You might have noticed, if you follow me on Instagram, but we travel a fare amount with our kids. And mostly, we take road trips. I had a reader recently ask me to publish my packing list, so wish granted!
I pack in two waves: the bulk BEFORE the day we leave and then a small second wave the morning we leave. I set my alarm crazy early so I can get ready, check those last minute item lists and make sure we have it ALL. So, you’ll see below that the lists are divided into First and Second.
Another really important thing to consider is where you are staying. We stay in AirBnB houses or VRBO houses with enough rooms so the boys can have their own space to sleep. We have made this a priority of any trip, because if the boys can sleep we have a more of a chance of enjoying our trip!
When the boys were both younger, we would pack two pack-n-plays so they could each sleep in a crib-like bed. But now that Canaan can sleep in a regular bed, we’ve whittled that down to one.
When we are getting in the car we usually change Easton’s diaper and have Canaan go to the potty one last time. Then we put them in the car with their jammies on and their blankets tucked around them. We put a basket of books between their car seats and I keep a separate bag with Water Wow books or activity books tucked away for later in the trip.
My kids don’t use tablets but I do have friends that highly recommend packing tablets loaded with movies and headphones (we just haven’t started that habit yet).
FIRST
- Outfits
- PJs
- Toiletries
- Baby Motrin + extra droppers
- Bandaids/first aid kit
- Car basket of books/stuffed animal
- Small extra car bag of toys for down the road
- Shoes/socks
- Empty snack cups and drink cups
- ALL MY OWN TRIP ITEMS
- Box/bag of diapers AND wipes (lots extra)
- Pack n Play sheets
SECOND
- Blankies/lovies
- Sound machines
- Baby monitor cameras
- Chargers
- Pillow
- Toothbrushes/paste
FOOD/DRINKS
- Water bottles (filled)
- Apple slices
- Crackers
- Granola bars
- Bananas
- Sliced peppers/carrots
- Perfect Bars
- Canned/bottled coffee drinks
- Almonds
- Dried fruit
- Box of O’s
- Wet wipes
I try to keep all of my packing super organized. I use some Thirty-One totes (you can see Steve carrying one in the picture with the pink beach house) to keep everything organized and visible. I’ve heard packing cubes are life-savers too.
And then, of course, I adjust per the trip we are taking. If we are going to the beach, I pack LESS outfits because we’ll be in swimwear most of the time. I pack a couple lightweight folding chairs, lots of towels, a beach umbrella and a tarp, and a lot of SPF.
I know this almost looks minimal, but once you get it in the car, I hope you realize you are more than well-prepared.
Tell me some of your favorite traveling tips! Or tell me what you always feel like you leave behind…
