Packing right and travelling light with kids – Here’s what you need to know!

Everyone in my family loves travelling. Before the kids came into the picture, my husband and I would take a vacation at least twice a year and we have managed to maintain that tradition even now. While travelling with kids can be fun, it comes with its own set of problems – packing being one of them.

Lugging around heavy bags is the last thing you need when you are on a vacation with kids, trust me, I know this from experience. Packing light is imperative when travelling with kids but it is hard to do so when your kid wants to pack every single toy they can lay their eyes on. But it is not impossible. Here is a guide on how to pack light for a family trip with kids for a stress-free vacation.

Daughters helping mom close a stuffed suitcase while dad laughs. Packing right for a holiday is a fun activity.
Packing doesn’t have to be a bother!
  • What’s the weather like?

Are you going on a summer or winter vacation? Before you even start packing, we suggest checking up on what the weather is going to be like at your family holiday destination. Once you know what kind of weather you’ll be dealing with, packing becomes much easier and you can avoid bringing items you won’t need. Packing light for warm weather isn’t hard but the same can’t be said for cold destinations. Ensuring your family stays warm is a priority, but chunky sweaters and jackets might result in heavy luggage. The key to cold weather packing is layering. Instead of packing heavy clothing items, pack a few lightweight clothing articles which, when layered, offer all the warmth you need.

A closed compact brown suitcase with a blue shawl and camera on top. Classic packing style - light and stylish.
Old school packed and ready.
  • Light luggage for the win!

Big and bulky suitcases are the bane of every vacation. While it’s convenient to put all your needs in two big suitcases, they aren’t exactly convenient to carry around. We suggest getting a light-weight suitcase for every member of your family. My kids love fun kids suitcases that are easy to drag around and it also gives them a sense of ownership and responsibility. Life is so much easier when everyone carries their own luggage.

Two adult-sized suitcases next to a cute child’s suitcase. Efficient packing means that every member of the family is responsible for their own suitcase!
Mama bag, Papa bag, Baby bag.
  • Multi-purpose clothing

Get creative while packing your kids clothes for vacations. We suggest going for pieces that can be styled in a variety of ways using the trend of layering. For instance, girl’s dresses can be worn alone, under a turtleneck sweater for cold weather, or as a skirt when styled with a top over it.

Girl running through a lawn wearing a top and shorts over tights - demonstrating different types of versatile clothing to be packed.
Layering for the cold.
  • Compact containers for travel

We suggest not carrying any toiletries while travelling with kids since you can buy these wherever you are going. But if you do insistent on carrying your own toiletries, use travel containers which are lightweight and won’t break and spill all over your clothes inside the luggage.

A hand transferring shampoo from a big container into small squeeze bottles with other colourful bottles lying around.
No more lotion-stained clothes in your luggage!

Toy tip: If your kids want to pack toys, ensure they pack handheld games and puzzles and not big soft toys or a mini-truck. Avoid digital devices if you can.

Packing light for a family trip with kids isn’t all that hard. These tips have definitely helped us achieve light luggage. Let us know in the comments section below about your favourite packing tips for family vacations. 

SHARE

Share on facebook
Share on twitter
Share on whatsapp
Share on linkedin
Share on email

2 Responses

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

1 + 10 =

About the author

Get awesome parenting tips directly in your inbox

Subscribe to our newsletter