An organized suitcase means less thinking and more vacationing

Ok, vacationing isn’t a word I usually use when the kids are along for the ride. It was a trip. However, this last week our family traveled to Phoenix, AZ and had an amazing time visiting with old friends, meeting their children, and enjoying the sunshine.

Packing can be challenging and dare I say frustrating, yet it’s critical to ensuring you are able to find what you need when you need it. Not having bathing suits would have been extremely disappointing for our kiddos once they saw the waterslides outside our door and felt the desert heat on their skin. Here are my tips for a stress-free trip:

Make a List

Make a list and let each child do the first round of packing themselves. Give them the # of each item they need and see how they do. By having them take charge of this first step, you can ensure they have their favorites! When they are done, I go back over the list with them and make a few tweaks, explaining to them why. Our girls were excited to learn that if they packed some rompers, those counted as 1 pair of shorts and 1 shirt. Who knew!

Packing Cubes

Packing cubes are the real star of the show. If you haven’t jumped on the packing cube train, hear me out. They alone can be a guide to remembering what to pack every time that suitcase is pulled out of your closet. Each member of our family has their own color set of 3 sizes. Large, medium and small. The large size is for pants, shirts, dresses, and sweaters. The medium size is for swim, gym & sleep, and the small size is for undergarments and socks. It’s easy to know where to put items as we are packing, and it’s also easy to know where to look for that bathing suit once we are at our destination! Finally, they give us boundaries of how much we can bring. If it doesn’t fit in the cube, it doesn’t come on the trip. You can find a similar set that comes in several colors here. (affiliate link)

Color Coded Suitcases!

Surprise, surprise. The organizer is color coding. Only because it works! Each of us has our own carryon that the packing cubes fit into perfectly with enough extra room for an extra pair of shoes or two and a book. Our kids are at the age where they are able to be responsible for their own luggage so a suitcase rolling behind them and a backpack on their back is all we need to get from here to there.

Speaking of Backpacks

Their backpacks contain their activities for the flight including snacks, books, a travel pillow, electronic devices and headphones. One thing that also always goes in the backpack is a sweatshirt. Airports and airplanes can be freezing so it’s nice to have that extra layer just in case.

Snacks

Traveling is expensive. Traveling as a family of 6 is wicked expensive. We love to save money by packing the kids snacks ahead of time in quart sized zip top bags labeled with their names. I usually include fun treats they don’t get often, but also some good ol’ standbys that are sure to be gobbled down. If we won’t be able to shop before returning home (for example at an all-inclusive resort where gift shop snacks are just as pricey as airport snacks), I pack a gallon bag in my suitcase with return trip snacks and just refill the bags when packing up!

Laundry Bags

Pack laundry bags. As clothes get worn, put them in laundry bags instead of on the floor or back in the suitcase. At the end of the trip, I usually condense a couple of the kids’ cubes with the remainder of their clean clothes into one suitcase and use the other for laundry alone. When we get home, I get a load started right away because it’s already ready to go. If you are a laundry sorter, you can bring 2 bags - one for lights & one for darks.

Tidy Your House

There is nothing worse than coming home from a trip to a cluttered, disorganized mess. Do a quick once-through to put things away, clear the counters, and wipe out the fridge. You won’t regret it.

Coming Home

This might be unpopular opinion, but I suggest unpacking as much as you can upon your arrival home. Empty the laundry into the washer and get that going. Put away shoes and books. Bring the cubes with clean clothes to the bedrooms where they belong. And if you are really motivated, put the suitcases away and the travel pillows, laundry bags, and other items you only use for trips away in their special bin labeled “Travel”. You’ll be ready to go for that next trip on your calendar.

:So now tell me - where are you going next and which tip are you most excited about trying out!?