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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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.
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