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Are you looking forward to a pleasant family vacation this year? I'll bet you're not looking forward to the packing!
Maybe I can help a little. I've been packing my family up and out the door for over 25 years. Take the vacation packing checklist below, print out a copy for each family member and add your own items in the spaces provided.
Then check off each item as you pack (and try to pack as early as
possible). You'll find yourself a lot less stressed during that
normally hectic pre-vacation week. You'll find you forget less items,
too.
Vacation Packing Checklist & Tips
Shirts
__ Long-sleeved
__ Short-sleeved
__ Sleeveless
Add your own items
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Pants/Slacks
__ Dress
__ Casual
__ Shorts
__ Jeans
__ Capri’s
Add your own items
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Women's formalwear
__ Dresses
__ Skirts
Add your own items
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Underwear
__ Bras
__ Socks
__ Panties/briefs
__ Hosiery
__ Slips
__ Belts
Add your own items
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Shoes
__ Sandals
__ Walking shoes
__ Dress shoes
__ Casual shoes
__ Water shoes
__ Hiking boots
Add your own items
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Toiletries
__ Shampoo/conditioner
__ Deodorant
__ Shavers/Razors
__ Shaving Cream
__ Cosmetics
__ Toothpaste
__ Floss
__ Mouthwash
__ Toothbrush
__ Sunscreen/bug repellant
__ Hair grooming tools (comb/brush/hair ties/blow dryer/etc.)
__ Glasses/case
__ Contacts and solutions
Add your own items
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Nighttime
__ Pajamas
__ Slippers
__ Robe
Add your own items
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Outside gear
__ Jacket/sweater
__ Gloves/mittens
__ Boots
__ Swimsuits
__ Cover-ups
__ Beach towels
Add your own items
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Electronics/Cameras
__ Camera
__ Film
__ Extra batteries
__ Video camera
__ Ipods, DVD’s for traveling, etc.
__ Accessories
Add your own items
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Vital extras
__ Medicines
__ Money
__ Phone number, addresses and maps of your destination.
__ Hotel/rental car information
__ Emergency information and an itinerary of your trip that you can leave with a friend or number in case of an emergency.
__ Extra plastic bags for dirty/sick laundry/trash/messes.
Add your own items
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Extra vacation packing checklist for kids.
__ Extra clothes/undies
__ Diapers
__ Moist towelettes
__ Medicines
__ Snacks
__ Toys
__ Lovies and cuddle toys (very important in the unsettled environment of a vacation)
__ Things to do/activity bag
__ Road trip or plane ride? Consider your child's needs and pack accordingly.
__ Plan for extended periods where you must keep children occupied.
__ Choose clothes that pack well and stand up durably...function over fashion.
__ Forget whites!
__ Take extra plastic bags for dirty stuff/sick laundry/trash/messes.
Add your own items
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Handy vacation packing checklist tips.
- Plan ahead for better packing using this vacation checklist (this link goes to a checklist designed to help you plan your vacation...not just pack for it).
- In general, try to pack less, not more (unless you have kids. Then you may need more clothes.).
- Pack ahead however much you can. I'm an advocate of buying two
sets of toiletries for each family member. Keep one set packed at all
times and you can tick that item off your vacation packing checklist.
- As I mentioned above, create a vacation packing checklist for
each family member. You can print them out or keep them on your computer and
update before new trips.
- Spend a bit of time thinking about why you're going on your trip.
This will jog your brain for ideas of what you need. (Here's a true
story. My husband left his suit jacket at home when we traveled to our
son's wedding. How did that happen? Because he broke his own traveling
rules of using his personal vacation packing checklist. He thought he
would just 'remember' something as important as his suit
jacket...whoops! Use your vacation packing checklist!!)
- Consider rolling clothes not folding. You can get more in a
suitcase this way and if you roll clothes carefully, you'll have fewer
wrinkles.
- Speaking of wrinkles...look for fabrics that travel without wrinkling.
- Collect mix-n-match clothes for travel. You'll get more outfits out of fewer pieces of clothing.
- Will you have access to laundry services on your vacation? If so, you can take substantially fewer articles of clothing.
- Leave your vacation itinerary with someone back home with your contact info in case of emergency.
- If you do purchase extra toiletry sets for each family member so
you can pre-pack, do purchase travel sizes of everything and pop those
little containers into a sealable plastic bag in case they leak. And they
will leak if you travel often enough, so save yourself a ton of
frustration and put sealed plastic bags on your vacation packing
checklist!
- OR...alternatively, consider purchasing some things (like
toiletries) at your destination. Then you don't have to pack them at
all.
- Consider security regulations if you are traveling by air.
- Traveling with a pet? You'll definitely need a separate vacation
packing checklist just for your pet. Here are some helpful guidelines
for traveling with your pet.
- Take a goodie bag containing needle and thread, small scissors,
and a couple of safety pins in different sizes. Include a couple of
different buttons, extra pantyhose, band aids, a paperclip and rubber
band, plus an ink pen and a small pad of paper. Keep these items as
small as possible and if you are packing any of them elsewhere, don't
include them here.
- Pack day items separately for ease of use.
- Wrap shoes in plastic bags so they don't mark up clothes.
- Use your vacation packing checklist differently for air travel
than for a road trip. (If you are planning a road trip, feel free to
use my road trip checklist.)
- DO pack your sense of humor and patience!
- Expect delays. If there are none, you'll just get happier.
- What would be the most frustrating thing that could happen on
your trip? Can you pack anything that would alleviate it or help if it
happened?
- Consider what you want most from your trip and pack accordingly.
For example, if this is a family vacation and you want to preserve
family memories with your kids, then take your camera or video camera.
- Pack fragile items to the interior of your luggage, wrapped inside
clothing. Consider NOT packing liquids or fragile items inside your
suitcase, but shipping them home instead. And check the regulations for
what's allowed in your luggage before you check your baggage on a train
or plane.
- Pack like your suitcase is going to be the toy for an 800 lb.
gorilla. Then you will know your luggage will arrive the way your want
it to.
Your homelife will really benefit from a happy vacation. Use this
vacation packing checklist, grab some vacation brochures and get
planning!
Colleen Langenfeld is a mother with 25 years of parenting experience and helps other busy moms at http://www.paintedgold.com.
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