4 people, 10 days, 1 suitcase - what to pack?

[sparklins]

2 adults 2 kids (7&5).
We are going away for 10 nights and have 1 suitcase between us and also the plane carry ons.
There is a washing machine available where we are staying.
There will also be a couple of nights that call for a dressier get up so will probably need extra shoes.

It seems a bit tight for space as the last holiday (pre covid) we had 2 20kg bags and this time it's cut in half.

What are everyone's packing tips or perhaps lists when travelling with kids?

Pack 3 outfits plus dressy outfit plus fleece for everyone. Obviously swimming costumes,toiletries, hats, chargers too.

a credit card to buy and extra suitcase in the hold?

Get another suitcase? I'm not into travelling light, I need stuff!

Make sure the carry on bags are maxed out for the size allowed. Double check to make sure they are at the limit but not over. Buy a load of cheap clothes from Primark for you all, cram them into the carry on bags and then bin them once you've worn them on holiday. That way you'll be able to fill them with duty free on the return journey.

Bloody hell, what a waste!

I'm in the same boat but with 3 of us. My other half is only allowed the shoes he is travelling in. We will put as much in the hand luggage as we can and wash stuff when we need it. It's doable I think if you don't go crazy with taking too much stuff.

Sorry not much help but I would be paying for an extra case

Just pay the extra for another hold luggage. How miserable to have to travel so light.

travel in fancy clothes and shoes

flipflops x4
t shirts and shorts for everyonex3
swimming costumes x2
light decathlon microfibre towels x8 (1 pp swimming, 1pp showering)

And this kind of attitude really is why there is no hope for the planet.

And this kind of attitude really is why there is no hope for the planet.

Gosh, how miserable. If you can afford to go away surely you can afford two bags between 4 of you?

Not helpful I know but it's not going to be much of holiday if you've got to keep doing washing.

Agree with others, get extra luggage allowance and make your life easier.
4 of us and we have 2 x 23kg plus 1 x 15kg and allowed 4 small carry ons.
Would rather pay and take what I want than stress over this.
Admittedly my DC are older- with big feet - so nobody would otherwise have another pair of shoes!

Kids are allowed to bring one small teddy and one small toy, and I bring them a new book each. If we have hold luggage I bring sun cream from home and usually all other toiletries but if very tight on space I could get the rest of the toiletries there too.

For a beach/ pool holiday with guaranteed hot weather I find it easy to pack light. Even easier for a eurocamp type holiday where people don't dress up at night. What type of holiday are you going on?

What size are your hand luggage? School bag size or mini suitcase size?

Swimming stuff x 2 each, goggles.

Dressy outfit each.

Underwear- the exact amount.

4 day outfits plus the outfit you wear travelling.

4 night outfits.

Shoes you wear plus one other, maybe one other plus flip flops/ sliders. We are usually gym trainers (wear these) and bring sandals for girls and casual trainers for boys, plus sliders or crocs each.

I am done with that shit. It makes going away too stressful. After dealing with that on our honeymoon, followed by a 25min walk to the station and a change of trains at a station with no lift, I've told DH that a decent luggage allowance and airport taxis or parking need to form part of the holiday budget.

Good luck OP. I am sorry I have nothing helpful to add.

By the time you've bought clothes for everyone from Primark you might just as well pay for another suitcase and not throw things away. One suitcase between four of you is not enough. If you max out everyone's hand luggage it'll just mean being hampered around the airports at either end and you and your partner will probably end up knackered as the kids won't be able to cope with 10kg each to wheel around.

Buy clothes then bin them??? Fucking hell, that's awful.

In my carry on case I can fit:
7 dresses (that will double for day or evening),
2 bikinis,
4 pairs of shorts,
a few vests,
pair of sliders,
sandals for night time
a weeks worth of underwear!

I will travel wearing trainers, trousers, t shirt, hoody and denim jacket (that I will wear in the evenings if it gets chilly).
Toiletries will be split between all our bags.

That's plenty for a week!

I would use the hold luggage for shoes and your DC's stuff. You and DH have a carry on full of clothes each. The DCs could have a back pack.

We have the wheely carry ons which are easy. I can wheel a case and carry a back pack if I need to, so you could take the DC's bags if they get tired.

Pay extra for a second suitcase. Don't make packing any more stressful than it has to be!

Wear a couple of layers each on the plane and hope it's not too hot when you get there, two t-shirts, 2 pairs of pants, two sun hats etc? Stuff things into your pockets. Make sure you each wear the bulkiest pair of shoes. Think about what you can buy at the airport and therefore can be in a separate (carrier) bag to your cabin bag (books for example).

Or pay for another case.

^Do NOT do this. Honestly shocked that anyone would think binning brand new clothes is anywhere near acceptable.

Honestly I would just suck up the cost of an extra hold bag. If that's completely not an option, then wear your bulkiest items on the plane (and layers on top if you can). Then pack as much as you can into the cabin bags, reserving only your bulkiest items and liquids for the hold bag. Cabin bags are usually restricted on size not weight so put any small but heavy items in here.

This is normal for us as we don't drive and travel a lot, mainly by train. My 5 year old has a 7 litre rucksack for their toys, snacks, sticker book, ipad and headphones and coat. My older DD has a 20litre school bag and that fits all her stuff in it: 3 outfits, swimwear, book, ipad, headphones, lightweight coat. I then use vacuum pack bags for 3 outfits each, pyjamas, swimwear and large muslins as towels (do laundry once mid-week), spare light footwear like sandals wear the heavier pair if taking trainers or walking boots or something, small toiletries bag but we usually buy mini toiletries when we get there to use up during the stay. We usually wear or carry a spare jumper/cardi layer. Pocket on bag for wallet, keys, tickets, chargers and headphones. Kids usually buy something like a new toy or game while we're there that they play with through the week and then carry home or give to a friend. We often give buckets and spades to a family just arriving when we are leaving.

I took one of these compression sacks on holiday (they come in different sizes) - you don't need a vacuum you just sit on them several times! Saved so much space with laundry being squished down on the way back so more room for anything I had picked up on holiday.
www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07N2QT4B4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

Should be fairly easy if you're carry-ons are a decent size - you can pack quite a lot of kids tshirts/shorts/underwear in carry-ons, just be careful of weight.

You only need three or four tops/trousers each for 10 days if you are going to a hot country, swimming costumes, one smarter outfit, and you wear any heavier clothing/shoes. You'll be fine if there's a washing machine. You can always save weight by buying some of your toiletries when you get there, or at the airport.