At the end of this post download your free printable travel packing checklist! I have been very fortunate to travel a lot; I have been to New Zealand, Fiji, Australia, Canada, and 29 of the United States. Also, I live in Louisiana and my family lives up North so I have traveled alone, with kids, many times.
My husband, daughter, and I traveled to New Zealand with one suitcase each! Over the years I have perfected my packing list. I feel prepared for most things that may come up on the trip and know that I can go to the store or borrow for others. You can download the list and add to it your needs as you wish!
Beauty and Health Items for your travel packing checklist
All of the liquid essentials (lotion, Castille soap, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, essential oils, gel) can be included if you buy the appropriate size travel bottles. Do not pack the full bottle of anything. This may take more time to pack but is key to making your suitcase smaller and lighter. I transfer what I need of my prescriptions and what I may need of over-the-counter medications into baggies. Have another baggie for dry health items. Make sure if you are flying to have the liquid baggie at the top so you can take it out at the airport.
One thing that I try to not forget is my Marquette monitor, strips, and small sealable pee container (old small spice container). I have had to test in airports and other discrete situations before, but I did what I had to in order to keep track of my cycle.
Clothing and Miscellaneous Items
Pack weather-appropriate, naturally, and make room for some creature comforts like slippers and your favorite loungewear. I have included ideas for temperate climates, cold weather, and beach weather.
The Carry On items
If you are flying, it is important to keep some items within reach. I travel with only carry-ons so I know I have everything with me but once you are strapped in, it can be hard to reach items at the bottom of your carry-on. I have made this mistake several times and suffered dry lips or smudged glasses the whole flight because I couldn’t find what I needed. I now keep a baggie with lip balm, eyeglass cleaner, gum, phone, kindle, headphones, and tissues in a reachable pocket.
Travel Packing Checklist for Kids
For kids remember to bring some of their favorites: sippy cup, stuffed animal, book, toy, etc. Snacks, preferably something they don’t eat all of the time, are a must. I also like to go to the dollar store and get a new trinket that will keep them happy for a bit. I download movies and shows onto the kindle fire for them to be able to watch offline ahead of time. It won’t always go smoothly because traveling with kids can be a challenge on their moods, but I have found many kind souls to help me along the way. (A woman bought me Starbucks coffee because I didn’t have enough hands and she knew I was exhausted, a man gave my child a chocolate lollipop to keep her from crying on the plane, and we dropped a yogurt parfait that was replaced for free!)
The last thing you need for your Travel Packing Checklist is Luggage with FOUR wheels. It keeps you from balancing luggage on two wheels and makes it so that older children can help wheel through the airport.
Go ahead and download my free editable printable travel packing checklist for a worry-free trip!
