How much luggage for family of 7 ?

[Mamaof5lo]

Hello,

I'm a mom of five kids, a five year old, a three year old, a twenty month old and three month old twins.
We are going on a two month holiday.
I was wondering how such luggage is too much ?
My kids all have a seat, I'd rather have the twins safe in their car seat.
This means we each have the right to a checked bag weighing up to 23kilos.
I was thinking four checked suitcases : one for DH and I, one for DD1 and DS1, another one for DD2 and DD3 and then the last one for DS2 and miscellaneous stuffs such as diapers, baby monitor or formula.
Plus a checked car seat and travel crib.
As far as carry on is concerned I was thinking a purse for myself, a carry on suitcase for my husband as well as the diaper bag and a small backpack with their toys and blankets for my two older kiddos.

What do you think ? Is it too much ? What would you take ?

Oh and i have to mention that we are changing locations every two weeks and sometimes will not have laundry services available for two weeks at a time.

Thanks a lot for your advice.
I'm at a loss of what to take.

good luck to the two adults lifting all that, let along wrangling five kids too small to help. And you have to carry car seats too.

packing list is the same as for a two week holiday, and of course you will be able to handwash. With that many messy eaters you will have no choice. I would suggest working out how you are going to shift all this stuff, then deciding how many bags you can take, then packing accordingly.

with no info on destination hard to guess, but rule no 1 is to mix clothes up between cases as then if a case vanishes, no one is left stuck.

You can buy concentrated washing powder in tubes like toothpaste, made for travellers to wash in the bath. I would take at most three suitcases and the diaper/toy bag as a carry on. It just gets too chaotic to watch kids, carry kids, and drag suitcases. Just take what you absolutely need. Our family of 6 went away for two weeks and only took carry-ons, it can be done! If you really need something, there's always going to be shops around.

What temperature?
We have 3x16kg cases for a month for 4 of us, but that is covering winter coats and teeshirt weather. So if its all one temp, id say 4*22kg should be ok. Plus car seats, plus pushchair, plus travel cots. Do you need bottles for the twins?
Just make sure each case isn't jam packed. Trying to force it all back in to move around isn't fun when you know there isn't the option to leave anything behind, or just grab another bag!
I'd do a rucksack for each of the adults, and nothing for the 3 year old, unless you can guarantee he will carry it all the time. Abd a change of clothes for the kids in carry on to.

Where are you going?

I would lay out all the clothes etc that you think you need and then see if it would fit in one massive bag and a rucksack. Small children / babies don’t need half a big case each!

Also, how are you travelling? Hire car? 4 big cases plus smaller bags plus 7 of you....

If by plane between locations, how on Earth will you manage all that lot plus babies etc? Are you taking buggies?

But nappies when you arrive. Take enough for the journey and first day.

Travel light.

Thanks for your answers.
I'm going to Europe. We are going on a month long cruise to the Caribbean. And then we're staying for two weeks in Jamaica where we won't have access to laundry. And then two week in New York.

I do know that I can buy some things overseas which is why I'm not bringing a lot of toiletries. However one of my twins is allergic to lactose even maternal milk which means he has special formula which I can only get with a prescription. This means we have to take multiple cans of formula.
And we are indeed taking a stroller but we are gate checking it.
We are renting a car in Jamaica hence the checked car seat. Howewer we won't be using a car in New York.

challenging indeed! (and i'm confused - the two months seems to be covered so what happens somewhere in Europe?)

can you send any formula ahead? I can't imagine how much will be needed for two months!

can you rent a car seat for Jamaica? You will have access to laundry if there is water, although it will be harder work.

Sorry I wrote Europe but meant America. We are actually from the UK.
I guess I could send formula but I haven't idea how this works. Should is send it to the hotel or the cruise ship ?
I had thought about hand washing but with five kids that is a lot of hand washing especially since my three old and twenty month old are at that stage where they are really messy.

Why will you not have access to laundry in Jamaica?

Jamaica has small independent laundry services, and commercial laundries. A small laundry service ( basically a woman who takes in washing) will be quite cheap.

speak to/ email the cruise company and the new york hotel.

with all those young kids to wrangle you simply cannot manage lots of luggage. a seven seater vehicle may not have a big boot.