Terina's tips on staying in an extended stay hotel

If you are planning on staying in an extended stay hotel, I have a few words of advice for you. I have spent quite a bit of time in a few different ones.

-First, if you are able, bring pots, pans, silverware, and cooking things. Most of the time, they do not have that in the room, and will charge you a ton to borrow what they have. I brought a can opener, small cheese grater, crock pot, skillet, square skillet, pot, cheap silverware we bought last year, and cheap cooking spoons, spatula and that sort of thing.

-Bring your own towels. Most hotels do not have towels that actually absorb anything. Unless of course you have a ton of money and can stay in hotels that have decent towels.

-Bring a laundry bag. Many times the laundry room of your hotel is forever away. Bring a bag to tote it around in so the world doesn't get a show of all your dirty underwear.

-If you have a toddler/infant, bring your own portable playpen. Most hotels will charge you for using theirs. Also bring sheets for the bed along with blankets.

-If possible, use suitcases that fit inside each other. You usually have very little storage space, and big bulky suitcases take up a lot of room in a small room.

-Buy or bring a small, cheap DVD player you can hook up to the hotels TV. Helps your kids when you're stuck inside because the weather is bad. (always seems to happen to us. must start doing this moving thing in the summer not winter.) Bring their (and your) favorite DVDs to watch.

-Jump on the beds with the kids. They love it, and it helps to get their pent up energy out.

-Bring a laptop so you have a connection to the outside adult world. Being stuck in a hotel room for a few days can wreak havoc on your mind.

-Find the nearest Walmart, or Target, or local grocery store. Buying real food and not eating out all the time saves money, and is better on your system. These last few days without veggies was hard on my body.

-If you know you'll have to use a laundromat type of place, start saving your quarters months ahead. I did, and I'm sure glad I did. I just hate having to pay so much for doing my laundry. But it helps if I have saved it up from random change.

-Hotel tap water tastes like poo. Buy a 2.5 gallon jug with the spout on it. And then put it on top of the fridge.

-Use paper plates and bowls. Doing dishes in an extended stay hotel kitchen is not a fun time. No where for it to drain, tiny little sinks.... no fun

-Keep your eye on the check out date. If you can see the light at the end of the tunnel, you can do anything.....

If I come up with any other words of advice, you know I will be letting you know.