Packing for the Family: Helpful Tips & Finds for Efficient Luggage
School is out, the office has approved the vacation days! Its time for a trip to see loved ones, or perhaps a getaway somewhere exotic and warm. Approaching travel should be so gleeful when going somewhere happy!
But First? Oh but first. The packing.
Unfortunately for most of us, packing is stressful. In my past life, I oversaw airports as a professional in the travel retail business. That meant a lot of flights to a lot of places a lot of the time. When you travel often, a big to-do every trip isn’t sustainable. I learned to pride myself on being able to fit multiple days worth of living into a personal bag.
Packing for a family is a totally different ballgame, but shares the same objective- achieve the most manageable, efficient luggage possible. As my kids have multiplied, packing for a trip has become less of a “to do” and more of an event. I have been forced to become a smarter packer. Honestly this is simply a matter of survival, but I have learned a few things along the way.
Below I have offered some guidelines broken out into two categories: Style & Strategy. Packing with family does not need to be daunting! Implement these tips and throw your energy into positive anticipation for the voyage ahead!
Style
Pack around shoes: Shoes are the quickest way to get in trouble with having too much luggage. Bulky, heavy, and awkward. I choose a day shoe and an evening shoe, make sure all of my outfits work with them, and call it a day. If the majority of my outfits require a black shoe and one outlier requires a brown shoe, the outfit changes over another shoe being added. It also helps offer direction on outfit choosing!
Universal Jewelry: I used to save packing jewelry for last. Trying to accessorize multiple outfits at once just didn’t jive with my overloaded state of mind. When it comes to travel, my experience is less jewelry is more. Jewelry is easy to lose and can become a jumbled mess if not diligently packed. I opt for sticking with inexpensive classics: studs, pearls, hoops, and a simple chain necklace. I will add in a few outfit defining fun pieces to dress up outfits in the evening. Consider investing in a travel jewelry roll organizer to keep your pieces neat and secure while traveling!
Stud Earring Set 8pc - A New Day
Target, $15
Travel Jewelry Wallet
Mark & Graham, $79
Commit to a beauty routine: When I get ready, I love to look at the entirety of my makeup collection and play. Traveling I limit myself, both in the interest of packing less but also because many beauty products don’t travel well. Crushed powders? Leaking foundation? No thank you. Natural goes with everything, so I stick with rosy blushes, shimmery taupe shadows, true to my coloring powders & brows, and a classic black eyeliner and mascara. I throw in a statement lip for the evening. Opt for creams and clays instead of liquids and powders where you can to minimize mess if (when) your bag gets a little manhandled in the baggage bins.
Breezy Cream Blush & Bronzer Palette
Tarte, $35
Clay Stick Foundation
Tarte, $29
…& a Hair Routine!I have absolutely hauled a blow dryer, straightener, and a curling iron in my luggage in the past, and always regretted it. They are heavy, space consuming, and at least in my case- they never all end up being used enough to justify their presence. Decide what you are most likely to use and ditch the others. My husband has never understood why I bring a hair dryer when they are available most everywhere we go, but I think ever woman can relate to the pain of trying to dry your hair with a hotel provided blow dryer. My brother gifted me an amazing travel sized blow dryer that has a surprising amount of power - it now comes with me on every trip I take!
BaBylissPRO® Nano Titanium™ Travel Dryer
Amazon, $35
Dark Colors for Repeats: Maybe you’ll have access to a washer dryer, maybe not, and maybe you just don’t want to do laundry on vacation even if you do. On longer trips, if I plan for anything to be re-worn, I base our outfits around duplicating darker bottoms. A scuff or some dirt does not equal filthy in my world, but if the soil is visible due to the garment being a lighter color, it might read that way.
Pick work all layers: Traveling is not the time to show off that you have some serious game in the sweater department. Lightweight clothes are when it comes to packing. That said, not looking for anyone to be chilly! Pack a cozy neutral cardi that can stylishly layer over the majority of your outfits. Wearing it during your travel will be a huge space saver as well!
Open Edit Belted Long Cardigan
Bloomingdales, $69
4 Color Options
Aqua Duster Cardigan Sweater
Bloomingdales, $98
Day to Night: A quick way to get in trouble with your luggage is to pack more than one outfit per day. That’s all well and good if you’re only worrying about yourself, but if you start to do that for multiple people, get the pack horses out. Obviously sometimes it can’t be avoided, but where you can, try to pack outfits that would transition well into the evening. Dress up what you’re wearing with jewelry, dramatic makeup, and evening shoes.
Pressed to Impress: Okay, not really pressing my clothes. But no one wants to be covered in wrinkles! Most hotels or rentals offer irons, but let’s be real- how often are you ironing while traveling (or ever)? With kids thats a tough gig. So, I always pack a travel size bottle of wrinkle releaser. It’s not going to offer the power of an iron, but it will still freshen up an item, and smells good to boot. I also try to be mindful of the items I’m packing in general. Not all materials are created equal when it comes to wrinkles. Here’s a quick cheat sheet:
Low wrinkle risk: Polyester, Nylon, Acrylic, Wool, Silk, Wrinkle resistant treated fabrics
Moderate Wrinkle risks: Cotton Blends, Specifically Cotton Nylon or Poly Blends
High wrinkle risk: 100% Cotton, Rayon Linen
Downy Wrinkle Releaser
Amazon, $8: Pack of 2
Strategy
Pack by day: Packing by day helps me ensure that I am not missing any critical event attire, but it also helps me unpack in an organized fashion when I am at my destination. More importantly, it enables my husband to help me get the kids ready. Harder for him to say he’s not sure what I want the kids to wear when he’s looking at a pile labeled Sunday!
Luggage Organizers: You’re sure you packed the right amount of underwear for the trip, but there is one pair floating in that suitcase somewhere. Sound familiar? As the family grows so does the stuff, and consequently the opportunity for disorganization. I group all my kids outfits in one luggage organizer case by day, and group special categories together like pajamas, swimsuits, and undergarments.
Mossio Packing Cubes
Amazon, $18
Set of 7
Go Disposable: Might not be the most green angle, but going disposable where you can will make your life a lot simpler when traveling. Items that are prone to becoming dirty like bibs and changing pads are ideal to purchase disposable. You remove the challenge of having to clean them on the go, and don’t risk soiling other clean items in your bags in the scenario that you can’t.
Bibsters Disposable Bibs
Amazon, $8: Pack of 32
Peekapoo Disposable Changing Pad Liners
Amazon, $30: Pack of 50
Pack an extra bag: I don’t know about you, but no matter where I go, no matter what the situation, I always seem to come back from a trip with more than I left with. Maybe its souvenirs, maybe its a frantic packing method as I’m hauling to be out by check out, but my bags always seem tight. I have come to bringing an extra lightweight tote bag with me that is packable and zips. Bonus points if it’s a cute tote that you can use during your trip as an alternate bag!
FashionBoutique Heavy Duty Cotton Canvas Reusable Shopping Tote Bag
Amazon, $10
BAGGU Cloud Nylon Canvas Tote
Nordstrom, $56
Tumi Voyageur Just In Case Tote
Bloomingdales, $100
Buy what you can at your destination: Kids come with stuff- Oh man do they come stuff. Diapers, formula, snacks & snacks & snacks. For essentials like diapers and formula, pack a day or two in case you can’t get to a store right away. Otherwise, research ahead to make sure there is a nearby grocery and plan to make a trip.
Plan for mishaps: Have plastic bags with you at all times. I like doggie bags because they are cheap, designed to keep mess and odor in, and take up very little extra space in your bag. Our children have peed, pooped, and vomited on us, just on the departure flight alone. You need somewhere to put that until you can get the soiled garments properly cleaned and dried, and youre most definitely not going to want to just throw it in your luggage of clean clothes.
Best Pet Supplies Doggy Bags
Amazon, $7: 10 Rolls, 150 Bags
Easily Accessible Essentials: In keeping with the tip above, mishaps happen during travel. It is smart to have a change of clothes in your carry-on in case checked baggage is lost, but you’re also going to want to have the clothes at the top of that carry-on for easy access if needed. I also recommend having a small quick grab diaper and wipes at the top of your purse. My diaper bag is always a little extra during travel, so its nice to not have to haul the whole bag into the airport bathroom.
Munchkin Designer Diaper Change Kit
Target, $15
Create an Electronic List: I started keeping a list of what we need to bring electronically a couple years ago, and it has proven very helpful. I can be a little bit of a spreadsheet geek, so I have templates for “beach vacation” “winter vacation” “wedding”- etc. I built them as I went on trips and now refer back to them, create a copy, and adjust for my current trip. It helps me avoid missing something critical, but forgettable, like a smaller purse for a wedding reception, or sunscreen. Using software you can share with others (like google sheets) is a game changer too. That way my husband can pop in on his own computer and see what I haven’t gotten to yet so we’re not double dipping our efforts, assuming someone else took care of.