Are you planning a trip with your family? While you are undoubtedly excited about this experience, chances are that you may also be a bit overwhelmed by it. To have a successful family vacation, you’ll want to make sure to bring all the necessary items. Whether you’re flying to your destination or road-tripping, here are a few packing tips to help you out:
Use packing cubes
Packing your own bag can be a hassle and can feel like putting together a complex puzzle. Now add a couple more bags to pack, and you can find it overwhelming. However, packing for a trip, whether solo or with family, is all about using the right gear.
Travel packing cubes can be a lifesaver when you’re a parent who needs to pack multiple bags for an extended trip and you have to travel light. They can allow you to fit more belongings into your bags while also making it easy for you to organize each bag.
Bring essentials
If you want to make sure you bring things you’ll use, your trip may not be the time to plan the perfect family outfit. You can save that for holiday photo shoots. What packing for a trip can be about is packing the essentials that can mean comfort and convenience while traveling. If you’re traveling to a beach destination, it makes sense to bring beach items, from swimsuits to lightweight swim towels, sunscreen, etc.
Think about the kind of trip that you’re going on and what is most important to have for this type of trip, and then plan accordingly.
Let your kids carry their own things
As you plan, think about the convenience of packing small backpacks for your older children so they can carry stuff as well. This allows you and your family to more easily pack for flights, as it can simplify travel by allowing for carry-on luggage instead of you having to check in bags. While this may not be doable with younger children who may easily forget or leave their little bags along the way, if your family has older, responsible kids, it could be a good idea.
You don’t need everything
You’re a parent; you want to be prepared for everything. But this doesn’t mean that you have to pack everything. When planning your trip and looking into what to bring, you may think that you need everything and then some, but just like packing for yourself, we typically don’t need to bring our whole wardrobe on a trip.
In fact, with a couple of basics and a couple of extras, you’ll find that you’ll typically repeat outfits with a couple of switches while on your trip. It’s the same for your kids. Maybe add a couple of light layers for unexpectedly colder days, and you should be golden.
Do bring first aid and medications
Of course, as a parent, you know that the unexpected can happen often. Your kids may end up coming down with something on the trip, or unexpected accidents may happen. Instead of having to rush for medications or first aid when in a pickle, packing these essential items can help you be prepared for anything. It’s one of those things where you can find the age-old phrase “I’d rather have it and not need it than to need it and not have it” to be true—especially as a parent who is responsible for the well-being of your kids.
In Conclusion
Are you a parent who is seeking to plan the perfect trip with your kids? Careful packing before your trip is one way to set yourself up for a successful family vacation. However, careful planning doesn’t mean bringing your whole wardrobe or the little ones either. Pack light but pack essentials, and you should be prepared for a fabulous experience as a family.