Spring Break Must-Haves

If winter seems to be lingering a bit where you are and you find yourself asking, “how many days till spring break?” it may be the perfect time to change up your look or style before vacation begins.

Whether that means a fresh, flirty cut or some sassy color, changing up your hair is a great way to get you in a spring break state of mind. If you wear natural hair, consider a protective style like box braids or goddess locs. If you’re trying to grow your hair out or would rather not cut it, try experimenting with fun up-dos for vacation. You might want to weave a colorful scarf into your braid or stylishly protect your scalp from the sun’s rays with a scarf headwrap.

Another fun way to express yourself is with nail polish. Try a new-to-you color or opt for a DIY manicure. Press-on nails really come a long way in recent years, so switch things up with spring break nails in a variety of fun colors, or use nail decals to accentuate your style.

More from Mom.com: 11 Ways You Can Practice Self-Care This Spring

As you begin to gather outfits and accessories for spring break, don’t forget to take stock of your luggage and other packing supplies. Keep clothes organized with some of these spring break must haves that make packing a breeze.

Travel vacuum bags
If you’re looking to save space, travel vacuum bags will compact everything in your luggage, especially if you’ve have multiple children and don’t want to bring a separate suitcase for each child.

Packing cubes
Erin, a single mom of twin boys and a Canadian travel blogger, swears by packing cubes when she travels. “We use different colored packing cubes for each person, so if I need a piece of clothing for one kid, I can reach in the bag and grab his packing cube out without rummaging through everything that’s packed inside,” she wrote on her blog, Wanderlust With Kids.

Electronics organizer case
While the point of a spring break vacation is to get away from it all, there will inevitably be some downtime. If you’re packing tablets and other devices for yourself and the family, don’t forget the chargers. An electronics organizer keeps everything in one place so you’re not scrambling to try and get everyone plugged in at the last minute.

Travel jewelry organizer
It’s no fun losing a necklace or ring in the abyss of suitcase compartments. A compact jewelry organizer keeps all of your items coralled and easily accessible.

When it comes to spring break must haves, the following items will ensure you have everything you need and not running to the local big box store once you arrive at your destination.

• Sunhat with UPF protection
• UV protection poloraized sunglesses
• Swimsuit and rashguard
• Beach coverup
• Roomy canvas tote bag
• Sunscreen and lip balm
• Travel first-aid kit

You’ll look effortlessly chic no matter where you go when you pack wrinkle-free clothing, and the last thing you want to do on vacation is lug out the hotel ironing board.

A wrinkle-free jumpsuit or maxi dress can go from perusing shops to dinner with fun accessories. Linen clothing will wrinkle quickly wile traveling, so instead opt for nylon, spandex or rayon. Loose and flowy is best, especially if you’re traveling someplace warm.

If you prefer wearing linen to the feel of synthetic materials, you can always pack a travel steamer in your luggage. And, for best results, try not to live out of your suitcase. Once you arrive at your destination, hang your clothing so it’s less apt to wrinkle.

If you plan on simply being poolside or at the beach for your entire spring break vacation, choosing which shoes to bring should be easy; flip-flops and sandals will suffice. But if you’re likely traveling with the whole crew, you’ll be out and about doing family-friendly activities.

Whether you’re mini golfing, headed to the theme park or just perusing a small resort town, a light canvas sneaker will go a long way. Paired with shorts, capris or a maxi skirt or dresss, your tennis shoes will serve you well, especially if you find yourself chasing a toddler through a busy crowd. Just stick to a color scheme and you should be good to go with just one or two pairs of shoes.

“Make sure that they are versatile in color or neutral in color which means that they will coordinate with many outfits; meaning you can pack fewer shoes because every other vacation outfit will match with them,” travel expert Laurie advised in a travel tips video on her YouTube channel, Travel Tips by Laurie.

Before tearing apart your closet and rummaging through your drawers to find just the right combination of outfits to take with you, make sure you know what you’ll be doing while on spring break. If your goal is to relax by the pool or on the beach and do some shopping here and there, your spring break packing list will look a bit different from someone planning a more active getaway.

So, if you’re heading to the beach, of course you’ll want your typical beach gear; swimsuits, sunglasses, flip-flops and hats, but if you want a more immersive beach experience, you’ll want to bring along activewear and sneakers.

For example, spots like the Outer Banks offer adventurous travelers an opportunity to take kite-surfing lessons, or go hang gliding or sandboarding along the sand dunes.

If you think you’re in for an active vacation, your spring break must-haves will vary depending on the activity level and your sense of aventure.