Family road trip mistakes from the dad who drove 30,000 miles

When the kids were young, Taylor said they packed too much for trips.

When packing for a trip with the kids, Taylor said not to overdo it.

“A lot of people love to have that point of view about you, you can’t be too prepared, but you can be too prepared,” Taylor told Business Insider. “When we first started traveling with two kids, we made sure to bring the whole house.”

Taylor said the family used to load up the car with various toys and stuffed animals, which made their car more crowded and trips more stressful.

“When you have so much stuff in your vehicle on a road trip that you can’t be comfortable, it’s just not worth it,” he said. “For me, keeping things clean is how I manage my stress levels.”

After all, when traveling with babies and toddlers, Taylor said there’s already more to pack.

“You already have gear you need to travel with — car seats, booster seats, a diaper bag and a pop-up pack-and-play,” he said. “Bringing so many toys just doesn’t help anyone.”

He added that leaving the toys at home made Taylor’s children more content to look out the window during long car rides.

“I’ve definitely learned over the years how much less stress it is when you’re not worried about either forgetting something at home or having a dirty vehicle,” he said.