Simple packing tips for your holiday

Travelling with a young family can be a lot of work, trying to remember so many things and take into account everyone’s needs can be quite draining. So we have come up with some simple packing tips to take one of the stresses away!

Bags –

Depending on the size of the family going will depend on the amount of bags you are taking.

When we travel, now the kids are older, we always travel with 4 suitcases and 4 backpacks. This just allows us plenty of space to get things out there and for the things we are bringing back.

It is always worth investing in good quality suitcases, changing to 4 wheeled suitcases was a complete game-changer for us and made it so much easier when it came to getting around the airport and hotel. It also meant that the kids are able to push their own suitcases along at the same time as us. The only downside to this is with a small house that you may find them a pain to store, we simply pop them in our self storage container that we have and get them out when we need them,

If your children are a little smaller than ours, consider getting things such as Trunki, the travel suitcase. This means you can pull your kids and the bag along at the same time and although it might not be as big as a suitcase, it counts as hand luggage so will save you some pounds.

What To Pack

This is always a tough one, who knows what you are going to need or wear. I know there are some people who are super organised and plan their outfits but that is not us in the slightest, we tend to just make sure we pack enough to cover all the days.

If you are packing for a family, here is our list of things to pack:

• Underwear – Enough for the trip plus 2/3 spare. You never know if you are going to get caught in the rain or wet from the sea and need a change
• Shorts/trousers – At least 4 pairs for a 7-day trip. We always tend to wash mid-way through the trip for essentials and the likelihood is at least 1 or 2 days will be spent on the beach without the need for these
• Tops – Again, like about at least 4 tops
• Nice clothes – If you are planning on a few special meals out, make sure you pick out a few special outfits to wear on these days.
• Swimwear – As many as you can pack. I don’t know about your kids but we end up in one outfit in the morning for a swim, head out for lunch then change into another swimwear outfit later whilst the first one is drying!
• Shoes and flip-flops – Again, don’t go mad on this, you are only going to be able to wear 1 pair at a time. Just think of where you are going and the need for the footwear you will want to pack. Likely to go hiking, make sure you pack some boots. Planning on staying on the beach, flip flops are the way to go.
• Toiletries – Shampoo, conditioner, suncream, aftersun, toothpaste, toothbrush, deodorant, perfume etc. We always use the Ziploc bags in case anything pops pop on the flight over. Don’t forget things such as bug repellant, Sudocrem and your eczema cream should you need them. When you travel abroad, it is always key to be prepared for the unexpected!
• Chargers – You do not want to go without your phone/iPad when travelling with kids, trust me!
• Black bags – We always shove our dirty clothes in a black bag in the suitcase, it just helps contain some of the sand!

Returning Home

Before you head off on your holidays it is always worth doing a little pre-planning for your return.

So, depending on our flight times I will always make sure that our beds have been made before we leave and everyone has fresh pj’s out for when we get back. It is worth making sure your bins have been emptied and removing any food from the fridge that may go off before you get back. Alongside the pile of washing you are coming back with, you don’t want to contend with the mess on your return!

If these packing tips are useful, make sure you check out our other great tips on travel too.