Packing for six people used to stress me out so much that I sometimes dreaded going on trips before the excitement kicked in. I will say that my ultimate family packing list for international travel is tailored to a trip that’s always at least two weeks long, except for our spring trip because my kids only get a week out of school. Otherwise, when we hop on a plane, it’s during summer or winter break, and we plan more extensive adventures.
That being said, our family of six travels carry-on only. Every person gets one backpack, and my two-year-old son’s essentials go into his diaper bag. If we need a little extra room, we’ll bring one carry-on suitcase (cabin bag) for miscellaneous items and tuck a lightweight foldable duffel bag inside for the trip home in case we come back with more than we left with.
In case you feel like that’s just not possible, don’t be scared to add. an extra carry-on for anyone who *needs* it. But I’m using the word need very loosely, friends!
We love not having to check bags because that means no waiting at baggage claim, no wondering whether our suitcases made the same connection we did, and no dragging oversized bags through airports and train stations. We walk into the airport, check in, head through security, and start our vacation.
Nothing humbles a person quite like dragging an overstuffed suitcase over cobblestones while sweating and wondering why they packed six pairs of jeans for a seven-day trip.
After years of international travel, I’ve learned that packing lighter doesn’t mean being less prepared—it means packing intentionally.
Here’s exactly how I do it.
My Family’s International Packing Checklist
Packing only the essentials in a suitcase for a big trip is no easy task / Photo by: Anete Lūsiņa / Unsplash
Clothing
- Tops
- Bottoms
- One dressy outfit
- Pajamas
- Undergarments
- Shoes
Toiletries
- Toothbrushes
- Toothpaste
- Shampoo
- Deodorant
- Sunscreen
Electronics
- Phones
- Chargers
- Universal travel adapter
- Portable charger
Travel Documents
- PackingPassports
- Boarding passes
- Medical records
- Wallet
First, I’m just going to be honest. My best friend when traveling is simplicity. It wasn’t always that way, but having multiple children of all ages has quickly shown me that the goal is to make things as easy as possible because no one wants to pay for a trip just to be stressed because there’s too much to carry.
I used to want all the things. But I can “Oh, that’s cute!” something to death. So, I don’t get caught up in everyone else’s travel hacks for trips near and far on TikTok or Instagram. I have to do what works for me, and that may not be glamorous to some. BUT, we travel a lot, and this method of packing has saved me so much time and so many headaches over the years. I dare not abandon it now.
Now, let me break this list down a little.
The Few Travel Products I Actually Swear By
I never get caught without a way to charge up my devices / Photo by: Amazon
If something has earned a permanent spot in my backpack, it’s because it’s genuinely made traveling with four kids easier. I’m going to just throw a few items out there and then circle back around to some of these later.
Universal Travel Adapter
The quickest way to realize you’re in another country is when none of your chargers fit the outlets. One universal travel adapter keeps all of our devices powered without having to hunt one down after we arrive.
Foldable Duffel Bag
I love the security of bringing along a foldable duffel bag. It lives inside our carry-on until when and if we need it. And somehow… we always need it.
Whether it’s souvenirs, extra clothes, or the zillion stuffed animals my kids won at the arcade, it becomes our second cabin bag for the flight home.
Fanny Pack
If you had told me ten years ago I’d be singing the praises of a fanny pack, I probably would’ve laughed.
Now? I won’t travel without one.
Portable Charger
Boarding passes. Maps. Translators. Restaurant reservations. Photos.
When your phone does all of that, a dead battery simply isn’t an option. Bring the portable charger so you don’t even have to think about it.
I Pack Differently Depending On The Weather
Roads covered with snow are NOT my thing, but I can get used to it / Photo by: Patrice Bouchard
Obviously you don’t pack the exact same way for every destination. Weather completely changes my packing strategy, and it determines how much I can comfortably squeeze into my bag.
Warm Destinations Are Surprisingly Easy
Warm-weather trips are my favorite to pack for because everything is lighter.
For each person, I typically pack:
- One dressy outfit (usually a dress or skirt for the girls)
- Four or five bottoms (normally shorts or capris, and one pair of pants)
- Around seven lightweight tops
- Pajamas
- Swimsuit
- Sandals
- Comfortable walking shoes (they wear these on the way)
- One week worth of underwear and socks
- Extra hair ties (because they somehow disappear into another dimension)
Lightweight clothing doesn’t take up a lot of room, which makes carry-on travel much easier. Sandals usually slide right into our backpacks without adding much weight, so fitting everything isn’t nearly as difficult as people think.
Nobody remembers if Mom wore the same black skirt twice. They’re too busy trying to figure out where we’re going to eat later. So, this has proven to suit everyone in the family.
Cold Destinations Require More Strategy
Cold-weather trips take a little more planning because sweaters, jackets, and boots fill a backpack much faster than tank tops and sandals. On top of that, it makes the bag heavy if we get carried away. When I say we avoid checked luggage like the plague, I mean it. Is it that big of a deal? Not necessarily. BUT I have a toddler, and I hate waiting in lines. So for me, it’s that serious.
For colder destinations, I usually pack:
- A combo of five jeans and sweatpants (rolled up)
- One warm coat
- A combination of sweaters/long-sleeved shirts/t-shirts
- Hoodie
- Gloves and accessories (if needed)
- One lighter pair of shoes (sneakers)
My heaviest shoes go on my feet before I ever leave for the airport. Boots have absolutely no respect for backpack space, so no point in trying. The heaviest coat is also worn, and if it’s chilly enough, the hoodie can also be worn underneath the coat. Essentially, anything we can wear comfortably, we wear to preserve backpack space.
My Airport Survival System
A solid black fanny pack usually matches everything and is so clutch for keeping essentials nearby! / Photo by: Amazon
As a seasoned vet, I know firsthand that organization matters just as much as packing light. Once we’re moving through the airport, I don’t want to stop every few minutes to go through different bags looking for the things I need.
Here’s what stays on me at all times:
- Fanny pack
- Passports
- My phone
- Digital boarding passes
- Wallet
- Charging cable
I keep everything I need immediately accessible in my fanny pack while moving through the airport.
There is no world in which I’m digging through a backpack for six people’s documents while everyone stands behind me annoyed and waiting to scan their own boarding passes.
Everything else gets tucked away in our backpacks until we actually need it. That way we’re not constantly stopping to unzip bags every time someone asks for a passport or the airline announces another checkpoint.
I also make sure everyone’s devices are fully charged before we leave for the airport, and I always throw a portable charger into my backpack. International travel days are long, and I’d much rather have it than wish I’d packed it.
DON’T MISS! 6 Things That Should Always Be In Your Carry-On
The Documents I Never Leave Home Without
There are a few things I could probably replace if I forgot them. Clothes can be washed. Toothpaste can be bought. If I somehow forgot a hairbrush, I’d survive.
The one thing I never compromise on is documentation.
Before every trip, I make multiple copies of our passports and keep digital backups stored securely on my phone. I also carry printed copies of important travel information, just in case technology decides to betray me at the worst possible moment.
But the documents I guard most carefully are my children’s medical records.
My two-year-old son has a complicated medical history. He underwent open-heart surgery shortly after birth and only has one functioning kidney, which has required multiple procedures and surgeries over the last two years. Because of that, I never leave home—whether we’re traveling domestically or internationally—without a thorough breakdown of everything he’s been through.
Thankfully, we’ve never had to hand those records to a doctor while traveling, and I hope we never do. But if something unexpected happens, I don’t want anyone trying to piece together years of medical history while I’m attempting to remember dates, procedures, and medications under stress.
My 11-year-old daughter has severe scoliosis and has undergone four back surgeries. She’s doing incredibly well now, and thankfully her condition isn’t nearly as noticeable under clothing as it used to be. Still, when we request disability accommodations, there are times we’ve had to provide documentation because her disability isn’t immediately visible.
Those records live in my backpack, and they never come out unless they’re needed.
Maybe that sounds overly cautious, but traveling has taught me that preparation brings peace of mind. I can’t prevent every emergency, but I can make sure that if one happens, we’re ready for it.
DON’T MISS! Essential Baby Packing List For Traveling Families
My “Something Always Goes Wrong” Starter Pack
Someone ALWAYS falls and scrapes a knee… ALWAYS. / Photo by: Amazon
As a parent, I’m sure we’ve all come to understand one thing: something can always go wrong.
Thankfully, it’s usually nothing major. A headache. A fever. An upset stomach. Someone trips over absolutely nothing.
It’s much easier to pack a few basics than spend precious vacation time searching for a pharmacy in a country where I may or may not speak the language. You can always just grab a small first-aid kit, but I like to customize/personalize ours on my own.
This is our “just in case something goes wrong, because something always goes wrong” starter pack.
- Ibuprofen
- Children’s liquid Tylenol
- A thermometer
- An instant cold pack
- Antibiotic ointment
- Bandages
- Laxatives
- Prescription medications
- Plastic baggies
Most of those are pretty self-explanatory, but there are a couple that deserve an explanation.
The instant cold pack has earned its spot in my backpack, especially for migraines; it’s a lifesaver. Sometimes, you simply need something cold after a long day of traveling, and I’d much rather have it with me than wish I’d packed it.
Then there are the plastic baggies.
I honestly can’t tell you exactly what they’ll be used for before every trip, but I can almost guarantee they’ll get used.
Are they for snacks? Wet swimsuits? A child’s mysterious collection of rocks? I don’t know. I just know I’ve never regretted bringing them.
They’re practically weightless, take up almost no space, and somehow end up saving the day every single trip. You can get them in all different sizes—I like an assortment—and something as simple as food produce bags work just fine.
For those of you into alternative medicine or homeopathy, our editor has a homeopathic travel kit she carries with remedies for common ailments, from diarrhea to bruises to bug bites to fevers.
DON’T MISS! The Essential Beach Packing List For Family Vacations
Things I Stopped Packing Years Ago
There’s really no reason to pack this much. Less bulk is the way to go. / Photo by: Sarah Brown via Unsplash
When I first started traveling internationally with kids, I packed for every possible scenario. What if someone got invited somewhere fancy? How about if it snowed unexpectedly? Or, what if everyone suddenly wanted to read three books on the plane? This was especially true when I had a trusty baby packing list for family travel, but thankfully, we’re out of that stage.
At a certain point, I was just like, okay, I’m carrying around things that never even leave the backpack most times.
These days, I’ve become ruthless about what makes the cut.
Here’s what I no longer pack:
- Too many outfits
- Bulky books
- Multiple pairs of jeans
- “What if” outfits
- Excess toiletries
- Shoes nobody wears
Many family vacations don’t require an entirely new wardrobe, even when you’re traveling internationally. Your pictures will still be cute. Most people naturally rotate through the same favorite outfits anyway, and kids are no different. They always seem to gravitate toward the same hoodie, the same comfortable shoes, and the same few shirts no matter how many options I give them.
I’ve also stopped packing duplicates of things that can easily be washed or purchased if we truly need them. I’d much rather have a lighter backpack than spend the first day of vacation wondering why I brought a pair of underwear for every day of the trip when I can just do laundry.
I also don’t need a flat iron, a curling wand, my favorite shampoo and conditioner, my special shea butter mixture, and all my headbands. Grab the essentials and get anything else you need while you’re there, if you can.
All in all, I stopped trying to pack for imaginary versions of my children. I pack for the actual little people I live with. The ones who wear the same hoodie every other day but must have a fancy dress whether we’re going somewhere special or not.
Packing Well Beats Packing Perfectly
Travel should be fun and filled with lovely memories of spending time with the people you love most. International travel with kids has molded me to believe that packing perfectly isn’t a thing; you want to pack well enough to have fun on the trip.
The goal isn’t to have every possible item tucked away somewhere in a suitcase. It’s to move through the airport without aching backs, skip baggage claim when possible, keep important documents within reach, and arrive ready to enjoy the destination instead of recovering from the journey.
Family travel is unpredictable enough without hauling around things nobody needs. Pack smart, pack light, and leave room for the memories—and maybe a few souvenirs—that you’ll bring home.
Free Printable Checklist!
Keep a reminder on your fridge as you plan your next semi-perfect family trip!
