How I Pack For My Family Of 4
When it comes to packing, I have it down to science especially now that I’m responsible for 4 people’s belongings. I guess my husband could pack for himself but then he would mess up the system and I rather not deal with the stress of it (iykyk). This system I follow really helps me keep all our things organized, not overpack, and not forget anything important. Keep in mind this packing style works for trips 5-7 days long. When I’m going on longer trips, we are usually staying somewhere with laundry, which means there will be plenty of outfit repeats/switch-ups, so I pack differently. Let me know if you would like me to share that as well but for now I hope these tip below help!
1. Itinerary
Wherever we are traveling, I always make an itinerary for each day. We love to explore wherever we go, so I really try to find a good balance between exploring and taking some time to relax, especially with the kids. I hate just going nonstop and not giving them time to just chill (it really helps lessen the meltdowns). So to stay organized, I map out what we will be doing each day. I try to keep it to 1 activity a day or 2 if they are not as intensive. Based on what we are doing that day, I start to make a list.
2. Checklist
I start with a checklist of everything I will need based on what we will be doing each day (e.g., if we are doing something in the water, I make sure to bring the girls' floaties). And I map out what are my non-negotiables (aka things I absolutely have to bring on the trip).
3. Plan Out Outfits For Each Day
Once I know what we are doing each day (and sometimes night), I decide what outfit we will each wear. I usually just decide my outfit and then plan the girls’ and Danny’s outfit around mine if I want us to coordinate. I try on every outfit and take a picture (only for me). For the kids and Danny, I just lay them flat on the bed and take a picture. This helps me to see all the pieces I will have to pack up. Then I put them all into piles by day.
For every day we are on a trip, I pack one packing cube with all of our outfits for that day and night (excluding pajamas). So me, Danny, and the girls outfits for 1 day and night all go into one packing cube. And I pack this way for each day. This really comes in handy when you are hopping between locations and will not be unpacking all your things at once. You can just unpack the items for the days you are in one location and keep the others packed until you reach your next destination. To alleviate overpacking I usually pick outfits that can be worn with the same shoes so I’m not packing a bunch of shoes. I like to keep it to 2 shoes per person. Having solid staple shoes that go with most things really help.
I then have 2 packing cubes for pajamas/sleepwear underwear and any extras. I bring one or two simple backup outfits in case something gets spilled on/ruined during the trip, and, of course, extra basic clothes for the messy toddlers (usually just t-shirts and leggings). How much extra I bring depends on whether we are staying in an Airbnb with laundry or a hotel that does not.
5. Toiletry bag
I don’t know how I packed my toiletries before without a toiletry bag. It really helps keep all my toiletries organized in one place and I use it for my kids toiletries as well.
6. Medicine Bag
I always make sure to have a medicine bag with me, including fever and allergy medicine for the girls, as well as a thermometer and a travel first aid kit. I usually just use a small packing cube for this. If I have a layover, I split this bag: put the liquids in the checked bag and keep anything else on my person.
I always bring a backpack for the girls. They are small right now, so they can still share one, but typically I just pack their iPads, headphones, and quick-grab snacks in there.
I bought this handy travel backpack for my laptop/hard drive and baby things like diapers, wipes, and potty seats. It acts as a hybrid diaper bag. It fits so much and is comfortable to wear for a long time.
So that’s pretty much the gist of how I pack us up for trips. Staying organized and planning ahead really just makes everything flow so much better on travel day. Check out the must have items I make sure to pack for my toddlers HERE.