vacation packing tips and list
Oh, traveling with kids. It can go terribly wrong or very right :) There never seems to be an in-between. Is that just me? On Friday morning, we leave early for Martha's Vineyard. I'm taking a ferry with the boys in hopes we beat the crowds. Ray is making a late ferry after work. We are staying in Martha's Vineyard for three nights and heading on a ferry to Nantucket for an extra two nights (UPDATE: we stayed for a extra 4 nights + it was the first trip I had to do laundry multiple times for the kids). I knew I needed to be extra strategic with packing.
I prefer traveling with one large suitcase for myself and the boys (this trip I took two due to the swimmies) plus ONE carry on bag. I have a Birdling carry on bag. It used to be a diaper bag company but now they do it all. HERE is one that is similar. Anything more than that, and it's just too much juggling with young kids. We are doing Valet service at the Ferry. That means you can pull right up to the Seastreak ferry in New Bedford and they take our bags and car and you get right on, which will be very helpful (especially with kids). The Winnetu hotel set all of this up for us. I'm traveling with our Thule single stroller. Ray is going to bring an additional single stroller (UPDATE: I wish I brought our double stroller)
Packing cubes are my go-to can't live without for short trips where you are going to be unpacking or packing multiple times. They are also just great in general. We use THESE, from Monogram Mary. I dress the boys in similar outfits, so I'm using a cube for each day of the week. The outfits for Ford and Charlie go in one cube for each day. Then at the end of the day, I throw their clothes right back into the cube. I have a separate cube for everything swim. In the swim cube I have bathing suits, rash guards, goggles, sunglasses, and sunscreen. I then can throw the swim cube right into my beach bag. I fill the smaller cubes with shoes, socks, and underwear. Packing like this makes all the micro-decisions you are supposed to be taking a vacation from non-existent. The boys get one side of the suitcase, and I get the other.
I also try to bring as little as possible in the carry-on and keep it as organized as possible. Headphones for the kids, "iPads," snacks, water bottles, two new toys each (just in case), but honestly, the iPads will be enough for a short trip.
You can find the things I packed for the boys below! Some of the things we are bringing are running low in sizes, but they sometimes do get restocked, so I thought I would include it! HERE is my favorite little ACK sweater. HERE is Charlie’s plaid mask. Ford’s seersucker puddle jumper cover is from Smocked Auctions but it’s sold out. HERE is one that is similar.
