As you can imagine, there were a lot of logistics involved in preparing for a road trip for a family of six. The planning, the packing… it’s not for the faint of heart! I’m excited to be sharing some family road trip packing tips with y’all and I hope you’ll find them useful. I have a great system that really helps me stay organized on road trips instead of falling victim to an exploding suitcase of chaos. This packing method is especially practical for staying organized on long road trips when you’re staying in a different place every night and can’t unpack so you really are living out of a suitcase.

simple packing tips

the “bag a day” system

• Print up my packing list freebie via the link below, which includes a formula for calculating how many bags you’ll need.
• Plastic storage bags work great for smaller kids with smaller clothing. Larger kids and adults benefit form the space a packing cube provides. Label each bag with the day and place all the outfits for that day in the bag. You’ll have a shirt for each day but only half as many bottoms, so some of the bags will only have tops. I usually like to plan for my kids to wear the same bottoms two days in a row.
• Place all the pajamas, undergarments, socks, and the extra shirt for each child in a separate bag labeled with that child’s name. Pack all the plastic bags in the suitcase and pull out accordingly. When you wash your laundry repack the bags.

other packing tips

• If you have multiple children pack them coordinating clothing. It makes it easier when you repacking to group the right things together and makes for some cute pictures!
• Always consider the age of your child when packing for a long trip. If they’re young and more likely to have accidents or spill than plan accordingly.
• Check the weather before finalizing your packing but be prepared for unexpected weather too. This doesn’t mean you need to pack everything (that’s what we’re trying to avoid!), but bringing a light jacket or sweater is always a good idea for unexpected rain showers or chilly summer evenings.

What’s your favorite packing tip?