Survive Family Travel: Packing List
We are T-5 days before our week-long vacation and I thought I'd show you my little check-list that I use to keep myself on track.
Feel free to right click and save this to print and carry around your house while you grab what you need. You are also welcome to screen shot the file and open in Notes or an iPhone equivalent to check off items on your phone/iPad.
At the top, you'll see a place to write in your family members' names, and check-boxes for each item. I have left a few open spots at the bottom for you to write in family or family member-specific items.
A few things of note:
When I travel with kids in diapers, I typically only bring enough diapers to get me through the day of travel (plus a few extra, 2-3) and the first day at our destination. Unless we're camping, they have stores wherever we are going and it's just not worth it for me to schlep a whole box of diapers wherever we go.
Wipes - about two-days worth for carry-on, two-days worth in checked. That's 3 poops (9 wipes) plus 2 pee diapers (2 wipes) which equals about 22 wipes. That's approximately one of those purse-sized packets, like this. The extra two-days of wipes in your checked bag will tide you over until you get to the store.
We always bring an extra pair of clothes for kids under 3yo in our carry-ons. Inevitably, he will dump his juice all over, have a diaper accident, or smoosh a brownie all over himself. Dirty clothes can be put into the puke-bag on the airplane and carried out if necessary.
I do not bring toiletries (aside from toothbrush and one toothpaste, which stays in my make-up bag). Hotels have what you need, and if they don't there are stores where you're going. Again, unless you're camping. One less thing to carry and one less thing to tip off airport security.
I factor the number of days at our destination, and pack half as many clothes with the intention to do laundry at least once mid-week. For our trip to Florida for 8 days, each kid is bringing two shorts, two shirts, 4 pair of undies/socks, and wearing their jeans, a third t-shirt, and sweatshirt on the plane.
Always wear the biggest clothing you'll be packing.
Remember, anything you forget you can just buy when you get there. People tend to freak out about "remembering everything" but as long as you have your ID and a debit/credit card, you'll be fine. When I lived in Rome for a year in college, I purposely brought a nearly-empty suitcase because I wanted to buy my travel clothes there. Heck, why not? Also, just Amazon Prime and have missing item shipped to your hotel - problem solved within 48 hours. It's a great time to be alive, amiright?
This trip, all four of us (three kids, one me) will be sharing one checked bag, and each kid will have a very small carry-on. I will have to bring the toddler's car seat, which will be super annoying to haul through the airport, but I'm going to try to hook it to a backpack MacGyver-style and make it work.
Can't wait to tell you how all of this planning worked!