Advertisement
Travel

This Tiny Packing List Could Save Your Family Vacation

The things on this list are small, easy to pack and total lifesavers.

This Tiny Packing List Could Save Your Family Vacation

Photo: iStock/Halfpoint

My husband and I have travelled to more than 20 countries and crossed the Atlantic seven times with our two sons, which means I’m slightly obsessed with packing—especially packing light.

Sure, there are the obvious things you need, like tablets and extra clothes, but this handful of practical goodies could save you some major headaches on your next family vacation—and it will all fit into a sandwich-sized container.

While some will be sitting in your junk drawer, you might not have all of these unexpected essentials at home. But trust me, they’re inexpensive and oh-so worth it when you’re on the road.

A fold-up nylon bag

These pocket-sized sacs can serve as a carry-on if you go overboard with souvenirs. They also work as a beach bag, dirty-clothes bin, shopping bag or suitcase divider. Plus, they weigh nothing and take up almost no space at all.

Six Pack of Reusable Grocery Bags

This Tiny Packing List Could Save Your Family Vacation

Travel-size stain remover and laundry detergent

Even if you’re not a fan of hand washing clothes in hotel bathrooms (OK, who is?), a bit of stain remover or laundry detergent could save the day if junior dumps cranberry juice on your one pair of pants the first night of vacation.

Kind Laundry Detergent Sheets

This Tiny Packing List Could Save Your Family Vacation

Wrinkle-free spray (the mini-bottle)

We once paid a mint to have my husband’s dress shirt pressed on a cruise (no irons!?), and I’ve been packing wrinkle-free spray ever since. Clothes are bound to wrinkle in a suitcase, but if you spray them, smooth them out and hang them up as soon as you unpack, this magic potion is more than worth its weight.

Grandma's Secret Wrinkle Remover Spray

This Tiny Packing List Could Save Your Family Vacation

Pint-sized entertainment

Travel often involves waiting—on the airplane tarmac, shuttle buses, etc.—which isn’t fun with wiggly wee ones. I try to have several non-electronic options so I can save the tablet, phone or Nintendo for when we’re in the air.

Figure out what works for your crew. For a while, I carried two Hot Wheels cars and an R2D2 figurine in my pocket for every trip.

When my son was two, he was obsessed with light switches, so I bought a few varieties from the hardware store and kept them in my purse. Strange? Perhaps. But they saved us a few meltdowns.

A few baggies in various sizes

I’ve used a gallon-sized Ziplock for wet swimsuits in Croatia, a quart-sized one for a snow globe in Iceland, and a snack-sized variety for seashells in Holland. Now I carry a couple of each, just in case.

Stasher Reusable Silicone Storage Bags

This Tiny Packing List Could Save Your Family Vacation

A permanent marker and a pen

My travel Sharpie has labeled snack bags, drink bottles, souvenirs, contact cases, even toothbrushes. And starting on the plane with your customs forms, a pen always seems to come in handy.

Rubber bands

I bundle up our PJs in rubber bands for easy-access at airport hotels. They also keep earbuds wound tight, and hold together cards and crayons long after the packaging disappears.

Naturally, you might not use every one of these on every trip. But when that sippy cup starts leaking in your carry-on bag, you’ll be thrilled to have that Ziplock. Or when you’re juggling three of the same juice boxes, you can quickly label them with your Sharpie.

Heck, even if you don’t touch any of these items, at least they hardly made a dent in your suitcase.

This article contains affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on our site at no additional cost to you.

This article was originally published on Nov 04, 2021

Weekly Newsletter

Keep up with your baby's development, get the latest parenting content and receive special offers from our partners

I understand that I may withdraw my consent at any time.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Advertisement
Advertisement