
Packing for vacation is one of the less enjoyable parts of family travel but…..
I have some travel experience under my belt and there are only a few things you need to know to pack for family vacation like a pro. Despite the fact that I packed my boys a total of zero pairs of underwear on our last trip to Disneyworld I would consider myself a master at the art of packing suitcases for family travel. My oldest son has been on at least 40 different airplane rides in his lifetime
Only once did we accidentally grab someone else’s suitcase from the luggage carousel. If you’re curious, the airline will call you 30 minutes into
We recently upped our travel game by taking our first international trip. A
When you pack for family vacation: always use packing cubes.
I bought three sets from Amazon in different colors. Red for my daughter and
Packing cubes allow you to keep everyone’s clothes separate and organized making it easy to pack three kids in the same suitcase. If you use the Mari Kondo folding method or roll your clothes you can save even more space.
Packing lightly and compact is super important now that the airlines charge like $40 bucks a pop or more to check a suitcase. I think if you use packing cubes for a week-long trip to a warm destination you could easily get away with packing in only carry on bags. Then you can funnel your luggage money over to pay for margaritas
I am a crazy researcher so I can tell you that the best of the best packing cubes are the Eagle Creek compression cubes. They are incredibly durable, save the most space and consistently get the best reviews.
I am too cheap thrifty for that business though and went with the Bagail packing cubes on Amazon. They do the job and I love the different colors and the breathable mesh. I did notice one is ripping at the mesh a bit because again it’s not the best of the best and someone may have stuffed it 3x fuller than it was meant to be stuffed. Oh well, live and learn.
when you pack for family vacation: the luggage you have matters and 4 wheels rule.

You need different kinds of luggage for different types of travel. For example, if you are traveling to or around Europe and will be traveling via train and walking on cobblestone you might need something without wheels. Chances are though, you’ll just need a standard American luggage set.
If you are an average family taking one to two vacations a year and at least one airplane ride I’d recommend a combination of large and carry-on sized 4-wheeled bags. You’re going to have to decide how many you need based on how minimally you like to pack, how many kids are in your family,
A four-wheeled bag is fun for a kid to push through the airport and trust me you will want the extra help at the end of the trip. Like the
If you can get a bag that your little one can drape themselves over you have won life. It’s pretty much a necessity because your hands will be full of luggage and younger siblings and coffee. If you’re lucky.
when you pack for family vacation: make Kids over four earn their keep.
Sorry kid, you’re four now. You carry your

If you ever watch the Bucket List Family for travel inspiration you’ve probably seen their kids with Fjalleaven bags. Those are about the right size.
If you don’t travel frequently enough to justify spending money on
I don’t use regular school backpacks for travel. They are too big and kids will use the extra space for toys they want to bring. Then they will lose the toys and cry. TO YOU. My daughter said the other day, “remember in Germany when my brother lost his Lost Kitty and he cried and cried all day.” Yeah, unfortunately, I do remember that. The toy is really named Lost Kitty and yes, I understand the irony. The moral of the story = smaller backpack and
when you pack for family vacation: Keep everyone’s toiletries in one bag that you are the master of.
I was really late to the game on this concept. I used to pack everyone’s toothbrushes and hairspray in
when you pack for family vacation: Bring bags in your bag
In addition to clothes and shoes we always travel with a mesh laundry bag for dirty clothes. You don’t want your kids dirty socks in with your clean t-shirts and it makes laundry day easier when you are on longer trips. We usually visit family and do a halfway through wash day.
If you plan on spending any time in the hotel pool or beach then a wet bag is also something great to include. It’s just a lined waterproof bag that you can throw everyone’s not quite dry yet items in and seal it shut until wash day.
You could also bring plastic grocery bags for this or if you are really in a pinch you can snag a hotel trash liner too. I keep at least three tightly rolled shopping bags with me when we travel. They can be used for a million different things from cleaning out the trash from your rental car to an emergency car sickness bag.
when you pack for family vacation: Save space by wearing your largest shoes on the plane.
This is pretty
By employing these simple hacks you will sail smoothly through the airport and have a less stressful time carrying it all with you. If you found these tips helpful subscribe below for more.