Two adults. Two kids. Two countries. One month.
Here’s what we packed. Stay tuned to hear how we did.
The Strategy.
The whole point of our adventure is to experience what living in these places would feel like. To that end, we’re not going to bring our entire life to Europe.
To ensure we have to live like locals, we’ve agreed to:
- Only bring enough clothes for 5-7 days – if we need something, we’ll buy it
- Not bring full-size toiletries so that we have to buy things locally
- Restock formula, diapers, and wipes in each location
- Not buy American packaged foods
- Balance eating at home (so that we have to grocery shop) and at local restaurants (to meet people and experience the restaurant culture)
The Planning & Execution.
I have a passion / unhealthy love of spreadsheets. Below is a snippet of the packing list for this trip. It is a version of my master template with standardized checklists, itinerary and cost tracking features as well. Let me know if you want a copy and I’ll make it available for use.
The planning entails giving each family member their own column. This allows me to be methodical in checking off that Tiny Human 1 has all his underwear, while Tiny Human 2’s onesies are still in the wash and hence not checked off.
The execution comes down to me. I pack 100% of the items for myself, TH1, TH2, the communal items, and probably about 20% of Mr. Scribbles stuff too. In practice, I have the packing list available either on my laptop or phone and as I go from bedroom to bedroom collecting items, I check them off.
Is it fun? No. Does it give me peace of mind? Yes. This process brings my anxiety from a sleepless nine out of ten back to its original manufacturer setting, six out of ten.
The night before any trip, I typically unpack and repack every bag to ensure I (a) haven’t forgotten anything and to (b) see if I can take anything out. See, I’m an over-packer, known for stuffing a bag until you have to do the packing equivalent of the hot girl jump up and down to zip up the tight jeans move. We’ve all been there, right???
The Bags We Brought.
The tried and true. This is my second Osprey I love the quality and versatility of these packs. This beauty does everything I need her to do, and she has a laptop compartment!
Mr. Scribbles is excited about this new bag. It’s a throwback to his original travel backpack that he took to Australia (twice), Europe, Mexico, Panama, etc. It comes with a detachable daypack that we used daily while exploring.
High Sierra Loop Backpack This is Tiny Human 1’s carry-on bag. In it, he has all the necessities: an iPad, headphones, charger, medicine bag, change of clothes, snacks, a couple of small toys, and a book.
This is our diaper bag. I carried it on the plane with enough formula, bottles, puree pouches, diapers, wipes, and extra clothes to get us through the full day of travel from Seattle to Valencia.
The Baby Gear We Brought.
This will be our daily stroller. I wanted something sturdy enough to carry Tiny Human 1 if he needs a nap but also small enough to navigate the tight European streets. TH1 will ride in this stroller through the airports and we’ll gate-check it before each flight.
I know what you’re thinking, TWO strollers??? Hear me out. The Doona is Tiny Human 2’s car seat AND a stroller. TH2 will use this inflight in his own ticketed seat. The bonus is that we’ll get to wheel both kids through the airports and gate check before boarding. Family travel in luxury!
So, this was an impulse/panic purchase. I’ve only wheeled TH1 around on it in the house but if it saves us any amount of whining and complaining while we explore Valencia and Lisbon, it will be worth the money. If not, it will be the first to relocate to Europe, permanently. Stay tuned!
VolkGo Premium Quality Durable Stroller Bag for Airplane Gate Check
A necessary evil when gate-checking strollers. You want to protect your strollers when they are inevitably chucked under the plane. This one is sturdy and large enough to fit a single or double stroller.
LilGadgets Connect+ Kids Wired Headphones with Microphone
TH1 has had these for years and they’ve held up well to travel. Zoom kindergarten, and tantrums.
Pack n Play Stretchy Fitted Playard Sheet
The Airbnb’s have pack n’ play cribs so I thought I’d bring our own sheet. It’s small and smells like home.
The Tech We Brought.
- iPad
- MacBook Pro (x2)
- iPhone (x2)
- Chargers
- Power adapters
- AirPods / headphones
The Rest of the $hit We Brought.
- Clothes – The temperatures ranged from 65 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Since we are from the Pacific Northwest, anything above 75 is HOT. We packed shorts, t-shirts, dresses, sandals, and walking shoes. Again, if we needed something that we didn’t bring, it’s OK! We visited a local shopping center to pick up whatever we needed.
- Medicine – Tiny Human 1 has asthma and food allergies so we always pack an EpiPen, Benadryl, and his inhalers. We also bring eczema lotion and the children’s version of Tylenol and Claritin. I usually bring a backup inhaler, EpiPen, and Benadryl – just in case.
- Kid Stuff – A few odds and ends to help the kids feel comfortable in unfamiliar surroundings and provide some entertainment. A few small toys for each kid, a book or two, and a favorite soft toy or small blanket.
Phew! That’s a lot of stuff.
What are your family travel MUST HAVES?
