No one comes back from a trip saying they wished they’d packed more. Packing is a skill like any other, and you can pack not only lighter, but better.
One of the hardest decisions isn’t what to pack… it’s what to leave home.
Experience makes packing easier. It makes your bags lighter too.
Here is our experience-based advice, practical recommendations, and other packing tips based on our full-time world travels with kids and a disability since 2022.
What to pack
Family packing list
How to pack for family trips… and the most important thing to leave behind.
What not to pack
The art of what not to pack
With one simple rule, you can enjoy a dream family trip without over-packing.
The Serenity Prayer for Packing
It’s so simple. But as with so many simple things, it can be hard to follow…
Backpacks
Our family’s sweet spot for traveling the world? One backpack per person. Here’s what works for us, including the Cotopaxi 35L backpacks we’ve relied on (and quick update: in 2026 we upgraded our daughter to her first 28L Cotopaxi pack.)
