To think I'm never go to get 7 people packed into 1 suitcase and 2 hold alls

[Memoo]

We are going on holiday next week in this country for 1 week.

I have dd13, ds11, dsd10, dsd9 and dd2. Oh and a mad dog.

The car does have a roof rack but the only bit of space in the minuet boot is taken by the pram.

So I have to pack everything we need to take into 1 suitcase and 2 hold alls. I think I don't stand a snowballs chance in hell. Dh thinks its doable.

Coats sob

I have the solution!!!!

All of you wear loads of clothes, and whack the air con up, and drive with the windows open.

< is a genius >

The weather is supposed to be getting better. You shouldn't want proper coats, just thin raincoats.

Squish bags by DCs' feet, definitely consider a smaller pram. We used to pack around the DCs. They complained

I think taking less and washing it mid week is going to be my only option.

I am not let dh try. He will screw it all up and stuff it anywhere.

Ah clearly squeaky has the obvious solution

Its all in the packing. Google instructions for rolling clothes instead of folding them, you get the most in that way.

I think we should see pictures of you all in the car plus luggage plus pushchair plus dog at the beginning of your journey and then again at the end, see how many kids you have left after they've killed each other

YANBU - try a dry run?

One pair of shoes each - on feet. One coat each - wearing them or draped over knees in the car.

Work out what your absolute essentials are (underwear and socks!) and then see how much room you have left. We don't have a car, so when we go away anywhere the DSs (aged 13 and 11) have to pack and carry their own (small!) rucksacks. It's amazing what you can get by on. For a week I would get them each to take 3 T-shirts (mix of long and short sleeves) and one fleece or cardi each, the eldest cd get away with 2 prs trousers as he is a cleanly sort of chap, the youngest would need 5 prs at the least! But some of those would be shorts, also he likes those dreadful nylon "sport" trousers which pack down to nothing!

And if you have washing facilities it makes a huge difference.

Good luck OP and have a great hol.

firstly, emmpty the car of everything you do not need to take. ... glove box at the front, pockets in the door, under the seat.everything out that you do not need on holiday.

you need to work out the minimum amount per person. (depending on availability of washing machine/dryer)
coat, 2x jumper 3x t shirt. etc. (don't forget to count the things they will actually be wearing, so you may only need to pack 2 t shirts per person say)

pack these first.

buy small packs of the usual toiletries (eg tooth past) share if you can. restock there and throw away remainder.

everyone except the drivers wears their bulkiest footwear and spare shoes get shoved in the nooks and crannies of the car/pushchair.

toys/entertainment go on the back seat space with the children.

pack the minimum requirements in the luggage and anything else in carrier bags that can be stuffed under the car seats.

you can have one bag in the front pasenger well and one or two in a back foot well under 2 year olds car seat. I got the clothes for 2 adults in half a suitcase. the children took up a lot more space though.

Could some of you get there by public transport? That could free up a fair bit of space.

OP I have eight DC now between 22 yrs and 10 yrs and have packed us all into one large suitcase and a holdall for years.

Another vote for all kids have clothes in backpacks and have them at their feet or on their laps. Many a car journey to the south of France with my feet on top of the cool box and a rucksack on my lap!

I'm thinking if you have a zafira/s max type car you would not get anything bigger than a buggy in the space away, def not a suitcase so I would definitely take your own buggy.

Maybe just put somethings into black bags and squash down the backs of the seats from the inside once the buggy is inplace. This way you can make the most of that small space without having to balance things on top of the buggy then slam the boot shut quickly while things start to fall out (experience speaking here!)

If your buggy is quite large then I'd definitely get a Quinny Zapp, should give you space for something else in the back.

Clothes can be stuffed in the space under seats, and don't forget the spaces around the buggy. You can fit a surprising amount of stuff in small spaces, you just have to fit it in bit by bit

When we camp I get all the fleeces and coats under the seats before we even start filling the boot. Our 7 seater has large door compartments and 3 roof cubbies too which hold all our books, electronic gadgets and whatnot.

Vacuum bags will be your friend too.

Good luck op, it doesn't sound easy!

Christ! Well good on you for trying. There are only four of us and when we went on holiday in June we had a small suitcase each, a box full of books and toys, a pushchair, a travel cot, a beach bag, another box of toys on the back seat, my handbag, a potty and a box of groceries!

Why do you need a pram for a 2 year old ? Won't an umbrella type pushchair do?

Soooo did you manage yet??

take the clothes to a laundrette half way through the holiday? We did this when we went away - we took it in the morning then went to the zoo and picked it up washed, dried and folded on the way home! It cost about a tenner but was well worth it for the no hassle and less luggage.