Orderly Guest Rooms Make Better Disney Vacations!

Vacations are supposed to be relaxing, but who can relax when you feel like you’re returning to a pig sty every evening. Even if your house is immaculate with Marie Kondo style organization, its still very easy to let your home base become a total disaster while you’re on vacation. At home, you have systems and dedicated spaces for everything. There are rules and everyone has responsibilities that keep the chaos in check. But on vacation, it’s often a free for all. With a little bit of planning and a commitment of just a few minutes each day, you can avoid the clutter and anxiety we have all experienced on vacation. Commit to an organized Disney guest room!

Make Your Bed Daily

Whether its Mouskeeping or you (if you’ve declined Mousekeeping), make sure it gets done every single morning. Trust me, a freshly made bed will impact your mood and attitude. It sets the tone for tidiness around the entire room or suite. If your room has a pullout bed or a murphy bed, make sure its fully made and put away. The extra space will also have an impact on you as you go about your day.

On a side note, I personally recommend declining Mousekeeping during check in. I’d rather not have a stranger in my room for a number of reasons, plus they offer me a gift card to decline Mousekeeping! Also, there’s been more than one day at Disney where I returned to my room mid-afternoon and Mousekeeping had not yet been there. Its very frustrating to return to a room expecting a shower and a nap only to realize there’s no towels and my bed is not made!

RELATED: Tips & Tricks for a Germ Free Disney Vacation

Bring Storage Containers With You

Make sure you pack a few compact items to help you keep yourself organized. You could also have Amazon deliver any of these items directly to your resort if you don’t already have these on hand. My favorite items include:

• Collapsible boxes – Perfect for the bathroom sink to keep things tidy, or place next to the door for your phone, keys, magic bands, sunglasses, etc.
• Over the Door Shoe Rack – A really nice option to hold odds & ends.
• Hanging Toiletry Bag – Bathroom storage is limited. A toiletry bag you can hang over the shower curtain rod is really nice. Plus you don’t really have to unpack any toiletries. Just use them right out of the bag!
• Hanging Shelf – Drawer space is limited. A fabric hanging shelf offers plenty of storage in an otherwise wasted space. Bonus tip: Have a designated shelf for items that will be re-worn so they don’t end up on the floor or in a chair.
• Pop-Up Laundry Hamper – A collapsible laundry hamper is a must. If you want a tidy room, dirty clothes need a dedicated space.
• Drawstring Bags – Having a drawstring bag for each person is handy. Everyone can keep their personal items together. If your little one needs goggles or floaties for the pool, this is a perfect place to keep those items.
• Command Hooks – Trust me, there’s never enough hooks to hang towels, swim suits, bags, etc. Bring a box of 3M Command Hooks.

Fully Unpack, or Don’t Unpack at All

Some people like to live out of suitcases during vacation, and that’s cool if you can keep your things organized. I usually don’t unpack if I’m only staying two nights. But any longer than that and I really need dedicated spaces for items, otherwise I just rummage through everything looking for one particular item multiple times a day. How annoying. Whatever your preference, commit to it. Either fully unpack, or don’t unpack at all. Don’t half-unpack. You’ll end up with a mess, not an organized guest room.

Find a Spot For Essentials

One of the most important things to keep organized are your park essentials, like magic bands, sunglasses, wallets, etc. Have dedicated spot for these items and make sure everyone in your party is on board. There’s nothing worse than searching for a magic band when you’re trying to get to the park for rope drop.

Keep Electronics Organized

One of my biggest pet peeves is cord chaos. We have so many electronics, many with different chargers, that we have to lug around. Taming the electronics will help you feel more organized overall. I recommend doing three easy things:

• Bring a USB Hub – Its so nice not to have to carry around a bunch of bricks. You can just bring the cables.
• Bring a Power Strip – A power strip will enable you to keep all electronics in a single space. You wont have to use all the outlets throughout the room, especially those lurking in inconvenience spaces
• Label & Number Cords – Avoid the frustration of figuring out which cord is which, and how many cords you are missing. Label and number them using colorful labels like the ones linked here, or plain old masking tape works too!

Ask Mousekeeping for Extra Hangers & Towels

Don’t pack extra hangers. Contact Mousekeeping as soon as you arrive and ask for more. They will gladly oblige. While you’re at it, ask for extra towels. Having two per person is ideal. Don’t forget to hang up your towels to reuse them (on your command hooks perhaps!). Its eco-friendly, keeps your guest room organized, and allows you to pass on Mousekeeping for that free gift card!

Everything Needs Dedicated Space

The key to avoiding clutter and chaos is to assign everything its own dedicated space. Take the time to organize your clothes and belongings as you unpack. Encourage your family to help find the right place for their items. Utilize the storage containers you brought along. Maybe even bring a roll of masking tape and marker to label storage spaces.

Each Person Has Assigned Jobs

Make each person responsible for doing their part to keep the clutter at bay. Before you arrive, discuss the daily responsibilities. For example, each person should be responsible for placing their essentials (especially magic bands)  in the dedicated space. They should also be responsible for hanging up their own towels, placing their shoes in the right space, putting their dirty clothes in the hamper, etc. In addition, you can assign a larger task to each person that will help the whole family. For example, Mom might be responsible for packing the daily park bag. Dad might be responsible for making the beds. Your big kid could keep the snacks organized and the fridge stocked with drinks. Your little could be responsible for wiping down the sink and bath area daily. Keep everyone engaged in the larger goal of having a tidy and organized guest room.

I know it seems like a total drag to have to clean on vacation. But, I can assure you, the few minutes it takes to plan and execute an organization plan is totally worth it. You’ll find yourself with less frustration and anxiety, especially when its time to pack up and go home.

What are some of your cleaning and organization tips while on vacation? Are there other products or methods that work really well for your family? Please share in the comments!

---