☀️ travel hacks that saved our sanity (and made it fun)

We just got back from a trip with all four kids— it was pure magic. No one got left at a rest stop, no iPads died mid-road trip, and I got to finish one whole book. Witchcraft, honestly.

So, today’s Monday Motivator is for anyone planning a summer trip with kids (or adults, really). Here are the travel hacks that kept things fun, flexible, and meltdown-free:

🎯 Hack 1: One Bucket List Item Per Person
Before the trip, everyone picked their one absolute must-do activity. That way, no one ends the trip saying, “Ohhh we should’ve…” Nope. We planned for it, and we made it happen.

✨ Hack 2: Rest Day, Activity Day
We learned this at Disney: it’s not just about pacing—it's about momentum. We alternate: one big activity day, one low-key day. It’s the rhythm that keeps everyone regulated. Play hard, rest hard.

💵 Hack 3: Souvenir Budget
Each kid got $25 for the whole trip. Spend it on a t-shirt? Go for it. Order a soda at dinner instead of water? Sure. One of my kids saved it all and pocketed the cash like a tiny Warren Buffett. (I was that kid. Still am.)

🚶‍♀️ Hack 4: Step Counter “Game”
Tell the kids, “We’re going for 10K steps today!” Suddenly, it’s not “My legs are tiredddd,” it’s, “How many do we have so far?!” Bonus: I make it a fake game show. Cover the watch and yell, “GUESS. THOSE. STEPSSSS!” It’s ridiculous. It’s magical. It works.

📸 Hack 5: Order the Photo Book Before You’re Home
Don’t wait. You’ll never be more excited about your photos than right now. And there's almost always some form of waiting to get back home. Use that airport delay time or road trip lull to upload to Chatbooks (lets you create it straight from your phone) and order the memory book. One less thing to put on your to-do list once real life kicks back in.

🏡 Hack 6: Schedule a “Transition Day”
If you can, plan one extra day off before diving back into work or school. Do the laundry, buy the groceries, peek at the calendar. Bonus: order groceries on the flight home. My coaching clients and I call it a “reset ritual”—it marks the shift from vacation eating habits to “home base” habits. Bonus: Day 1 back doesn’t feel like chaos in a carry-on.

You can have a great trip and a great re-entry.

You just need a few intentional choices—and maybe a fake game show or two.

Let me know if you use any of these hacks on your summer adventures!

And if you have a travel hack that’s pure genius, hit reply. I’d love to hear it.

—Katie Day

"She laughs at how easy to please she is." - Julia Cameron, The Artist's Way
(Location: Seven Magic Mountains near Las Vegas)

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Current Read:

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. Just finished the book and just started the commitment! It is a 12-week reset for your creative self—whether you’re a painter, a writer, or just someone who feels like their spark’s gone missing under a pile of laundry. The two main tools are Morning Pages (three pages of brain-dump writing every morning) and Artist Dates (weekly solo adventures to refill your creative tank). It’s basically creative therapy disguised as a workbook, and yes, it’s weirdly magical.