Don’t Leave Home Without These Smart Packing Hacks

When you have kids, you always want to be prepared for anything that could happen — especially when they have asthma. The Philips InnoSpire Go portable mesh nebulizer can offer your child treatment in under five minutes, so they can get back to doing what they do best: being a kid. It’s simple enough for your child to use it on their own, so you can pack it in their bag and send them off to school worry-free.

We partnered with Philips to show you how easy it is to manage your child’s asthma and everyday needs while still being on-the-go. From putting together your own sports kit, to packing the essentials in your child’s after school bag, you’ll be prepared for anything. Check out our hacks below so you can see how easy it is to make things like homemade cough pops, Aloe Vera sunburn gel, and hand sanitizer.

Mom’s Sports Kit: Ginger Cough Pops

Materials:

• 1 tbsp ginger
• Fork
• Small pot
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup water
• 2 tbsp honey
• Half a lemon
• Candy thermometer

Instructions:

1. Shred some ginger with a fork and scoop out one tablespoon of ginger.
2. In a pot of boiling water, add ginger, sugar, honey, and lemon. Stir and let boil.
3. Once the concoction thickens, check the temperature of the candy. Stir occasionally to prevent overflow.
4. Use a candy thermometer to check the temperature of the candy. Once it reaches 300-310°F, turn off the heat and let cool.
5. Take a spoonful of the candy and put a dollop of it on top of parchment paper. Add a lollipop skewer and let the candy solidify.
6. Put the candy in a plastic wrapper and secure it with a ribbon!

Mom’s Sports Kit: Aloe Vera Sunburn Gel

Materials:

• Fresh Aloe Vera leaf
• Knife
• Small container

Instructions:

1. Cut up an Aloe vera leaf on the sides and take out the Aloe Vera gel.
2. Put small pieces of the Aloe Vera gel in a container and label it “sunburn gel.”
3. Fresh Aloe vera aids the skin in healing sunburns. It also helps to moisturize the skin and is naturally soothing to the touch.
4. Fresh Aloe vera gel can be stored in the fridge for up to 10 days.

Mom’s Sports Kit: Natural Hand Sanitizer 

Materials:

• 1 tbsp Aloe vera gel
• 1 cup witch hazel
• 15-20 drops of tea tree oil
• Funnel
• Hand sanitizer container with pump

Instructions:

1. In a container, add Aloe vera gel, witch hazel, and tea tree oil. Shake to mix thoroughly.

Witch hazel is rich in tannins, a natural plant compound with powerful antioxidant properties that can help protect the skin from damage. Tea tree oil contains a number of compounds, including terpinen-4-ol, that have been shown to kill certain bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Always check with a doctor or healthcare provider before using essential oils, especially on children or if you have a medical condition.

Kid’s After School Bag: Dance Clothes

Materials:

• Leotard
• Tights
• Leg warmers

Instructions:

1. Place a leotard, facing up, on a flat surface.
2. Fold a pair of tights in half lengthwise, then place them on top of the middle of the leotard.
3. Place leg warmers horizontally on towards the bottom of the leotard, with a little bit of each warmer sticking out on both sides.
4. Fold the bottom flap of the leotard over all three items, and roll this flap over and over until a log is formed.
5. To finish, take the exposed part of both leg warmers and use them to wrap around both sides of the log so that it is fully secured.

Kid’s After School Bag: Hair Kit

Materials:

• Metal mint tin
• Sticky magnetic strips (x3)
• Bobby pins
• Hair clips
• Hair ties
• Barrettes
• “Hair Kit” sticker

Instructions:

1. Open the lid of a metal mint tin, and stick two magnetic strips horizontally and evenly spaced on the inside of the lid and the last strip horizontally on the inside of the tin.
2. Now, organize your bobby pins, hair clips, barrettes, and hair ties for easy access.

Kid’s After School Bag: Shoe Cover

Materials:

• Plastic shower cap
• Ballet slippers
• Kids backpack

Instructions:

1. Place a shower cap upside down on a flat surface.
2. Insert ballet slippers (or any other kind of shoes) inside, so that the dirty bottoms of the shoes are fully protected by the plastic.
3. Lastly, along with the roll of dance clothes and hair kit, place the covered shoes inside your child’s backpack, giving them everything they need to participate in their after school activities.

Ouch Kit

Materials:

• Kitchen knife
• Empty toilet paper rolls (x3)
• White acrylic paint
• Paintbrush
• Hot glue gun
• Glue gun sticks
• Empty baby wipes box
• First aid items
• Package of baby wipes
• “Ouch Kit” Sticker (optional)

Instructions:

1. Place an empty toilet roll down and cut it in half vertically with a kitchen knife. Do this to all three rolls.
2. Take three half rolls and place them next to each other so they are touching lengthwise. Add hot glue to the places where they touch to form a “tray”. Do the same to the other three half rolls. Then paint both trays completely white with acrylic paint.
3. Take off the lid of an empty box of baby wipes, then place the first tray down inside of the box. Fill this row with first aid items, such as anti-inflammatory medications, antibiotic ointment, and bandages. Place the second tray on top of the first tray, and fill with other first aid items, such as a thermometer, ibuprofen, and more.
4. Peel the plastic flip-top off of a package of wipes, and then use the remaining adhesive on the package to stick it to the bottom of the top of the box of baby wipes. Then place this lid back on the box.
5. Finally, put an “Ouch Kit” sticker on the top of the box.

Car Trunk Organizer

Materials:

• 24-pockets Over-the-Door Shoe Organizer
• Scissors
• Grommet
• Grommet eyelet tool
• Zip ties

Instructions:

1. Lay the shoe organizer on a flat surface. Cut the organizer horizontally in the halfway point of the organizer, leaving 12 pockets on top and 12 pockets on the bottom.
2. On the bottom half of the organizer, use a grommet and grommet tool to punch a hole into the organizer. Punch 4 holes, one per pocket.
3. In the back of the car, attach the shoe organizer by hooking the zip tie to the headrest of the backseat. Attach the zip ties so the organizer is hanging securely in the back of the van.
4. Store anything from lotion, hand sanitizer, and sunblock to wet wipes, toys, and extra clothes for yourself or for your little ones.

This car trunk organizer can help keep the back of your car clean and organized.