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Original poster

1 large suitcase for family of 4 - tips!

51 replies

Bourbon2891 · 28/08/2023 22:16

We’re going away next month for 10 days with our 2 DCs who are 2 and 6 mths. We are hiring a smallish car, so had to take that in to consideration when booking luggage with our flight.

We’ve booked one 23kg suitcase and we each have a carry-on bag (to fit under seat on plane). We will also be checking in 2 x car seats, a travel cot and a buggy, We are staying in self-catering accommodation with a washing machine. Weather will be mid to high 20s.

We went away last year with our then 1 yr old on a similar trip and took one 20kg bag and carry ons and it was no problem, but for some reason this time i am panicking slightly.

We will be bubble wrapping the car seats and i know i will be able to stuff beach towels in with those - possibly some things in with the travel cot too.

Any packing tips welcome!

OP posts:
KirstenBlest · 28/08/2023 22:19

Put essentials in the carry on bags, so that if the one suitcase goes missing, you'll have enough clothes, nappies etc to keep you going.

Massivedicks · 28/08/2023 22:23

Can you not hire a travel cot? Seems a huge thing to lug along side two car seats etc.

BitOutOfPractice · 28/08/2023 22:25

Are you sure there’s not a travel cot where you’re going?

Original poster
Bourbon2891 · 28/08/2023 22:29

Our 2 year old still sleeps in a cot, as well as our 6 month old baby. The accommodation is providing a travel cot but they only have one and we need 2 hence the need to take it unfortunately

OP posts:
Coffeepott · 28/08/2023 22:29

Packing cubes!! Keep your suitcase organised

I also take an EcoEgg for washing clothes - we have various allergies/sensitive skin but no one in my family reacts to this and saves trying to pack or buy suitable washing powder, plus you can re use it for something like 50 washes

Original poster
Bourbon2891 · 28/08/2023 22:29

@KirstenBlest Yes! Definitely need to remember this

OP posts:
Beautifulsunflowers · 28/08/2023 22:30

Small bottles of shampoo/shower gel etc

If taking towels take microfibre ones - they roll up really small and weight nothing!

take enough stuff for 4 days, do a wash on day 3 then you will have enough clothes.

Shoes always takes up a lot of space -limit the amount and stuff shoes with underwear and socks.

Coffeepott · 28/08/2023 22:38

Also I don't suppose this would work for overseas travel but just in case - for UK holidays we have posted stuff to our holiday destination - travel cot and high chair one year I think, tent to somewhere else. It was surprisingly easy! Bring packing tape and post it back on the last day before going home

My sister has been known to Amazon prime stuff to her holiday address too - so, if you need to pack baby milk for while you're there and you'll have that space free to bring stuff back, Amazon prime socks/baby clothes to your holiday destination for the day after you get there. It's a bit risky, maybe, but sometimes you have to live dangerously 😅

Original poster
Bourbon2891 · 28/08/2023 23:03

@Coffeepott thank you! we have an egg :)

OP posts:
stayathomer · 28/08/2023 23:06

A change of clothes for each child in each carry on, wear heavy clothes on the plane. Shampoo soap!

Original poster
Bourbon2891 · 28/08/2023 23:08

@Beautifulsunflowers always forget about stuffing things in shoes too! Altho I'll prob just take 2 pairs of flat sandals and my toddlers shoes are still so tiny :D

OP posts:
Original poster
Bourbon2891 · 28/08/2023 23:09

@Coffeepott that's interesting about Amazon priming stuff to the accommodation - will look in to that!

OP posts:
Original poster
Bourbon2891 · 28/08/2023 23:12

@stayathomer yes definitely need to make sure we have everything we need for the girls in the carry on bags. Thinking as we will be stopping off a supermarket on the day we arrive to pick up some groceries we will probably just buy shampoo/soap etc there rather than trying to pack that in too.

OP posts:
listsandbudgets · 28/08/2023 23:14

Plan to buy things like sun cream, shampoo, shower gel etc. locally and just get cheap ones and.leave.them behind.

Microfiber towels.

Roll clothes.dont fold them.

stayathomer · 28/08/2023 23:17

Just one thing if you’re buying toiletries, we’re in Italy this year and aftersun was twenty quid (euro) but yes good idea on getting to a shop instead!

InvincibleInvisibility · 28/08/2023 23:26

Whats the weather like and what are you planning on doing? Id go very minimalist like 1 pair of sandals each, no other shoes. Wash and wear (Ive recently been and put a load of washing on most days. Meant we survived with 4 outfits each for 2 weeks)

Buy suncream, shampoo, soap, nappies etc etc there. Dont bother with mini bottles.

Definitely take calpol. Mine were both ill once on holiday. We had 1 bottle but it ran out and neither of them liked the local version.

Pack a change of outfit for each person in your carry on - very easily accessible in case 1 or more people get sick on them (my friend's baby threw up over them in the taxi to the airport....and again the plane....)

00100001 · 28/08/2023 23:35

God, just put the 2 year old in with you for the holiday.

Hire car seats with the car.

00100001 · 28/08/2023 23:38

The carry on are quite big usually.

Just plan to wash clothes half way through? And take 3-4 changes?

Take maybe 2 days of nappies, buy the rest there.

Hire car seats with the hire car.

headstone · 28/08/2023 23:48

We managed a 12 day holiday family of six with just one suitcase. It was to a hot country though which makes it easier. We just washed things every other day, bought the toiletries at boots at the airport, didn’t take towels.

Justcantsleep · 28/08/2023 23:54

Packing cubes!

Also purchase all your toiletries from boots and then collect ‘airside’ in the terminal. That way you can take them all through and you don’t need them to be under 100ml. You need to do the online order about 5 days before your departure and make sure you definitely get the airport and the airside collection as in some airports LHR for example they often have more than one shop!

InvincibleInvisibility · 29/08/2023 00:18

Oh yes we've hired cars with carseats before. Much simpler. We've never taken a pushchair either, just a sling

CaseSolved · 29/08/2023 00:31

Microfibre towels roll up tiny.
A small beach mat that also folds tiny.

pashmina696 · 29/08/2023 07:24

Get a buggy bag for the buggy - it will help keep it clean/dry for travel but you can also stick any blankets, towels, nappies etc in the bag with it.

PurBal · 29/08/2023 07:49

So for clarity:
4x small hand luggage plus a change bag or 3x small plus a change bag? FWIW we took 2 medium suitcases for 3 of us (we had way too much) and DH didn’t take hand luggage at all. I took my small crossbody for passports / wallet and then a change bag for DS (with 2 changes of clothes, nappies for each hour of the journey). This left us with hands to do look after DS. So cross body and a rucksack each (including change bag) would be my suggestion. If you have to gate check your pushchair and it comes off in baggage claim (airline dependent) rather than at the gate when you land I would use as little hand luggage as possible. Also consider carrier / sling (not sure if this counts as hand luggage).

Microfiber towels are great as PP suggested, can double as a picnic blanket.
Only use one wash bag for all of you.
Use a sleeping bag and large muslin for the travel cot rather than a full set of cot linen (DS was 21mo using a pillow when we travelled so added bulk), assuming your picking the second cot for your 6mo.
Pack for just 4-5 days your trip and plan to do laundry twice (and bring home mostly clean!)
Buy nappies there.

Summerslimtime · 29/08/2023 07:54

Start the 2 year old sleeping on a mattress from tonight? Then no need for the travel cot.