Travelling light with children can be simpler than you think. Many parents pack more than they need and then find themselves dealing with extremely heavy loads, only to use just a fraction of the items that they have packed while they’re away. Whether you’re heading out on a staycation or travelling overseas, there are many steps that you can take to lighten your load without leaving essential items behind.
When you adopt the right approach and take care with choosing between items you really need and ones you can probably go without, you can pack light and still be completely prepared for your holiday. Lighter packing can make your experience much less stressful. Read on to find out more about packing light when you’re travelling with kids to make everything much more manageable for you.
Forget the ‘What Ifs’
Many parents find themselves packing more than they actually need to so they can prepare for events that probably won’t even happen. It’s unlikely that you will go through three changes of clothes per child each day, and you shouldn’t need to pack oversized bottles of medicine with you. Chances are that there will be a pharmacy close by, so you can get hold of the medication you need if the worst happens. If there’s a supermarket near where you’re staying, you can easily get hold of the items that you’ll need if something unpredictable happens.
Mix and Match Clothing
Although you might be tempted to pack a different outfit for each child per day, these can easily add up. One way that you can lighten your clothing load is to stick to two or three core colours so all garments can be mixed and matched. Choose clothes that are made from fabrics that dry quickly like cotton blends and opt for zip-ups and lightweight hoodies to keep your kids warm rather than heavy jumpers.
You shouldn’t need to take more than two pairs of shoes per child. Choose one pair of comfortable trainers or sandals for general day-to-day activities and another for the beach such as a pair of crocs or sliders.
Cut Down on Toiletries
There’s no need for your family toiletries to take up half of your suitcase. Shampoo, bubble bath and suncream can be purchased as travel bottles, and you can also use multi-purpose products that serve more than one function like baby wash for the hair and the body. You don’t need to take a full-sized toothpaste if you’re only going away for a few days and you shouldn’t need a comprehensive first-aid kit if there’s a supermarket or pharmacy within walking or driving distance.
Be Sensible with Toys
Some children may ask to take their entire toy collection with them, but you can negotiate with them to ensure they’re only carrying a sensible number of toys. Hand them a small bag and tell them to choose their toys wisely so they fit inside it. This means your kids still feel involved when it comes to selecting toys for the trip.
A tablet or phone with shows, games and music you’ve already downloaded can keep them entertained if you’ll have limited or no Wi-Fi. A comfort toy or blanket is also a great choice for younger children, as are colouring books and pencils. Puzzle books are also an appropriate option when travelling with children. It’s best to avoid toys and games with small pieces as these can easily get lost during travel, never to be seen again.
Don’t Overpack Snacks
When children have access to snacks during travel, this can prevent a whole load of problems such as explosive meltdowns when you’re halfway through travelling down the motorway. They can also encourage good behaviour and distract them when you’re dealing with delays.
However, there’s no need to overpack when it comes to snacks. When you’re choosing snacks for travel, look for items like cereal bars, raisins, rice cakes and low-sugar options that won’t melt or cause a mess. You could consider taking a small pack of sweets or chocolate buttons for major tantrums but only dish them out in emergencies. Refillable water bottles are another fantastic option that can also help you save money. Cans and bottles of pop don’t come cheap at airports, rail stations or motorway service stations.
Give Them Their Own Bag
If your child is old enough to walk, they should be able to carry their own small backpack. It’s always good to let them take responsibility for some of their own items, and this can give them a sense of control. Items you may want to add to their own mini backpack can include snacks, water, a change of clothes, a tablet, toys and a small blanket.
Some of the items you should store in your own backpack can include chargers, travel documents, first aid solutions, tissues, wipes and maybe a spare top in case of spillages. If your child is still wearing nappies, it’s always a good idea to pack one more than you think you will need.
Plan Travel Day Outfits with Care
When it comes to travel day outfits, you need to prioritise comfort and practicality. It’s effective to dress children in layers. You can add or remove these layers as the temperature rises or falls. Consider opting for a T-shirt, a lightweight hoodie and a jacket. Joggers or leggings are also good options, and complicated shoes are often best avoided as footwear with laces can cause unnecessary stress.
Roll Clothes Rather Than Folding Them
Rolling garments instead of folding them can be the better option because it saves space, reduces wrinkles in clothes and helps you access specific items easily. Packing cubes have become really popular with parents recently as they’re so good for keeping things organised. Labelling each bag with the child’s name can be helpful as it lets you cut down on rummaging. It’s also a good idea to add a small laundry bag to your haul so you can easily keep dirty garments away from clean ones. This will also stop unpleasant aromas from spreading to clean clothes.
Assess Your Packing One Last Time
Once everything has been packed, assess it closely one more time to ensure you genuinely need all the items you’re packing. Ask yourself if each item is essential, how likely it is to be used and whether you’re only packing it because you’re anxious. If you think you have overpacked, you may wish to remove around a quarter or a third of it. It’s unlikely that you’ll miss it, and you’ll be streamlining the travel process to reduce stress.
Airport Travel Tips
If you’re travelling somewhere by plane and are packing for air travel, think about how your bags will work in practice. Make sure you’ll be able to access wipes, nappies and snacks when you’re on the plane and use clear bags for liquids so they’re ready for security. Some airlines will let you take buggies to the gate, but others won’t. Check with the airline in advance.
Accept Some Problems Are Inevitable
No matter how carefully you pack, you’re almost guaranteed to face some hurdles along the way. Delays regularly occur, and at least one meltdown is likely to break out if you’re travelling for a long time with young children. Spillages are always likely too, so make sure you have access to a spare top.
Packing light gives you freedom and makes travel much more comfortable. Travelling light helps you save energy for the fun parts of your holiday and means you don’t have to worry about cramming huge, heavy bags into spaces where they just won’t fit.
Although travelling as a family with children can be challenging, you don’t have to overpack just to feel prepared. Packing light means you’re only prioritising items that you’re likely to need and helps you avoid a great deal of stress. If you do have a heavier load to take with you, there are many packing solutions available to you that can make your load feel more compact and easier to deal with.
How We Can Help
At Cabin Max, we offer a wide range of solutions to make your family holidays less stressful and make your load more manageable. There are options available to you whether you’re on a tight budget or have more to spend. We have been supplying lightweight, robust and reliable travel solutions since 2007, with our hand luggage fitting the latest cabin size regulations to ensure a smoother travel experience and therefore help you make magical holiday memories. You can get in touch with us at any point if you have any queries about any of the modern family travel solutions in our catalogue.
Contact us
Don’t hesitate to connect with us if you need help finding the right travel-light products for you and your family. You can reach us today by sending a message to info@cabinmax.com or by using our live chat facility.