Travel and packing questions

K&H

Please help me get a handle on the packing for traveling! We'll be going on two separate trips for Christmas and I just can't stand the way we are currently doing things. I can't imagine what will happen when we have more children because it's just excessive and insane!

So, please, tell me.. what would you pack (with great detail) for two adult women and a potty trained 2 year old for six days with family. This includes driving in the car, a slightly dressy (business casual type) dinner at a family home, and Christmas church. No hotels, laundry available.

Also, what would be different for six days with family, in a hotel, no laundry, no church, add swimming pool?

In addition, in what do you pack? Do you pack everyone in the same bag? These are just driving trips, so do you go duffle bags? full luggage? toss the crap in the car? We used to be able to go for a week in one large duffle bag, but now just the baby fills that!

We just packed for our thanksgiving trip and it was absolutely insane the amount of stuff we took. We have a Subaru Forester and it was packed to the gills plus sitting with pillows and blankets and shoving coats around. You couldn't see out the back window and that drives me crazy, plus you'd open doors and stuff would come flying out. It was a disaster! But then this last weekend we went for just two days for cabin camping (sleeping bags on bunks) and it was the same deal! Plus H only brought one pair of pants and E spilled syrup on her so she was sticky all weekend. How can we fill the car no matter how far or how long we go?
I would like to become an amazing packer and have enough for everything but not too much. Is this really possible?

old mama

I have 8 kids and packing...just the thought of it...ugh...but one thing I like to do is pack everyone's PJs for the first night in one bag and have everyone's clothes for the following day together...and everyone's swimwear is together in a seperate bag...no digging around...that way you are opening one bag and everything is there..now since you are driving your dressier clothes you could have on hangers and hang bags with shoes, tights, clean underware ect.right on the hangers so again you are just grabbing that one hanger and everything you need is there...and make lists per person and check them off...Hope you have great trips!

fisch

It's crazy isn't it? The good news is, eventually you CAN pack them in a diaper bag and call it a day. Jack needs next to nothing on an overnight at grandmas. However the diapers and other baby necessities on top of all of the stuff you aren't sure you will need (the sound machine, the teething tablets, baby plates, sippy cups, snacks, it goes on and on) I hope you get some good advice. We always used a carry on size for each kid and a backpack of misc, stuff.

Zen

I would pack separately for everyone. Outside of work, I live in jeans. They can be worn more than once without washing so think 3 pairs of jeans, 6 tops, and underwear. If you wear sneakers, add socks. At least 2 pairs of shoes. Those are your basics. Add a couple more tops "just in case" and a dressier outfit (pants? dress?). If you're going into the cold, add sweaters and jackets. Also need toiletries but those you just scoop off the counter the day you're leaving because until you go, you need them where you are!

Now as for the 2 year old, figure 12 outfits. If you think that's too many, go with at least 9. Make sure to bring at least 2 "show off" dresses for church and Christmas. 2 shoes. 9-12 pairs of socks and undies. Bring a couple of diapers just in case. Baby shampoos/soaps/wipes. Does your little one eat normal food? If not, pack whatever non-perishables she will eat. There's no reason to stress over a fussy hungry toddler when you can whip out cookies and puffs!

neverstopdreamin

I have OCD (actually diagnosed with it, for example I keep a 12 month running calender with me at all times, everything in my house has a place, my family lives off of a schedule, my bill schedule is done 6 months in advance etc) lol I know its crazy but I only can function in very organized enviroments. Every time we go on vacation, I plan the vacation in plently of time to make an itenarary, grocery list, and packing list. Here are my suggestions

1.) make a list for each member of the household and what you use in one day double it by six
2.) pack seperatley, if you have to stop on the road you dont want to have to dig through a mix of everyones stuff
3.) make an activity bag to go in the car so your child will not get bored on the road
4.) plan for unexpected events ( an extra change of clothes, cold medicine, pain reliever because it is getting to that time of a year.
5.) Snacks for the road
6.) Dress up outfits, hang up in a garment bag so you are not looking for an iron when its time to go.

I hope this helps some.
Good Luck and safe trave to ya'll.

michgirl

If I were staying with family and laundry was available (for 6 days) I would pack 2 pairs of jeans, one pair of sweats, 3 casual tops, 6 pair of socks, six underwear, 2 pjs and the dinner & dressy outfit / per adult (you can do laundry 3 or 4 days into the trip. For the child 3 pjs, 6 socks, 8 underpants (just in case) 4 to 5 outfits plus the 2 special outfits. This should feasibly be 1 duffel bag each and one dress bag. Then I take a small lunch box style cooler and put toiletries in it (personally for me with two kids the more things with shoulder straps the better). These should all fit in the FAR BACK of a Forester. Lay pillows , blankets, and coats on top of that. It should not be overflowing and if possible keep it out of the passenger area. You will feel less crowded and less stressed if you can fit it in the back.

6 days in a hotel with no laundry add pool little trickier but not too bad. Adults get 4 pair of jeans (pants), a pair of sweats 6 maybe 7 tops, 7 socks, 7 underwear, 3 pjs and swim suit. E gets 8 full complete outfits (preferably that can mix and match) 9 socks, 9 underwear, 4 jammies and a swim suit.
For this trip adults should be able to pack in two suitcases and E in a duffel bag. Again lunch box for toiletries. IT should still all fit in the back!

GOOD LUCK!
HAVE FUN

palegreen

I'm trying to figure this out as well. G and I are going to visit family for 5 days and I'm trying to figure out how I can fit everything we'll need into a backpack! I consider trying to avoid airline baggage fees a challenge :P Since we'll be staying with family, we'll have access to laundry. I plan to wear an outfit myself, G will be in his PJ's since we're flying in really late at night. I will likely be sending my clothes (two outfits and pajamas) and two of G's outfits and extra PJ's as well as our jackets ahead of time via UPS (it's cheaper than baggage fees and you don't have to mess with checking them and waiting for them at baggage claim).
He already has a car seat and diapers at our destination, so that helps a lot. If you use disposables while travelling, you could order your diapers online and have them shipped to your destination to save a little space. You can do the same for anything from toiletries to snacks.
I also try to pick a pair of shoes that will work with several outfits so I don't have to bring several pairs, since they tend to be bulky. I also try to pack several shirts that will match both pants I bring (that way you can switch it up. ie: tshirt with jeans at the beginning of the trip and then the same tshirt with corduroys at the end of the trip) Even if we were staying in a hotel without laundry facilities, I'd still be inclined to locate a laundromat and do a load of laundry if we were to take a trip longer than 4 days. If that's not an option or not something you're wanting to deal with, I'd pack lots of coordinating outfits for everyone and try to limit each person to one pair of shoes.
As far as baby/toddler necessities. When visiting family, my mom will borrow a few toys from friends and family to keep at her house while we are there. The take and toss cups and bowls are good for travel because they nest neatly, are BPA free, recyclable, and inexpensive if you leave one behind.

I came across these packing cubes the other day and thought they'd be really useful for a long trip if all 3 (or eventually 4) of us were going: http://www.amazon.com/eBags-Packing-Cubes-3pc-Titanium/dp/B0013KBVHM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1354625807&sr=8-1&keywords=packing+bags
I think they'd be great for organizing by day, person, or category.

charcoaleyes

We just took a 6 day road trip to a hotel in a Honda Fit. We learned that we overpacked, but there was plenty of room in the car. And, we stopped overnight each way on the trip.

We pack in dufflebags since they can squish a little better. We had one small dufflebag that included a change of clothes for everyone and one pair of pajamas. We had one bathroom bag that had little bags for each of our toiletries and shower/bath items. We had one large dufflebag for M that had diapers, extra wipes, 6 different outfits that could all coordinate with each other and 3 extra shirts, 2 swimsuits, 10 swim diapers and 2 pairs of pajamas. DH and I brought 2 pairs of pants and 6 coordinating tops each, some casual some nicer for family dinners. We wore one pair of shoes the whole trip. Plus our pillows and our booster seat and umbrella stroller all went into the trunk.
In the back seat, we had a small diaper bag packed like a normal day. We had 3 reuseable grocery bags easily accessible. One had toys and books for the ride and while at hotel, one was full of healthy toddler snacks (so hard to find veggies while you travel), and one was full of snacks for us.

We didn't worry about bringing every little thing, figuring we could find it if we forgot it. But, we didn't end up needing anything and we didn't use everything we bought. We went from a CRV on this trip last year, to a Fit on the trip this year. We packed the CRV overflowing last year. We had no idea how we were going to downsize this year, but we were just aware of space concerns and were surprised by how well it all fit.

Good luck

cocobay

I have become some what of an expert in packing my family for trips. I have OCD tendencies so Ali does not interfere with my packing arrangements. She gets out her clothes and leaves them on the bed for me to pack and then I pack everything else. I try to get everything in one large suitcase. I pack shoes around the perimeter and roll everything else very neatly. I roll everything in our dresser drawers anyway so that doesn't take much time for me. I pack all of our liquid toiletries in a waterproof cosmetic bag and everything else (like brushes, flat iron, tooth brush, bobby pins) in a toiletry bag that can be folded after things are stored into compartments. If we are staying somewhere that has a washer and dryer I wash all of our clothes before packing to come home. I LOATHE doing laundry after vacation. So when we get home I open our suitcase and just put our clean clothes in the drawers. Instead of purchasing small containers of shampoos and soaps I have small bottles that I refill for each trip. If we are staying for several days I just pack the full container. When we travel with Bronx we bring a portable high chair, but E may be able to sit at the table in a regular chair now.

K&H

Ok, so it sounds like I'm about the same as some of you, and also have a long way to go! Only a backpack? I can't imagine!!
In think I'm going to get H a new duffle bag for Christmas and then we'll have one for each person. And then maybe ill tell her she's limited to only what fits in her bag!!