Family holiday packing - why such a huge task? Hacks?

[bubbathewhale]

Boring first world topic I know! I always find packing for holiday this mammoth task which seems to take me all day! (2 weeks DH and me with preschool age DC). Does everyone find it a huge task or am I making a meal out if it?

I have a list, and I roll up clothes, but aside from that no shortcuts I know of.

Are there any hacks or ways of packing that make life easier? Husband says I should just chuck everything in a bag and not worry about it. However last time he was in charge of packing and forgot all of DC's clothes so they ended up being kitted out from the local tourist shop

Get HIM to write a detailed list (check it) and then get him to pack it. Don’t take this wifework.

My method...
Month before... identify if anything new needed
Week before... ensure everything needed is clean
2 days before... put everything in bag.

Its one of those task that will expand to fill extra time if you allow it too.

Plus child packing gets easier with practice. We are away the next three weekends plus DD has a school residential this week. Packing will take about 30 mins for each trip if that.

(Its two work trips and one trip to family, kids accompany us on one work trip and going to grandparents on other, we don't go on holiday weekly!)

We like packing cubes for their organisation but we hotel hop so never unpack everything from a case anyway, just take the cube and put it in the drawer, unzip to get stuff. For the children we pack one cube with 4 pairs of shorts, 4 t shirts, underwear for 4 days plus an extra set just in case. Each person has their own cube colour and we also have another colour for extension lead/chargers so it is easy to spot.

I have a list on a spreadsheet and I just grab the clothes from their wardrobes and match outfits. Any swim wear also goes in a packing cube and it has a label. Cubes get chucked onto the landing and when I have finished all the rooms everything gets taken downstairs to the cases as I am not lugging a full case downstairs and we distribute the cubes over the cases so that if one case goes missing we haven't lost all the clothes for one person.

I do it because I enjoy it, Dh lays out what he wants and I pack it because I am the queen of rolling clothes. Dh packs all the electronics/tech stuff. He is better at that than me. I watched a lot of Youtube videos before making my packing cube choice. I like to be organised.

Kit list (which you have already, so you know what you need) and a bag per person (we used to put large plastic shopping bags in a big holdall). Pack as things come out of the wash. Have holiday toiletries so you can pack them well in advance.

Things like swimsuits and towels maybe in another bag for ease - just one bag to go through to get what you need for the beach.

If you get your kit list system going well, as the DC get older you can delegate parts to them, and eventually just give them a list and ask for it all to brought to you on or by a specified day. Then you can check it - and obviously in the end they can pack their own.

By the time my youngest was about 9, they'd all get a list a week beforehand with clear instructions about getting things in the wash on time or letting me know if their swimsuit didn't fit or whatever.

Our kit list was on my laptop, so I could just tweak it and print it out. It had sections for cabin bag and suitcase, and was a massive stress reducer.

Apart from some great ideas already, I use different coloured packing cubes for each person, but when they are packed mix them up over the cases so if any case is delayed etc we would still have clothes to wear.

My method is very simple, laundry is all up to date anyway so packing takes me about 20 minutes. I think my hack would be to make sure you have all your stuff clean.
Dc now pack for themselves, dh does his own so I just pack for me.
Honestly I get my case out the morning I am leaving (or night before if I’m up at stupid o’clock to leave) and am done and dusted very quickly.
chargers, headphones, phone etc all get chucked in hand luggage.
Majority of toiletries get bought either at the airport or the destination.
Hate packing so much that I refuse to let it take over anymore time than is absolutely necessary!

The list is key - and while you're on holiday, add/amend it so next time you're better prepared.

1 swim bag with everything in it (permanently - used for holidays and in normal life)

Cubes - these days kids are sent to get me X t-shirts/pants/trousers + 1 hoodie - they go in a cube, and into the main bag.

DP can pack himself if you're overwhelmed already.

Gadget bag - youngest's job is to make sure we have plenty of charging leads, all in one drawstring bag.

Morning we're leaving all the toothbrushes/wash stuff goes in a wetbag and into the handluggage/main luggage (depending on how we're travelling)

hand luggage (whether on plane/ferry/in car) with key gadgets, change of underwear, first-aid basics etc.

I start prepping the list a few weeks before, adding stuff as I think of it, but only do the actual packing the day before.

I’m in the chuck some summer clothes in a suitcase as long as you’re not going somewhere really remote then so what if something’s missed. Our swimwear all holds great memories of the hotels where we bought them- DD’s mexico swimsuit, my Vail bikini 😂 I like packing cubes though, handy for squeezing more in a small bag and knowing where everyone’s stuff is if you colour code by family member.

I start a list a couple of weeks before and also check if there’s anything I need to buy.

Pack the day before and write another list for the morning, phone charger, phone toothbrush etc.

DP/DH can do his own packing.

I put in a couple of plastic bags for dirty washing, messy shoes to use when I pack to come home.

We travel light on the day, large travel bags cause me stress.

I don't pack for my DH - he's a grown man who goes on multiple business trips abroad every year. He can pack for himself. I pack for the kids and me.

A couple of weeks before I take a look at my excel packing list to see if any changes are needed and if anything needs buying. A few days before I'll pack any specialist holiday items we don't need day to day (e.g. Beach toys, towels, insect repellent etc), but most of the packing I do day before / same day (depending on departure time). It still takes me a couple of hours. I think packing methodically against a list does just take a bit of time unfortunately, but imo it's worth it to not to be forgetting things. I know you can buy most things out there, but sods law it'll be the middle of the night when you suddenly need some Calpol!

I used to be a pack ten minutes before the taxi is due kind of girl.
Then marriage happened - pack the night before.
Then kids happened - I now completely understand why my grandmother would get suitcases a fortnight before.

A hangover from my single days - I still have a travel pack of my own travel toiletries ready and packed to go at all times. Now the problem is finding it but it is always ready.

Packing lists, like packing cubes, are your friend.

Always pack the ‘special’ stuff first so you don’t forget it. For example, swimsuits and associated paraphernalia like ear plugs.

I have plenty of room for improvement so I’m watching this with interest.

It’s the pressure of remembering everything that anyone else might need that does it for me. Making sure everything is washed and dried in time. Trying to pack everything in advance when people still need to actually wear clothes at home and we’re still using chargers etc. Running down the fridge without running out of food too soon…

I've never looked at packing cubes before. I'm not sure I understand their value? What if they don't fit perfectly into the suitcase you have and you're left with awkward spaces. Can someone explain how these are useful and not just another thing to remember?

Make sure all wireless devices (headphones, power banks, etc) are charged a few days in advance so you're not running around the night before trying to get everything fully charged (my usual habit).

I think the hardest part of it is making sure everyone has enough clothes that fit. Kids especially the oldest hates shopping.

Yes to colour coded packing cubes distributed so no one loses their whole wardrobe. Total game changer.

The other thing I do is designate one suitcase the 'laundry' case for the way back. We wash a lot as we go, but anything dirty/sandy/soggy on the last day goes into that case in carrier bags.

When we get home that case is dealt with immediately. Everyone else just takes their cubes to their own room.

I'm aware my teenagers then sling their cubes into their wardrobes unpacked...not my problem. They can worry about that when they can't find a favourite tshirt.

I also don't bother taking toiletries unless we are going somewhere where we won't be able to buy much - wild camping etc. I take home any opened but not empty hotel toiletries like shampoo, & they live in a particular washbag that gets slung in a case for camping trips.

They compress stuff so you get a lot more in the same space. They come in a variety of sizes and then add in stuff that doesn’t go in them like shoes, toiletries, hairbrush etc and there are no gaps. And colour code e.g. DH black, you grey, DD purple, empty green one for dirty laundry and everything stays really organised.

Oh and you should split everyone’s stuff between all the cases so if luggage gets lost you don’t end up with DD having everything whilst you don’t even have a clean pair of knickers. Then the colour coding also really helps as you can easily tell who’s is whose.

I still do this even if taking hand baggage, which is when the compression element really comes into its own, as unless you’re elite status with the airline or flying business class you can never guarantee that you won’t be made to gate check your bag.

Could someone link to good packing cubes?

How do they compress stuff?

They have two zips, one to close them and one to force them to squish down. They do save a lot of space and are definitely worth it

They compress with a second zip which squeeze all the air and gaps out.

We have these ones and they’re great but not sure we paid that much for them. We got them a few years ago when we living in the US and stuff like is usually much cheaper in $.

Amazon Brand - Eono Compression Packing Cubes, Luggage Organiser Set, Extensible Suitcase Organiser, Packing Organisers for Suitcases, Packing Cubes for Travel or Home Storage - Burgundy, 3 Set https://amzn.eu/d/jdQa4Os

I am in awe of the organisation on this thread and will be looking at packing cubes.

My contribution is that I make lists for each person and a general one. The older kids are able to take the list and pack their own.

I set aside an empty laundry basket to gather things that are for the holiday, especially things that are bought for going away like new suncream, colouring pens, sweets for the journey etc.

Two days before we go, I declare that anything that they want to take must not be worn as it will not be washed and dry in time ( I don't apply this rule to myself and always end up packing damp clothes 😬).

I think people make a song and dance about packing. I would NOT bother with cubes. As long as you have eyes you can can see what a pile of 10 bikinis looks like, but if you want to put it in a little bag and label it BIKINIS then crack on. Husband does all his own packing. I do everything else. I take it out of the wardrobe and put it in a suitcase. All my holiday stuff is together. I buy a pack of new summer M&S knickers for me and my daughter most years. Boy kids are so easy. I’d pack 14 T-shirts, 6 shorts for evening, swimming stuff for day. My little girl, I’d take 10 dresses and she can wear a few more than once, swimming stuff for day. Probably takes me an hour, I take kid’s rucksacks for their bits. I don’t roll clothes, that never works, just put it in in piles. Your washing obviously needs to be bang up to date before you attempt to start packing.

If all the dc T-shirts go in one cube for each dc and all their shorts go in another, even if. You distribute won't a missing bag mean dc or you or whoever will only have tops or bottoms?