Travel Gear for Family -- Nits and bits driving me a little nuts

[Anonymous]

So when we travel, we have an assortment of stuff that goes with us, which usually falls on me though the teen is in charge of their own phone and laptop -- the elem kids aren't as trustworthy.

But I put together the chargers and cables for the various tablets, phones, and camera going on the trip, load movies on the tablets for the youngest as well as charge it, epipen, medicine, bandaids, CO detector, deck of cards, tissues, moisturizer, etc and if its beach trip sand toys and goggles and the like.

It all has a cabinet where it lives, but coming and going I need to pack into which ever bag we are taking on the trip (which varies somewhat). Does everyone go through this? Do you keep a bag fully stocked with travel gear and just take that? Don't have a good home for a packed backpack, but can find cubbies for the contents,

[Anonymous]

(1) I don't take all of that stuff. Like I don't travel with a CO detector. I might throw in a deck of cards but it's not a must. I usually have wipes in my purse or carry-on regardless of travel, so I don't have to think to pack them. But some of what you are bringing is not an automatic bring. I think about our trip and travel plans and make a list for that trip.

(2) Since charge cords are always brought, I have a pouch (technically a toiletries pouch but who cares) that I always store them in. When I'm packing, I just check all our electronics and make sure I have a cord for all of them. I also put in foreign adapters if we are traveling internationally. Again, this isn't pre-packed -- it's like packing a toiletries bag and just part of the packing process.

(3) Stuff like loading media onto a younger kid's device I will sometimes do, but I also might assign to DH or even an older kid if they are adept at it. When I feel overwhelmed with packing/planning for trips, I let my family know and ask them to do discrete tasks from my list so that I can focus on big picture. I'm always the planner and packer, but that doesn't mean I have to do ALL of it by myself. It also means it's not just my fault if something gets forgotten -- people have to take responsibility for their own belongings, and they need to cut me slack regarding other stuff. If we wind up at an AirBnB without a pack of cards, they aren't allowed to be like "Mo-om, why didn't you pack cards?!" Because the answer is that I was packing everything else and I either forgot or it didn't occur to me. If it was important to them, they could have said something or packed it themselves.

[Anonymous]

It's called packing. Our trips are mostly international by plane to visit the grandparents in Europe, and they're rare enough that we don't have duplicate items ready to go in a bag.

It's not difficult. I make a list. I buy things that we need. I wash the clothes. I pack all the things on the list. My kids are now teens and pack their own stuff, although I do check their Epipen and other critical medications, but I used to do ALL the packing. My husband has a separate to-do list of things we need to clean, close or set-up in the garden or house (like program the irrigation for the garden, or clean up the yard, or winterize the house that time we left for an entire winter).

Last year we had to go to Europe at a moment's notice and packed in the hour before we left for the airport. It can be done!

[Anonymous]

when the kids were younger, I made lists so as not to forget anything. Now, they are responsible for their own electronics and cords.

A bag for electronics is good - when we traveled more we would use a jewelry or toiletry organizer than had individual see through pouches and put a cord (or whatever doodad) in each one to keep them sorted and organized.

I like if you travel enough that it makes sense, and have the space for it figuring out some sort of system that keeps it all organized is smart. Like the CO monitor (which I have never used, but now wonder if I should) lives in one of the pouches of the see through toiletry bag so it's never left behind.

[Anonymous]

I have 3 places for this type of stuff. There is one storage box in my linen closet for travel accessories (travel clock, night lights, luggage scale, plug adaptors, lanyards etc.) Then we have a kitchen drawer for cords and batteries and I pack that stuff in a small pouch when we travel. I also have a toiletry bag for medicines I take on long trips (Imodium, Benadryl, cold medicine and minor first aid stuff). I restock that for every big trip since it tends to get pilfered during nontravel times.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's called packing. Our trips are mostly international by plane to visit the grandparents in Europe, and they're rare enough that we don't have duplicate items ready to go in a bag.

It's not difficult. I make a list. I buy things that we need. I wash the clothes. I pack all the things on the list. My kids are now teens and pack their own stuff, although I do check their Epipen and other critical medications, but I used to do ALL the packing. My husband has a separate to-do list of things we need to clean, close or set-up in the garden or house (like program the irrigation for the garden, or clean up the yard, or winterize the house that time we left for an entire winter).

Last year we had to go to Europe at a moment's notice and packed in the hour before we left for the airport. It can be done!

Oh and we all have ADHD. That's why we make lists. If it's not on the list, it doesn't travel.

[Anonymous]

Shared lists are your friend. DH and I use the Cozi app to keep running lists for groceries, household goods, etc. Vacations get their own list created, with both of us adding to it the week or so before we go, as we think of things.

When it’s time to pack, the adults gather stuff based on the list. Kids old enough to read have their own individual packing lists written out. At first, you’ll have an adult double-check your work. But eventually, you’re presumed old enough to know better and/or to deal with the consequences when you half-ass your preparations. (Looking at you, DC who brought one pair of pants on a 4-day trip.)

You can choose to be a martyr if you secretly enjoy it and don’t guilt trip others because of your active choice. But you don’t have to live like this if you don’t want to.

[Anonymous]

I try to use fabric drawsting bags to corral different things like electronic accessories - like the bags that come with shoes, or my latest fancy one came with make-up from Chanel.

My toiletries bag is always packed - i just need to add my daily cosmetics which I do as I apply them in the morning of a trip. I also have my briefcase tote pretty well packed with phone charger, extra mouse, etc, but of course need to add laptop, laptop charger, etc. For the rest I just pack as needed for each trip, but don't bring as many things as you (CO2 detector?!).

[Anonymous]

What works for me personally is lists.

Crucial:
When I find the thing and put it in my sort of staging area (my bed, sometimes the guest bed, whatever), I check it off.

When it goes in the bag, I cross it off.

It’s important because I’m staging for days before the trip and things wander away to be used or whatever, and sometimes I just can’t remember what I put in the bag 2 hours ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Shared lists are your friend. DH and I use the Cozi app to keep running lists for groceries, household goods, etc. Vacations get their own list created, with both of us adding to it the week or so before we go, as we think of things.

When it’s time to pack, the adults gather stuff based on the list. Kids old enough to read have their own individual packing lists written out. At first, you’ll have an adult double-check your work. But eventually, you’re presumed old enough to know better and/or to deal with the consequences when you half-ass your preparations. (Looking at you, DC who brought one pair of pants on a 4-day trip.)

You can choose to be a martyr if you secretly enjoy it and don’t guilt trip others because of your active choice. But you don’t have to live like this if you don’t want to.

It took me YEARS to get the family to use shared calendars. Really, you can't imagine the reluctance I had. Spouse likes paper lists -- but of course they are lost by the time next trip comes around.

Shared lists are not happening; I have my own list, but just at the end of the trip I have these two backpacks of cables and medicine and random stuff to tuck into our small cabinet in our small house.

Who doesn't travel with a CO monitor? https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/30/travel/hotels-carbon-monoxide.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Shared lists are your friend. DH and I use the Cozi app to keep running lists for groceries, household goods, etc. Vacations get their own list created, with both of us adding to it the week or so before we go, as we think of things.

When it’s time to pack, the adults gather stuff based on the list. Kids old enough to read have their own individual packing lists written out. At first, you’ll have an adult double-check your work. But eventually, you’re presumed old enough to know better and/or to deal with the consequences when you half-ass your preparations. (Looking at you, DC who brought one pair of pants on a 4-day trip.)

You can choose to be a martyr if you secretly enjoy it and don’t guilt trip others because of your active choice. But you don’t have to live like this if you don’t want to.

It took me YEARS to get the family to use shared calendars. Really, you can't imagine the reluctance I had. Spouse likes paper lists -- but of course they are lost by the time next trip comes around.

Shared lists are not happening; I have my own list, but just at the end of the trip I have these two backpacks of cables and medicine and random stuff to tuck into our small cabinet in our small house.

Who doesn't travel with a CO monitor? https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/30/travel/hotels-carbon-monoxide.html

I'm the European PP. We don't have shared lists and never travel with a CO detector. We are minimalist travelers and usually travel with carryons. Maybe the root cause of the problem is that you bring too much stuff?

[Anonymous]

Depends on what brings you joy, Op. You could do many different trips many different ways.

[Anonymous]

We have four kids and travel frequently. We pack all that. I do the packing for 3 kids (DD packs her own stuff) and myself as well as general stuff like sunscreen, goggles, etc. DH is responsible for making sure kids get all electronics, cords, chargers, etc.

I keep packing lists on Google Drive and modify them as necessary for the type of trip we're doing.

At home, most stuff just goes in its normal places until it's time to packed. However, I do have a large tub of travel items that only come out for certain trips: personal fans and cooling towels and autograph books for Disney; some little kid toys that I only take on planes; a stash of disposable ponchos; extra luggage tags, etc.

[Anonymous]

Also, I love my Tiny Tobiq bag for family travel as my personal carry-on. It's so much easier to stay organized than a regular backpack.

[Anonymous]

I use plastic zip bags for all these things. We use them for board games and all the little kids stuff too. I have a travel medicine one always ready to go (except prescriptions) and one with chargers (a whole separate set). Dh is an expert packer snd we make a list of everything to take every trip. But its getting smaller and smaller and we try to do more with less stuff and wash clothes etc. We also pack about 3 days in advance.
https://a.co/d/89abiun