We did it!!!
We traveled from America to Europe for 2 and a half weeks with 4 kids….Carry-On luggage only!
I know… maybe we are crazy, but honestly.. less bags and the peace of mind is totally worth it!
Less is more.
So before I give any details from our trip, I wanted to document a little of the planning that went into preparing for departure!
Here is a list of the main items that we brought with us. 😊
If it helps make packing easier for any other mama, then it’s worth writing about. 😘
Here it goes-
Our Packing List!
1. Backpacks (no wheels)– 🎒👜I purchased all 3 of my girl’s bags at Target and the many inside pockets were my reasoning for these purchases. Their school backpacks just weren’t strong enough and didn’t provide the organizational factor that I required.
The more pockets the better!
I also love that they synch and have a flap that secures the top making it easier to expand if necessary. ($30 each)
Giana’s Minnie backpack had a nifty handle to hold on the top that made it easy to hold onto her in crowded places, or just to carry the bag when she was too tired. ($17)
Plus, the bags of our two oldest kids matched the ones that my husband and I both wanted from Target as well. ($50 each).
To make organization more efficient, I used large freezer ziploc bags for all of our kid’s shirts, and smaller bags for their underwear and socks. For their pants, I laid them flat folded over once and rolled from the top, and I did the same for their pajamas too. Such a space saver and easy to see everything.
I say “no wheels” for luggage to Europe because I have seen so many people struggle while walking down the road with their bags on wheels rolling on the cobblestone streets and sidewalks around Europe. You may think it is super helpful to be able to pull your luggage along behind you, but it will quickly become a burden!
No wheels was a requirement for us.
- The girl’s bags⤵️ (with outfits out and ready for flight) All of their items stored neatly inside.
- Our bags⤵️ they carry and open like a backpack and also a suitcase with many different compartments. Staying organized was so simple because of the well organized layout of the entire bag plus the straps were comfortable too. I am in love with it! It worked so much better than my hiking backpack that was previously used on a trip to Europe and it was more compact which made it easier to store.
- Diaper bag ⤵️(with babynest rolled and buckled in the straps) This worked so well, I couldn’t have been happier with this online purchase. The crossbody strap made it easy to carry with our backpacks, and again.. the multiple pockets inside with the easy open top made organization much easier. This one is currently unavailable, but a very close version can be found here.
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2. A tiny tupperware box– 📦 A box that fits into the waterbottle pocket of their backpacks.
- –Inside: Crayons, miniature polly-pocket, and stickers.
This can also be used to collect rocks (because I have always loved to collect them so obviously my kids do the same 😆)
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3. Activity books & cards– 🃏I purchased ours at our local dollar store. Its not very big, but packed full of lots of different things to do like crosswords, wordfind, dot to dot, pictures to color, ect.
We also packed the game of Uno because it’s easily played anywhere!
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4. Journals and pens– 📖🖍🖼 For documenting our travels with journal entries, drawings, stickers, or for saving some flowers and flattening them to bring home as souvenirs.
Any age child can enjoy journaling in their own way. Our 3 year old drew pictures of our adventures and I will forever treasure her works of art! ($1 journals, $1 pens)
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5. Playdough– 🥳 A tiny container in each backpack.
It’s compact, entertaining and only semi-messy.
Our girls enjoyed molding their playdough into different shapes while on the planes and trains, and it was quickly and easily put away. ($0.50 each)
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6. Kindle pads and Headphones– 📱🎧 For the kids while on the planes and trains.. having entertainment for such a long amount of time is a blessing.
We bought these as their Christmas gifts because we knew our upcoming plans would require them to sit still and be quiet for long periods of time.
We all know how well technology locks us in and keeps us entertained. .. 😉
While I am not a fan of putting my kids in front of a screen all the time, I do enjoy them being quietly entertained in confined spaces for hours on end with lots of strangers.
Eliminating the whining is worth it! The ones we have are here.
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7. Baby nest– 😴🛏I handmade my own before my youngest was born because I love to sew, but many people sell them online and ours has come in soooo handy since birth.
We want to be able to lay him down anywhere if needed, and it also comes in handy as a pillow for any of us to use when its rolled up.
It helped him feel comfortable at night in each new location because it’s a familiar feeling. That’s so important when traveling and still needing to feel a sense of home, especially when you are little.
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8. Baby carrier– 🤱The one I chose to bring with us was extremely affordable compared to most carriers and is able to be worn on the front or back! (depending on if I am carrying my backpack or not.)
When we are exploring, he is on my back and enjoys being able to hold onto my shoulders and look around, but when we need to carry all of our things with us, it’s easier to have him in the front.
If it gets too hot, there is a ventilation window that can be opened, and an adjustable hood that I find comes in super handy when he falls asleep and his head needs support.
I am so glad that I purchased this handy and affordable carrier, and you can find it here!
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9. 1 light jacket each– 🧥 For our trip, it’s Springtime, so the weather where we are traveling is warm during the day (sometimes breezy) and cooler at night so we still need to be able to bundle up a little if necessary.
One light and versatile jacket was picked out by each of us and used each night.
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10. Passport holder purse (for mom)– By far the best way for me to stay organized! (Visibly hanging around my neck in the photo above.)
All 6 of our passports easily fit into my purse/giant wallet and there is a pocket on the front that perfectly holds my cell phone.
It has a wrist strap, a neck strap, and a piece that makes it easy to hold one handed while you open it.
Our train passes* (*add to list if traveling around any European country) fit easily, along with a pen holder, a small netted zipped pocket, a large zipped pocket, an area to keep your money, and lots of slots for any credit, debit, and ID cards.
You can find the one I used by clicking here.
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11. GoPro camera– 📷 Because we love having a tiny waterproof camera with a lense that allows us to all be in each shot easily without the need for a selfie stick!
There are newer versions available, but we love our Hero5 which is available here for almost half of what we paid when it was new! 😯
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12. SD cards– Ready to be switched out of our phones and cameras when we fill them up because it’s easy to do and you never want to run out of space while documenting your travels!
We use the microSD cards that can fit into our phones and the GoPro. They usually come with adapters like this one here.
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13. Laptop and Hard-drive -💻 To easily transfer information from each SD card that is filled.
You can find a portable hardrive here.
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14. Headphone splitter– Just in case the kids, or us parents, want to watch anything (quietly) on our phones or tablets together while we travel.
This one here is the one we use.
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15. Power Adapter- 🔌To be able to plug in anything electronic that you bring. (i.e. cell phones/pads/laptops). You can find the one we use here.
They are also sold at many convenient stores around Europe and sometimes on the streets, but we like to be prepared. Our phones needed to remain charged to contact the hosts of the places we stayed.
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16. Passports – If traveling abroad… don’t forget the most important necessities! My advice.. Get them done at least 2 months before you plan to leave the country. Look up locations to apply nearest you, and schedule an appointment for convenience.
We had one last name misprint and had to have it replaced, so luckily we gave ourselves plenty of time!
The reprinted passport took less than two weeks to receive, but boy did it make me nervous waiting for it to arrive! 😳
And with that… everything was accounted for.
All of our things fit into our bags with some room to spare, plus we planned to buy extra bags/purses while on our trip for carrying back any memorabilia! 😉
Hopefully this list comes in handy for ideas and helps shape your future adventures!
Happy Packing!
❤- Mama Katie
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