We are currently enduring a long term stay at an extended stay hotel while waiting for our house to be ready to move in.
I didn’t know just how hectic it would be but it’s been pretty crazy. I am learning new things that work and things that don’t work for my family of 5 in a relatively small space. I learned a few hotel hacks for families I just had to share.
Use Plug-ins or an Essential Oil Diffuser
You don’t realize how bad your kids’ feet smell until you are sharing a room with them. From smelly shoes to just the smell of being outside most of the day, it can really stink up a small space.
Using plug-ins or if you are pretty crunchy, bringing that essential oil diffuser will make a huge difference.
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Utilize Your Fire TV Stick or Chromecast
I bring my fire stick with me everywhere if I plan to staying for awhile. A hotel stay is no different. As long as there is Wifi, the kids and I can watch our favorite shows.
Some hotels have awesome cable options, but most affordable hotels, have a much more limited selection. The fire stick just allows us to watch our favorite shows and movies together.
You simply connect it to the HDMI port of the hotel room’s television, and connect to their internet and pick right up where you left off.
Cover the Couch
We have been staying in a one bedroom suite to accommodate our family, which includes a pull out couch. Most hotels (again, the affordable ones), do not clean their couches. I have three children and usually, there aren’t a lot of seating options in hotel rooms.
I decided to use a blanket from home to cover the couch so whatever germs didn’t find themselves on my kids, if I could help it.
Use the Ironing Board as a Table
Again, seating options in affordable hotels are limited. So for meals, I had to use what was in the room to make it work for us.
I used the ironing board as a table. It’s great because you can adjust the height to make it perfect for them.
Bring Extra Trash Bags
Let’s be real, those little hotel trash cans never cut it! We fill them up in no time at all.
Bring along some tall kitchen trash bags and forget about using the hotel’s trash cans. The bags usually tear and you can’t fit anything larger than a cup inside really.
It also makes it easy to collect dirty laundry and any other items we may have collected while at the hotel.
Bonus Hack
To save money on eating out, stay at hotels with complimentary breakfasts and cook other meals inside the room.
I brought along my air fryer and rice cooker. We also stayed in a room with a kitchenette which also had some cooking utensils and pots and pans.
Have you had to stay in a hotel for an extended amount of time? Do you have some helpful tips?
