Vacation Packing Checklist

Packing Essentials: Family Edition

I get really excited planning for our next family vacation. Once we have our destination established, accommodations booked, and mode of transportation figured out, the anticipation leading up to the actual vacation is one of the best parts of taking a trip.

However, packing and getting everything ready for your vacation does take quite a bit organizing and preparing ahead of time, leaving things to the last-minute can add unneeded stress.

I’m going to unpack the basics of family travel and what makes it such a unique challenge, and you are going to find out about the specifics of efficient packing for every family member’s needs.

When you’re traveling alone, it’s easy to toss a few items into your suitcase and jet off. But when it’s family time, things get interesting, especially if it’s an international trip. This isn’t just about squeezing everything into one bag; it’s about making sure everyone has what they need to stay happy and comfortable. When you have a whole clan to get ready you’ve got to have the patience of a saint and the planning skills of a general.

Don’t worry too much about nailing the perfect packing routine from the get-go. Flexibility and preparation are your best friends here. You can always adjust your approach down the road as you learn what works for your family.

I’m here to help you integrate Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trust (E-E-A-T) in your family travel packing. Why? Because these principles ensure your packing list is informed by credible family travel experiences and best practices, leading to a smoother trip for everyone.

Next up, I’ll guide you through all the things you need to do to before packing as well as all the things you may need for your big family vacation. This way, by the time you finish this article, you’ll have a great base for any trip, whether you’re hitting the beach, the great outdoors, or anywhere your family’s wanderlust takes you.

Things to do before packing:

Getting your home ready

Depending on how long you plan to be away, if it’s going to be some length of time, you will want to ensure your home is taken care of as well. You may need to line-up pet care or a house sitter. If it’s spring or summer you may need someone to water the garden or cut the grass. If it’s winter, you might need someone to shovel your driveway or check the house temperatures. Regardless of the season you might need someone to water house plants and check your mail.

Travel and Transportation Planning

In addition to packing is ensuring your transportation and lodging are all set, if you are flying to your destination, make sure you have travel arrangements to and from your home airport. Will you use ride hailing services like Uber or a Taxi, or public transit? Are you driving and parking at the airport, or having a friend or family member drop you off?

Once you arrive at your destination, will you require transportation? Here’s a budget saving tip, check ahead to see if there is a hotel airporter to your hotel. Public transit is a good cost saving option but if you are not familiar with the area and with younger kids, I would recommend getting a Taxi or Uber to your hotel. If you need to go quite far or need transportation regularly during your vacation, it may be more affordable and convenient to rent a car.

If you are taking a road trip you need to get your vehicle ready, including an oil change, checking fluid levels, or you may need to get your vehicle inspected to ahead of time to safeguard from any major issues.

Do your laundry

I recommend doing your laundry at three to five days before your trip and for sure no less than 1-2 days before you have to pack. Waiting until the last day makes your packing more stressful and busy, you don’t want to be frantically drying your entire family’s laundry all at once and or risk forgetting your kids favourite shirt.

Toiletries and a Travel Health Kit

I feel this is one of the more important things to have ready ahead of time. Make sure you have the right toiletries and quantities for everyone. If you are flying and taking only carry-on, keep in mind the limits on the size and quantities of liquids.

And don’t forget medicine like Imodium, allergy medicines, and especially kids medicines. Depending on where you are going, finding medicine for younger kids may be a bit challenging and the last thing you want is to be dealing with a high fever late at night with little ones. It’s worth stocking up before leaving.

Another pro-tip is to bring wet wipes and hand sanitizer when you travel, especially in airports and airplanes – there is nothing worse than ending up sick on a vacation. Although the pandemic has led to better cleaning and procedures, airports are a mixing bowl of people from all over who have brought their germs along for the ride. Arm rests, handrails, touchscreens, and security bins in security areas are not routinely cleaned. Wipe these areas down or clean your hands after using them is ideal.

Entertainment

To pass the time and keep everyone happy it’s important to have entertainment to remain positive and engaged. If you have younger kids, you will need an assortment of things like activity books, markers, reading books, magazines, tablets with movies, phones with music or podcasts. Pro-tip, if you have younger kids, Dollar stores are a great place to get activity books at a great price. Snacks can be a form of entertainment too, so plan to bring some.

Think about what you need for your journey

· Are you going someone hot or cold? Make sure you have suitable clothing and layers.

· Will you be doing activities that require specific active wear like hiking shoes, swim suits, snorkeling equipment, sports or snow gear?

· Do you need multiple outfits each day? Are you planning and changing clothes for evening and dinner?

· Will you be staying in a hotel that provides toiletries, towels and linens? Is it all-inclusive, or will there be a kitchenette?

Think about what you need for carry-on (if flying)

Depending on how long your flight is, where you are going, how many connections you have, and who is traveling with you, or how much checked luggage costs, you may want to add a few extra items.

One time I was flying to Miami for a conference, and my luggage didn’t show-up for the entire time I was in Miami. I had no toiletries or extra clothing and had to go to T.J. Maxx and Walgreens late at night and early in the morning to supplies and clothing. While I wouldn’t suggest bringing a week worth of clothing in your carry-on, I do recommend bringing a few basics like a t-shirt, socks, underwear, toothbrush and toothpaste just in case!

If it’s going to be along flight or flight with connections and overlays, I also recommend bringing snacks and a transparent refillable water bottle (empty clear water bottles meet security requirements, just dump any water ahead of time and then refill on the other side). It’s also a good idea to be prepared with a small supply of medicines in case someone is not feeling well during the flight. Sleep masks and earplugs are a good idea if it’s going to be night flight.

And of course make sure you have tablets and phones with movies downloaded or airline apps installed, earphones, activity books and reading material to keep everyone engaged and entertained.

Determine how much luggage you need and how you want to organize your stuff

There are different thoughts on how much luggage you need. Generally, having less luggage makes travel easier, but it’s nice to have everything you want, and back-up if luggage goes missing. However, if you have to pay to check-in your luggage, you may want to simplify what you are bringing.

And there are a variety of techniques and approaches to consider when packing your bags, including using packing cubes, compression bags, zip-lock bags, folding, rolling, and just tossing clothes in (not recommended!).

Rolling or folding your clothes will be save a lot of space compared to the toss and squash method, will be more organized, and if done right will ensure less wrinkles.

Compression bags take the air out of the bag and save on space, however, they can wrinkle clothes and make it a bit harder to organize or access items quickly.

I like using a combination of folding, large zip-lock bags, and some mesh clothing bags. Zip-lock bags can help to organize your clothing items, as well as keep them clean and dry. Pro-tip, pack several extra zip-lock bags of various sizes, they come in handy for snacks, dirty clothes, and wet swimsuits.

Final Preparations

– Organize your passports, check to make sure they are not expiring.

– Check your driver’s licenses are valid.

– Arrange cash and international currency (if traveling internationally)

– Have a copy of travel insurance, tickets, reservations, and rental confirmations.

– Check-in (if flying).

– Download music and movies on phones and tablets.

– Let family and friends know when and where you are going.

– Take care of pet food and water

– Charge mobile devices.

– Adjust heat and AC temperatures.

The Ultimate Family Vacation Checklist for Family Fun

If you’ve made it this far, you’re now armed with an extensive family vacation planning checklist. But what about when your wanderlust leads you to different types of journeys and trips? Don’t sweat it, I’ve got your back. I strongly recommend downloading my Ultimate Family Vacation Packing Checklist. It streamlines the process, reduces stress, and ensures you don’t miss a thing.

Customize this template for each family member and adapt it based on age, need, and personal preference. No matter if you’re packing for toddlers or teens, add items that cater specifically to their interests and activities. For toddlers, think swim diapers and a familiar bedtime storybook. Teens might appreciate sports gear and extra charging packs for their gadgets.

Finally, while your suitcases are zipped and ready to go, I recommend a last review using the checklist. This isn’t simply about making sure you have your sunglasses and flip-flops; it’s about peace of mind. You’re creating memories, not packing woes. Have a handy section on that list for last-minute grabs like chargers, medications, or your favorite beach read.

Wishing you and your family a wonderful vacation filled with amazing memories – Let us know how it all went!