I’ve traveled enough in my life to have made some really stupid packing mistakes — especially when it comes to traveling with my son, Oliver. Through bitter experience, I’ve learned that overpacking can literally weigh down a trip to the point where it feels like slogging through mud. Thanks to those hard lessons, my family now only travels with carry-ons — even for extended international vacations.
We did this for the first time last summer, when we spent two months scouting various cities in France before moving here. Traveling from our hometown of Richmond, Virginia, we each packed only one carry-on and one personal item (backpacks for my husband and 6-year-old Oliver, a tote bag for me). We had more than enough supplies to last us through our summer adventure.
Ready to lighten up? Here are my strategies for packing minimally when traveling with family.
1. Book accommodations with laundry facilities. Unless you love hanging out in laundromats or paying through the nose for hotel laundry, you should book at least a few places with laundry facilities. I usually prefer Airbnbs when we’re staying somewhere for more than a few days, so I always include the filter for washing machines when searching for places. Note that I didn’t say dryers, because these aren’t as common in Europe, and I’ve learned that beggars can’t be choosers. But if we get a chance to wash all of our clothes at strategically timed intervals during our trip, our little travel wardrobes can last indefinitely. Which takes me to my next point…
2. Everyone gets a capsule wardrobe. I love the idea of capsule wardrobes even when we’re not traveling — but they work especially well on the road. The basic idea of a capsule wardrobe is having a curated selection of pieces that mix and match easily. I like to lay everything out on my bed and eliminate any pieces that aren’t versatile enough — like a skirt that only looks good with one top, or a dress that only works for one specific occasion. I focus on pieces in the same color family, and I count on layering for inevitable temperature fluctuations rather than taking up space with bulky sweaters or jackets (at least in the summer). Some workhorse items I always have in my capsule wardrobe: black tanks and tees, cropped linen pants, a striped ¾-sleeve tee, and a couple of easy floral-print dresses. I usually shoot for about 10 days’ worth of outfits, with some items being repeated before laundry day.
3. Pack more for kids. Yes, kids should also get the capsule wardrobe treatment — everything should go with everything else. But kids are messy, and they will go through clothes a lot faster, so it’s a good idea to pack more items than you would for yourself. Luckily, their clothes are usually a lot smaller, so it shouldn’t be a problem to fit them into a carry-on. One thing you can leave at home? Pajamas. They take up so much space, and kids are perfectly fine sleeping in a T-shirt and undies!
4. Choose your fabrics wisely. For summer travel, it’s easy to avoid heavy fabrics like knits and denim, opting instead for lightweight cotton and linen. These will wash and dry more quickly, leaving more space in your luggage. For steamy destinations, these fabrics are also a lot more comfortable.
5. Restrict yourself to three pairs of shoes. Everyone in the family gets three pairs each — two pairs of good walking shoes to swap out regularly, and a pair of sandals. We each wear our heaviest pair on travel days to save luggage space.
6. Buy what you can at your destination. Shopping is one of the joys of traveling — even if you’re just picking up necessities at the pharmacy! If there’s anything I need for the trip, I try to hold off on buying it until we’ve reached our destination. I especially love stocking up on toiletries, skincare, and sunscreen when we go to Europe, and I’ve also picked up necessities like hats, clothing, and beach towels after arriving at our destination. Just be sure to leave space in your luggage for what you plan to buy — or bring an extra bag for bringing home extras.
7. Make your kid(s) carry their own stuff. By the time Oliver was 3 or 4, he was enthusiastic about packing and carrying his own little backpack, and now he happily wheels his own carry-on as well. Asking kids to be responsible for their stuff is an important life lesson — one of many they will learn while traveling!
8. Minimize toy/book/game sprawl. While I do think that kids should be involved in the packing process, it’s important to pump the brakes on their natural inclination to pack ALL of the stuffed animals, books, and toys. Give them a limit and stick with it, recognizing that even if they promise they will carry that giant Jellycat themselves, you will probably end up schlepping it around most of the time. Also, you’ll probably buy more souvenirs for your kid than anyone else, so save space for those inevitable purchases in their luggage.
9. Do sweat the small stuff. Far too often, it’s the little things that end up being such a pain to juggle on travel days. Think neck pillows, heavy scarves and sweatshirts, water bottles, stuffed animals, snacks, devices and chargers. When you’re packing, take time to ensure that everything — and I mean everything — has a place in your luggage, so you don’t have to carry it all in your hands.