I procrastinate about it like crazy. It takes me forever. There’s too much to remember with three kids to pack for, and I always forgetsomething.
And within ten minutes of arriving at our destination, someone needs to get something out of the suitcase and just like that all my neatly folded and segregated piles of kids’ clothing are in one tangled mess.
Today I am going to share something with you that has completed rocked my world. I can’t even begin to explain the awesomeness. PLEASE OBSERVE:
Yes, that is ACTUALLY MY SUITCASE.
I know. I’m shocked too. It looks so neat and orderly.
This is the suitcase of an organised person.
I kind of can’t stop looking at it. It makes me feel like an actual grown-up. A very efficient grown-up at that. I feel like my kids should all be perfectly groomed and perfectly behaved to go along with the image of this perfect suitcase. Also I should probably start speaking in a British accent and saying things like “Spit spot! Run along now, children!”(Because *obviously* all truly organised people speak like Mary Poppins.)
But I digress.
Said suitcase contains five days’ worth of clothes for myself and three kids. (This is the modus operandi at our place – hubby likes to throw a few clothes in a duffel bag and keep his stuff separate.) I could’ve easily fitted in a week’s worth of outfits in the suitcase. Each child has their own little packing cube filled with clothes, and they all slot in together like Lego bricks.
Packing cubes, you ask? What is this magic?
They’re my new secret weapon. I used thecomplete bundleof packing organisers fromEzPacking(U.S. company). When it arrived in the mail, this is what it looked like:
My nerdy organisation-loving heart leapt a little at the sight of these lovely packing cubes. And then I saw these:
I will admit it, I giggled. They just made me think instantly of Sheldon…
So I’m OCD, but I’m notthatOCD. However, I shouldn’t mock. A couple of weeks ago my husband went on a business trip overseas. He actually asked me how to fold a T-shirt. As in, he wanted the step-by-step tutorial. I mean, this guy is smart. He can put together business deals like nobody’s business.So how on earth has he lived for 36 years on this sweet earth and still doesn’t know how to fold a T-shirt??
Clearly I am enabling this by doing all the laundry in our house.Note to self:slack off on the laundry, honey-cakes.
Moral of the story, clearly my husband would find this device useful. Also it would be entertaining to watch him use it.
Moving along.Here’s how I packed the perfect family suitcase.
First, I used the large cubes for my clothes. This cube was exactly the right size to fit two stacks of T-shirts. I packed five T-shirts, three singlets, two “good” blouses and a dress. I could have easily fitted in a few more outfits if needed.
In the second large cube, I packed five sets of shorts and skirts, and also a pair of jeans folded in half. Again, this was a loose fit – I could’ve fitted more if I wanted to.
When it comes to toiletries, one tip that really works for me is to keep a toiletry bag packed and ready to go at the back of the bathroom vanity. Just about everything comes in miniature these days, so I use the “travel” sizes of all my products, from contact lens solution to shampoo and conditioner.
I also have a separate bag for makeup, and of course no self-respecting woman can travel for more than twelve hours without her hair straightener. (Husband:Why do you need to take that thing?)*Hold me*
Onto the kids. For the boys I used one medium cube each. My five-year-old’s shorts just fitted in lengthwise without doubling them in half, together with a stack of five T-shirts beside, and plenty of room for jocks and socks.
My six-year-old’s shorts needed to be doubled over to fit, but there was still room for five pairs of shorts and five T-shirts. This was more snug, but still not a tight fit. I would have been able to fit in another couple of outfits without putting strain on the zipper. It’s amazing how much air there is in clothes and how much they compress. The packing cubes are very space-saving that way.
I ran out of medium sized cubes at this point, so for my daughter I used the two small cubes. This was great too. One for shorts and skirts – a perfect fit lengthwise for size 3 clothes – and one for T-shirts, undies and hair stuff.
The “extra small cube” was perfect for stashing the kids’ essential toiletries. All I usually pack for the kids is a travel-sized bottle of shampoo or bath-wash, the toothbrushes and toothpaste, a pair of nail scissors, and emergency medication in case of pain or fever.
Thecomplete bundlealso included these neat little packages:
The shoe bag – what a fantastic idea!! No more sand and dirt in my nice clean suitcase. The bags could easily fit five pairs of sandals/ ballet flats. When not in use, the bags fold up into a tiny little package with an elastic loop to keep them flat.
I thought this laundry bag was another really thoughtful touch. For such a small package, it unfolds into a capacious and strong bag for all those dirty clothes.
And finally, how clever is this??! It’s a teensy little flat pouch that can just slip down the side of the suitcase, barely taking up any room at all. But if you go a bit overboard with the shopping on your holiday and just can’t fit everything back in your suitcase (what is WITH the way luggage always expands on a trip, anyway?!)… you can unzip your secret pouch, and ta-da! you have an extra duffel bag at your fingertips.
So clever. It’s actually quite big, too. It would also be great for if you’re at the airport and about to be hit with excess baggage fees, and you need to quickly transfer some stuff out of your main suitcase and into a carry-on. (You can thank me for that tip when you save a wad of cash on your next trip.)
I love that once you reach your destination, unpacking is just a matter of pulling out an individual cube and placing it in the cupboard. Everyone gets their own cube – no more digging through an entire suitcase of muddled-up clothes in search of that one thing you just KNOW you put in there SOMEWHERE.
Here’s a video to show you how it all fits in together:
Right, so that’s the clothes and toiletriessorted in style. (Yes!!) The next step when packing for kids is to think entertainment. Toys can be bulky – but I have a few little tricks up my sleeve here.
Anything lightweight, small or flat is perfect to pack in a suitcase. Try to think of things that allow for extended creative play, rather than toys that they’ll play with once and then be bored.
Thesemagnet books from Tiger Tribeare a great example. They’re thin and lightweight when folded, but they open up to make a nice flat surface to play magnets on. We have a street scene with cars and trucks, an underwater mermaid scene, and a world map for the eldest. These are also really handy to slip into a nappy (diaper) bag on the plane.
I always pack colouring books, sticker books, and some sort of activity book like a dot-to-dot or painting with water.
I keep these in a magazine holder at home, so it’s easy to just grab a quick selection and slip them into a plastic file folder. I always have a pencil case filled and ready to go in the cupboard (this is also handy to grab when rushing out the door to church or some appointment where the kids will need to pass time quietly.)
A4 plastic file folders are also great for puzzles, which otherwise are a nightmare to transport. One wooden child’s puzzle fits in neatly, and when closed, the lid stops the pieces from falling out and getting all muddled.
I loveUsborne activity cardsfor the amount of entertainment they pack into a small deck of cards. These don’t take up much room at all. Our kids love the “Doodle cards” best – wipe-clean cards that come with a little dry-erase marker and funny, imaginative instructions.
Lego is always a winner, and it’s miniature sizing makes it perfect for travel (providing you’re willing to risk losing a piece in a hotel room here and there.) Minimise the risk by having an “only play at the table” rule. A sandwich keeper is the perfect size to store a small boxed set of Lego with instructions.
Our firm favourite are theseImaginets– magnetic shapes that can be arranged into an endless variety of creative shapes. The kids have gotten more entertainment mileage out of these than just about any other toy we own, and they’ve accompanied us on many family holidays.
If you’re travelling by car, it can also be fun to put together little toy kits to keep the kids entertained. Here are some ideas I came up with for different interests and age groups, using a divided lunchbox:
To help you get your packing mojo on, I’ve put together this handy printable checklist of everything you’ll need to pack for the whole family. Just tick and flick, and feel instantly organised. You can download ithere.
If you want your suitcases to look THIS organised, don’t forget to check outEzPacking’s websiteand click on the SHOP tab. I used thecomplete bundle, but there’s also a cheaper starter bundle if you want to start small. Packing cubes are also available separately for a very reasonable price, so you can mix and match to suit your needs, and add to your collection over time.I’m totally in love with this product!
