Packing Like a Pro
By Jeannie Kim
Family holidays are all about adventure, discovery, and making lifelong memories—but when it comes to packing, the experience can quickly become overwhelming. Juggling clothes, toiletries, baby gear, and the unexpected "just in case" items often leaves families bogged down with excess baggage and stress. After years of traveling as a family, we've fine-tuned our packing strategies to keep things simple, organized, and stress-free. Here are our tried-and-tested top tips for minimalist family travel, so you can focus less on your luggage and more on the fun.
Use packing cells of various sizes
Packing cells are a game-changer when it comes to organizing family suitcases. Using different colours and sizes allows you to easily separate clothing and belongings by person or occasion. In our family, our son’s clothes go into a yellow Winnie the Pooh cell, my husband’s into a blue one, and mine into a pink one. It makes unpacking and locating items effortless, especially on multi-destination trips.
Bring laundry bags and washing nets
A simple laundry bag has saved us countless times, especially when repacking at the end of a holiday. Instead of mixing worn clothes with clean ones, we toss all our used clothing straight into laundry bags—often the complimentary ones from hotels—making it easy to throw everything into the wash once we get home. For longer trips, we also bring washing nets to protect delicate items when doing laundry on the go.
Pack snap-lock bags in various sizes
Snap-lock bags are another must-have. They're perfect for containing wet clothes after an impromptu swim on the last day of a holiday or keeping damp items separated from dry ones. Having a variety of sizes means you're ready for anything—from storing leftover snacks to keeping electronics safe from sand and water.
Use small, refillable containers for toiletries
Rather than lugging around full-sized bottles, we decant toiletries into small, refillable containers. These take up less space and help keep luggage under weight limits—an easy win for both carry-on and checked bags.
Consider a baby travel tent for children under one
When our son was five months old, we invested in a second-hand baby travel tent—and it became one of our best travel decisions. Baby tents are significantly smaller and lighter than travel cots. Ours weighs less than 1 kg and fits easily into our luggage. Plus, it has eliminated the stress of relying on hotel cots, which are sometimes unavailable or not up to standard. Pro tip: if folding it back down feels impossible, YouTube tutorials are your friend!
Create a packing list—and keep it updated
While you might not physically pack a checklist, it’s one of the most valuable tools you can have. My husband, the master of organization in our household, swears by his detailed lists. He breaks them down by compartments—for example, one section for toiletries, another for day clothes, another for first aid—and rather than deleting items, he strikes them through. This way, when our second baby arrives, we’ll simply update our list instead of starting from scratch.
Mastering minimalist packing takes a little practice, but the payoff is huge: smoother travels, lighter luggage, and more energy to enjoy the journey. Whether it’s your first trip with kids or your tenth, these strategies can help make family holidays less stressful and a lot more fun. Happy travels—and happy packing!
About the Author
Jeannie is currently pursuing an honors degree in psychology with a focus on clinical applications. Prior to this, she was an acupuncturist specializing in fertility, stress management, and pain relief in Sydney for 12 years. With her unique blend of Eastern and Western therapeutic approaches and maternal perspective, as feature writer, Jeannie promises a valuable contribution to BAMBI Magazine.