirror sound good. We also will be flying a long way and have to make sure we are able to fit everything in our suitcases to come back LOL.

[Roadtripster]

I never thought of the shower basket suction cup holder. Great idea.

 

Does it stick really well in the shower? I am wondering what the shower walls are made of. I can't remember. Wondering if it will suction to it.

[sysguy]

"Does it stick really well in the shower? I am wondering what the shower walls are made of. I can't remember. Wondering if it will suction to it. "

 

Sticks great! Walls are tile, I think, and mine has never fallen off on any of our cruises.:D

 

Cindra

[Paumavista]

Yes....we always take the shoe organizer...and with 4 to a cabin it's a necessity!!......works wonderfully to just keep all the clutter under control. Recommended here at CC and used on every cruise.

 

Judy

[crzgrl66]

Even for older kids, packing whole outfits in separate large zipper-lock plastic bags really helps (the older the kid, the larger the bag). Another bag with extra underwear, a second with one or two extra shirts, and a third with extra "other stuff". Then a hard-and-fast rule that outfits STAY TOGETHER -- no pulling stuff out of another outfit's bag. All dirty clothes go into the hamper.

 

That leaves you with "only" pjs, dress-up clothes and swimming suits to stay organized in the clothes department.

 

As others have said "good luck"! :)

 

The ziplock bags worked great for us with 3 boys 14,8,&5. We had a big collapsable hamper and half way through the trip I transferred all the dirty clothes into one of the suitcases under the bed. We brought stick up hooks and hung their swim trunks in the bathroom. Hook for keycards on lanyards...nothing worse than being ready to leave and not able to find your key. Shoe organizer as many others have said.

 

Have a great time!

[bankerbabe]

We just got back from our 5th cruise, 1st with the kids. These are the things that helped us stay organized:

 

--Over the door shoe organizer. Can't recommend it enough. We used it to hold anything small enough to fit in its pockets, so that we could cut down on the clutter. We've never needed one for inside the bathroom, since there always seems to be enough shelf space for our things.

 

--Hanging toiletry bags. These we do put inside the bathroom, and they are great for organizing your bathroom stuff. My husband and I each have one that we use anytime we travel.

 

--I bought small (about 12"x18") mesh bags at the dollar store for use in the shower. Because my 8 year old DD still likes to use tear-free shampoo, I have to bring my own special shampoo for my long hair, my 13 year old DS likes his Axe shampoo/conditioner, and Dad has his own set of in-shower stuff these came in really handy. We each put our stuff in our bag along with a shower scrubbie (hate wash cloths) and hung them from the faucet. Worked great, and we weren't tripping over bottles of shampoo in the tiny, shelfless shower.

 

--Definitely bring a pop-up hamper. I stuck mine in the closet under some shorter clothes (DD's dresses and DS's shirts) so that it wouldn't take up any valuable real estate elsewhere.

 

--Bring a fold-up duffel bag. I have one that folds flat and zips into itself, but when expanded is quite large. At the end of the cruise we dumped our dirty clothes into it and gladly paid the $25 to check it for the return flight home. It left more room for our newly-purchased bottles of booze in the regular, sturdier suitcases.

 

--Although I really like the idea of the suction cup hooks to keep the key card/lanyards organized, I prefer to hang them on the door knob so that I don't forget them on my way out.

 

--And finally, ziploc bags are your friend. I use them to pack and keep like items together, i.e. socks, underwear, bras. I use them when I pack my daughter's sparkly formal-night dresses so that the sparklies don't wind up all over everything in the cabin. They are great for wet swimsuits. They are great for anything liquid, just to be sure that nothing spills all over the inside of your bag. You really can't bring too many ziploc bags.

 

--Oh, and one more thing: I brought a three ring binder that zips closed around the outisde and used that to store any paperwork that I wanted to keep. I also used it for my trip planner, with copies of all reservations, coupons, you name it organized inside. (This was essential since we were doing a two-city land vacation with multiple car rentals and an extra one-way flight in the middle prior to the cruise.)