Packing for Families/Split Stay

[AnnabelleTheTalkingTree]

Anyone care to share their packing and organization strategies/tricks/advice? I don't really mean WHAT to pack (although not opposed to discussing that too) but more focused on how to pack to stay organized.

We're a family of 4 with two littles and I pack for everyone except my husband, who takes care of himself. We have 3 way split stay coming up (6-4-1). I am not interested in doing laundry on vacation, so I am packing enough where that won't be necessary. But keeping organized feels like it's going to be a major challenge.

I'm thinking of using mesh laundry bags as opposed to packing cubes, as a way to keep each of the kids' things together. I bought a bunch of packing cubes for our last trip and it was expensive, and they all broke anyway. So each kid's outfits go in their own ziploc and the ziplocs then go inside of the laundry bag. Ziplocs keep the outfits together and also easy to throw into the park bag for backup.

That's about as far as I've gotten! Interested to see what others have done to keep the chaos at bay.

 

[sponica]

If possible, get two different suitcases for the kids clothes. One containing the clothes for the first hotel, and then one for hotels 2 and 3. In the suitcase for hotels 2/3 I'd actually use the laundry bags (or other separator) to break out the outfits between the hotels. In each mesh laundry bag, label it with a hotel name, then have all the kids outfits labeled.

This way you're not unpacking clothes at every hotel.

 

[AnnabelleTheTalkingTree]

If possible, get two different suitcases for the kids clothes. One containing the clothes for the first hotel, and then one for hotels 2 and 3. In the suitcase for hotels 2/3 I'd actually use the laundry bags (or other separator) to break out the outfits between the hotels. In each mesh laundry bag, label it with a hotel name, then have all the kids outfits labeled.

This way you're not unpacking clothes at every hotel.

This is sort of what I did last time - after hotel #1 I moved all the dirty stuff into one suitcase and all the clean stuff into another so we didn't have to fuss with the dirty stuff during stay #2.

I'd like to have 2 suitcases for the kids, but my concern is trying to get through the airport with 2 adults and 2 little kids, a stroller, carry-on, and 4 pieces of luggage. I am hoping to get away with just 3 suitcases. My 5 year old can pull her own small one, one adult pushes little one in the stroller, and adult #2 pulls two larger suitcases. Also all of this stuff has to fit in our SUV....

 

[Halle]

I use packing cubes and pack the last part of the trip first.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

This is sort of what I did last time - after hotel #1 I moved all the dirty stuff into one suitcase and all the clean stuff into another so we didn't have to fuss with the dirty stuff during stay #2.

I'd like to have 2 suitcases for the kids, but my concern is trying to get through the airport with 2 adults and 2 little kids, a stroller, carry-on, and 4 pieces of luggage. I am hoping to get away with just 3 suitcases. My 5 year old can pull her own small one, one adult pushes little one in the stroller, and adult #2 pulls two larger suitcases. Also all of this stuff has to fit in our SUV....

one tip I would add is make sure each suitcase has enough clothes for everyone for each stay in case one goes MIA on trip down

 

[redmister]

Last time we went to Disney I made matching shirts for everyone depending on day/park. When I packed, I rolled our outfits with Dad's on the outside and littlest on the inside. Then I held them closed with painter's tape with the day of the week on it. I packed the bags by day, so everything was organized for our split stay.

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

I'd try to keep everything as consolidated as possible. It sounds like you have the sytem pretty organized. I did the same when my kids were little, we did the gallon ziplocks that had clothes, undies, hair ties, socks, etc. for each day with a few extra outfits when they were really little in case of an accident/spill.

I love the mesh laundry bags from dollar tree. I use those for our trips for our dirty clothes and I don't just dump them in, I roll the dirty stuff up since it takes up less space along with the clean stuff you pack. Pack in reverse order of stays and pack extra emergency clothes/swimsuits in the carry on just in case your suitcases are delayed/missing.

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

When my kids were younger I used different color packing cubes and large suitcases. I also did laundry pretty much every day because the machines are small, my kids are messy, and I hate coming home from vacation to a huge pile of laundry.

I wonder why your cubes broke. We have had ours for a decade and they are still going strong. I bought the ones from ebags but I don’t know if they are any better than any other. We have different colors for everyone in the family plus turquoise for the pool or other things that I need to be able to spot easily.

My kids are old enough now that everyone gets their own carryon but packing cubes are still required for each trip.

 

[serenitynow]

Stick a fabric softener sheet in each bag to help quell the smell of the dirty clothes

 

[Anna131517]

We put the kids clothes in one suitcase and ours in another. I don’t use packing cubes or bags - for me they were more trouble than they were worth. Sometimes you just need another shirt not a whole outfit. Then when we get to the room I unpack and everyone gets their own drawer. For a split stay I wouldn’t do that at the first hotel unless you’re there more than three days.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

We put the kids clothes in one suitcase and ours in another. I don’t use packing cubes or bags - for me they were more trouble than they were worth. Sometimes you just need another shirt not a whole outfit. Then when we get to the room I unpack and everyone gets their own drawer. For a split stay I wouldn’t do that at the first hotel unless you’re there more than three days.

I make sure everyone has at least a change in each suitcase if flying. what would you do if one case does not make your flight down. lets just say been there and had it happen

 

[Feberin]

I find packing everyone's clothes together for the day to be easier than packing clothes by family member. Last time we did Disney I fit my husband's shirt, my clothes and my kids' clothes in a gallon Ziploc labeled by day. My husband's shorts were packed separately because they were too big. I've used packing cubes our last few vacations and personally prefer those. This time I'm packing pjs and underwear together for the kids' and me because we typically shower at night so I was going through the next day's clothes to get underwear. Planning on putting socks with the clothes. I pack a laundry bag (or 3) for dirty clothes. Keeps them all together and the bag folds up super small when not in use.

 

[redmister]

I find packing everyone's clothes together for the day to be easier than packing clothes by family member. Last time we did Disney I fit my husband's shirt, my clothes and my kids' clothes in a gallon Ziploc labeled by day. My husband's shorts were packed separately because they were too big. I've used packing cubes our last few vacations and personally prefer those. This time I'm packing pjs and underwear together for the kids' and me because we typically shower at night so I was going through the next day's clothes to get underwear. Planning on putting socks with the clothes. I pack a laundry bag (or 3) for dirty clothes. Keeps them all together and the bag folds up super small when not in use.

Good idea to put the undies with the pjs.

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

I find packing everyone's clothes together for the day to be easier than packing clothes by family member. Last time we did Disney I fit my husband's shirt, my clothes and my kids' clothes in a gallon Ziploc labeled by day. My husband's shorts were packed separately because they were too big. I've used packing cubes our last few vacations and personally prefer those. This time I'm packing pjs and underwear together for the kids' and me because we typically shower at night so I was going through the next day's clothes to get underwear. Planning on putting socks with the clothes. I pack a laundry bag (or 3) for dirty clothes. Keeps them all together and the bag folds up super small when not in use.

I did that when my kids were younger and it worked great.

 

[hpsalb]

I have different strategies depending on how we are traveling. For 3-4 night trips, I pack each person’s things in their own packing cube (different colors). Cubes come out at our destination and the empty suitcase or bag turns into a dirty clothes holder as we go.

For multiple stops, I pack our days together. For our last Disney trip, I put our park-theme day clothes together. On that trip we drove and I grouped them on hangers and stuck them in a hanging bag, although that probably isn’t ideal for flying. For cruising I pack by the day in cubes.

To keep outfits together, I fold everything needed for it together in a bundle or roll. I know you said you don’t like the cubes, but I find it easier to bundle the outfits in these versus a larger bag. But that’s how I organize in general - file method in our drawers at home.

I have my own hanging toiletry bag and DH and my three boys share another one.

 

[APiratesLifeForMe2]

I pack for myself and my two kids also! For split stays I use separate packing cubes. For instance our last trip we started at boardwalk so I put pjs and change of clothes with swim suits for the 3 of us in that cube. We each have laundry bags that dirty clothes go into. Next resort is a separate cube.