When you’re preparing for a big vacation, packing multiple suitcases may seem practical, but checking your luggage often means spending extra time at the airport. After a long flight, kids are eager to stretch their legs and explore. That’s why many families plan carry-on-only trips, especially for shorter vacations, so they can skip the baggage claim area and dive straight into the fun.
Here are a few carry-on-only travel tips for families with kids that will help you plan a hassle-free and enjoyable trip.
Sort Out Priority Items
As you begin packing, note which items you and your children definitely need, and place them in a pile. Examples of travel priorities include passports, medications, your child’s favorite toy, and several outfits. Likewise, consider what you can leave behind, such as large toys, books, and nonessential clothes.
Create lists of what each person in the family needs to keep things simple. Check items off each list as you pack to ensure you don’t forget anything.
When determining whether or not an outfit is essential, think about the activities your family will do. While you may want to bring an adorable sweater for your little one, if you’re going to be spending all your days at the beach, it may not be practical.
Focus on Versatility
As you’re packing, think about what items you can get the most use out of. For example, solid-colored clothes are easier to mix and match than patterned ones, giving you more outfit combinations.
Select clothing pieces that transition smoothly from casual daytime activities to dressier evening occasions. A simple dress can work for sightseeing with sneakers during the day and transform for dinner with heels and jewelry in the evening. Similarly, one or two pairs of dark pants paired with different tops can create entirely different looks for various activities throughout your trip.
Use Proper Packing Methods
When you only have carry-on bags, you’re more limited on space, so knowing how to pack each bag strategically makes a big difference. Options such as packing cubes or rolling your clothes help keep everything organized and compact.
Packing cubes are lightweight organizers that prevent clothes from becoming jumbled together during travel and make finding specific items quick and easy. You can assign different colored cubes to each type of belonging, so you can find everything once you arrive at your destination.
If you don’t want to buy packing cubes, you can also roll clothes as a way to organize and save space in your luggage. This method also helps prevent wrinkles by avoiding folding creases.
Buy the Right Bag
The bag you choose for your carry-on makes a big difference in your travel experience. Look for a sturdy, lightweight bag with multiple compartments and pockets to keep your items organized.
Size
While most airlines don’t weigh carry-ons like they do checked luggage, each bag must meet specific size requirements, so it fits into the overhead bin. Generally, carry-on size limits for domestic flights in the US are around 22 x 14 x 9 inches. In contrast, international flights often have stricter limits, typically around 21 x 13 x 8 inches, but it’s always best to check with your specific airline.
Durability
If you love traveling, you’ll use your carry-on bag quite a bit and want something that’ll last through years of adventure. Hard-shell bags are excellent for protecting fragile items and resisting wear and tear, while soft-sided bags offer flexibility and can often fit into tighter spaces.
As you investigate a bag’s durability, pay close attention to the wheels. Ideally, you want a suitcase with 360-degree spinner wheels. This type of wheel makes it easy to maneuver the bag through busy airports since you can easily roll it in any direction without having to tilt or pull the suitcase.
Kid-Approved
When you buy a suitcase for your child, you want something that gets them excited about traveling. Ride-on luggage for kids is a popular and fun option that can feature colorful patterns or designs that mimic vehicles. These suitcases come with a handle and wheels, allowing your child to ride on them or pull them along like a traditional suitcase.
Save Room for Souvenirs
Another carry-on-only travel tip for families with kids is to avoid packing your bags to the point that they’re ready to burst. Chances are, your little ones will find at least one or two souvenirs that they want to take home to remember the vacation. As you place items from home into the suitcase, leave a small amount of space in your kids’ bags.
Before traveling, remind your children to choose smaller souvenirs that can fit into their bags on the way home. Giving each child a heads-up about this early on reduces the risk of a tantrum or disappointment later.
Plan for Dirty Clothes
While your child will likely wear most of the clothes you pack, they may not wear everything, and intermixing clean and dirty apparel leaves you with more laundry to do once you get home. Bring a plastic bag that you can place all used garments into. This will make sorting laundry much easier when you return home.
Use a Personal Bag
Most airlines allow passengers to have one carry-on and a personal bag on the aircraft, giving you a bit more space for your belongings. Place essential items into your child’s bag, such as medications, snacks, and small toys. Depending on your child’s age, you may also include diapers, wet wipes, and a spare outfit in their personal bag.
Wear Bulky Items
If you plan to travel during the colder months, consider wearing your bulkiest items, such as gym shoes, jackets, and sweatshirts, onto the plane instead of trying to squeeze them into your carry-on. As a bonus, dressing in layers will help keep your little ones warm if the plane is chilly.
Mastering carry-on-only travel with kids can transform your trips into smoother, stress-free adventures. Younglingz sells stroller suitcases that your child can ride on from the airport to the hotel lobby. Not only does this simplify travel, but it also makes it more entertaining for kids. Invest in a durable and spacious carry-on that your child can easily transport and use to keep their essentials organized.