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After the past year, I think it’s safe to say we are ready to travel again. For a lot of people, (me included) packing for a vacation can be stressful. After years of practice packing for a family of five, I’m sharing packing tips for a family vacation that are sure to make your pre-trip a better experience.

When I got married almost 16 years ago, I swore I’d never pack for my husband. Well, here I am, packing for him and everyone else so I’m not complaining about their outfit choices. Scroll down for my top 5 packing tips for your family vacation!

Family Vacation Packing Tips

The first and most important packing tip is to spend your money on a good hard shell suitcase.

When we went on our honeymoon we had soft suitcases and I’m pretty sure Andrew’s got stuck in the doorway because it had a huge rip in it and half of his clothes were soaked! After that, we switched to hard shell luggage and never looked back. This Samsonite set has been on over a dozen flights and still looks brand new.

Once you have your suitcases, don’t be afraid to pack multiple people in one suitcase.

I’m able to pack Andrew and I for a week-long vacation in the 28-inch suitcase. We have another 28-inch that both boys pack in and anything extra we need, then Madison packs in the 24 inch.

Inside your luggage packing tips:

Next up, is the famous packing cubes.

I’ll be completely honest, when I first saw other bloggers raving about them I truly wondered if they could really be worth it. Well, I’m kicking myself for holding off so long! I love to divide up my clothes by day outfits, swimsuits, pajamas, and intimates. Then, once we arrive on vacation I just pop those in the drawers and keep clean and dirty clothes separate. Most packing cubes even include dirty clothes bags to bring your dirty laundry home. I only use the packing cubes for my clothes. Andrew’s things aren’t as in-depth that I pack so it’s not as necessary.

When it comes to packing shoes:

I usually try to stick the heavy-duty ones on the bottom, then the flats and lightweight sandals go on top and help level out the empty spaces.

I never leave home for a trip without my travel steamer.

It’s the perfect size and won’t take up much room in your suitcase. I don’t even own an iron anymore at home! No one wants to head to dinner in their new dress and it be all wrinkled.

Grab a hanging toiletry bag:

I snagged this bag before we went to Vegas last year and it made it perfect for keeping all of my things in one place, especially when we were sharing the bathroom with others. I pack everything I need ie: makeup, jewelry, toiletries in here. It closes right up and each compartment zips closed so you won’t lose anything while traveling.

Recap of all of my packing tips.

Now, are you ready to hop on a plane and get somewhere fun? I hope these packing tips for a family vacation make preparing for your trip a bit easier. Just pack up, and go. You won’t regret it!

What are some of your favorite family vacation packing tips?  Let me know in a comment below!~