Have you ever been that parent … you know, the one who’s sweating profusely, pushing a mountain of kid stuff through the airport while leaving a trail of toys, blankets and food particles behind you? There is no reason for this. No reason. We recently uncovered a gem of stress-free family traveling and were just giddy with delight over how simple it was.
It’s called BabyQuip (formerly Babierge).
We flew to San Diego a few weeks ago and arrived past our boys’ bedtime. Although our Airbnb had no baby gear included, when we unlocked the door, a full-size crib had been set up in the bedroom, complete with mattress cover and sheets. It was literally ready to just walk in and set down a sleeping baby. Next to the kitchen table, a high chair had been set up. In the living room, we found a giant bin of toys and books; beach gear (chairs, blanket, toys) was on the bench and a double Bob stroller ready to go. It felt like a little fairy had come in, sprinkled magic fairy dust and … poof! … we were right at home.
It was such a simple and seamless experience, I don’t know why it’s taken us this long to realize such a service exists. They’re in 175 cities in the US and Canada and operate via partners who are in each of the local markets.
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We worked with Kellen and Melanie Alca and the process was super simple. After perusing the items listed on their website, I decided I needed a custom package. I texted her with what I wanted; she texted me back within a couple hours and included a link to the custom package she’d created on her site for me. (If you’ve ever ordered a custom design from Etsy, the process is quite similar.) After a couple quick texts to finalize our package, I placed the order online. About a week prior to the trip, she asked if she could contact our Airbnb host directly to coordinate a drop-off time and secure a single-use door code so she could set everything up before we arrived. Amazing.
The gear we rented appeared new. Or maybe some items had been used once before. The high chair was high-quality and sparkling clean. The crib was a real crib, not a pack & play, and sheets were soft and comfy. I fell in love with the double Bob stroller. The toy chest contained a ride-on toy for our one-year-old, a brand new play-dough set, a dozen books, a bowling set, kids soccer ball and lots more. And the beach gear was exactly what a family of 4 needed for a carefree day on the shore. We didn’t need car seats for this trip, but Babierge has plenty of those, too.
Babierge isn’t just for traveling families, it’s also perfect for grandparents or others who are hosting little ones. They also offer a Soft-Play Kid Zone, a complete outfit perfect for keeping babies and toddlers entertained (and safe) during weddings, birthday parties, corporate events, etc.
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If you were wondering, no, I wasn’t compensated for this post. It was just such an awesome experience that I felt compelled to write about it, in the hopes other moms can enjoy a stress-free vacation like I did. Well, ok, maybe not entirely stress-free … there are children involved, after all! But BabyQuip will certainly make traveling with kids lot more manageable.
