When you’re planning a trip for your family for a long trip, the first instinct is to plan ahead for every eventuality. This idea soon proves faulty, as piles of “need,” “want,” and “this would be good to bring” quickly exceed your baggage limits. Now that I’ve trudged 3 kids and luggage through several countries, airports, but stations, buses, trains, planes, metros, taxis, elevators, and city blocks, I would have started with an entirely different question. “What do I want to carry?”
To provide some perspective, our family of five has complex travel plans extending over several months. We just completed 4 weeks in France for a study abroad opportunity and we are now in the London area for a summer internship and will be living in two different rentals over 10 weeks. Our family includes 2 adults (one pregnant), plus a 7, 5, and 3 year-old, with a birthday party thrown in the mix and hours of travel to multiple locations. While many families probably won’t embark on a 3-month adventure, I think many of the lessons we’ve learned so far could apply to shorter trips, in addition to offering packing tips for Europe.
8 Packing Tips for Europe
Tip 1: Put Half Back.
In this moment, my husband is thinking “I told you so.” We ultimately packed about 10 changes of clothes, plus swim suits, a pair of sandals, a pair of tennis shoes, and one sweater for each family member. I will admit that I cheated and packed a bit more for myself, mainly because I’m pregnant. Consider instead how often you can wash, if there will be thrift shops handy, and clothes you can wear multiple days (like jeans and shorts). We’ve also found toys and books at local thrift shops and dollar stores that we can easily leave behind if necessary.
Tip 2: Buy Toiletries at Your Destination.
People advised us to purchase toiletries in the US before heading to Europe because they would be more expensive here. Ultimately, though, we had to find space for them, lug them around, and consider the weight of luggage while flying. I definitely recommend bringing that travel carry-on kit, but leave the soap, shampoo, and toothpaste behind, unless they will be difficult to obtain at your destination.
Tip 3: Invest in Quality Travel Organizational Accessories
Lug kindly sent our family several organizational accessories for our trip. These have proved invaluable, as they help save space in your luggage and make it easy to store and use your toiletries and personal items.
The Lug Bento Box Storage Set (Giveaway in this post!) is a personal favorite of mine. The three separate containers allowed me to divide into categories, such as hair products, dental care, and personal care for the family. These boxed containers hold more than you expect, zip tight, and fit neatly in your suitcase. They also have clear tops, making it easy to find what you need at a glance. I found them very easy to place at the bottom edges of our suitcases and pack around.
These Lug Clearview Envelopes have also made a positive difference in our travels. I especially like them for use in carry-ons to keep your travel toiletries. You can easily store your liquid items together that need to be removed for security or create an essentials kit with band aids, wet wipes, tissues, and chewable medications. No searching through your carry on to locate them – just keep them all in one clear container to easily grab. These slim envelopes also keep items secure and your luggage safe from leaks! If I had to choose between the two items, I would pick the Bento Boxes.
Tip 4: Make Your Luggage Stand Out.
Most of our luggage is brown, which helps us identify it, but our black suitcases can be tricky to locate on the moving luggage belt. We used three of these adorable Lug Peekaboo Tags to distinguish our luggage, which the kids loved. If you are looking for something more sophisticated, a Luggage Belt and Tag Set would also catch your eye.
Tip 5: Find Room for that Baby Carrier or Stroller.
We left our carrier behind because our toddler is simply too independent at this stage – or so we thought. In actuality, my husband ended up carring him and lugging suitcases much of the time. We eventually purchased a stroller in England, but it would have been useful during our 4 weeks walking and sight seeing in France and in the midst of hectic airports.
Tip 6: Bring Kid Carry-Ons and Snacks
Each one of our children carried an age-appropriate backpack for our travels, with mini toiletries, coloring books, a crayon roll, a book or two, and toys from the dollar store (this way they were new, light, and it would be okay if a child lost one). I also prepackaged mixes of healthy snacks and candies in different bags for the trip. This way, they could pull out a bag when they got hungry and save the other snacks for later in the day without me constantly handing out or monitoring food. I also packed the toys and coloring books last minute, so they became fun surprises on our trip. We made sure their bags were a very manageable weight and we will definitely do this for the return trip to the US.
Kai, who turned 3 on our trip, loved his lightweight Lug Hokey Pokey Backpack. These adorable packs come in three colors and feature three different animals. He loved carrying his own toys and snacks for the trip. Coloring books were a bit large for this pack, so mom carried them in hers.
Tip 7: Wear a Money Belt
A money belt is not the most fashion-forward choice, but it is great for your sanity. Tim and I divided our family’s passports, cash, and IDs between two belts. With three kids to manage, multiple suitcases, carry-ons, travel details, and jet lag, I was comforted whenever I reached for my money belt. If anything became lost or misplaced, we knew where to find our travel essentials.
Tip 8: Do Your Research and Come Prepared
Traveling is a complex process. Look up details, such as passport processing times, local holidays, and lodging costs before booking your tickets. Airports also post details online about what can go through security checks and how much you can bring of things such as baby food. You’ll also want to research the costs of luggage and weight limits for each airline you are traveling with because this can get tricky. If things are clear as mud online, don’t hesitate to call and talk to a representative for clarification. It’s no fun opening your suitcases behind the check-in counter to try and shift item weight around. Trust me. I know from experience.
Giveaway Time!
After traveling with Lug products for 2 months, I am beyond thrilled to host a Lug Giveaway! Lug is generously giving away a Bento Box Set to one lucky The Inquisitive Mom reader! To enter, simply use the Giveaway Tools form below. This giveaway will be open through 7/16/2014.
Lots of snacks are crucial!!
I love the Outfielder backpack!
I stuff little things into the nooks and crannies…with a small car and three kids it’s necessary to view packing the car like a puzzle.
tacklebox lunch tote
We rarely travel, but if we go anywhere that’s more than an hour away, usually the kids want to bring a stuffed animal. We avoid ‘lost lovies’ by mandating from the start that toys don’t leave the vehicle–they stay in the kids car seat to ‘stay safe and nap’…everyone gets to snuggle with someone and of course it would be easy to tell if one dropped out because someone would be left with an empty lap!
I would love to try the travel pillow and blanket set.
We have been on vacation for a week and I used a lot of these techniques. I tried really hard not to over pack and think I did a pretty good job.
My daughter would really like the Hokey Pokey backpack, so many good products!
We love road trips. I must say though, it’s not always a breeze but we do try to keep a positive outlook on any situation.
I freeze pb & j sandwiches. That way they help keep other items in the cooler cold and by the time we eat them, they are defrosted.
I like the Cub Caps
I like the flat iron case!
Great advice, found it very useful.