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Help a woman out--family of 5, beach for a week, how many suitcases?
I know DH is going to be all like "why the hell do you have so many suitcases?"
I feel like I'm going to need to pull at least another out. Right now, I have:
2 large suitcases (1 for kids, 1 for us). 1 medium suitcase with swimsuits/towels. 2 small suitcases (1 small for girls overnight--driving down with my parents) 1 small one for Ethan--I may be able to get rid of this one because he needs no more than 1 change of clothes, if that. These suitcases are packed full and do not include shoes. I'm considering leaving all tennis shoes except mine at home and just bringing 1 pair comfortable sandals/person. We also have the double jogger and a large cooler, plus a beach bag and E's basket of toys to go in our van. The back seat is folded down to make room for more, though.
Anyway, I feel like I've packed light but I know we're going to butt heads over this tomorrow. Make me feel better!
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Re: Help a woman out--family of 5, beach for a week, how many suitcases?
We just were gone for 5 days.....Each kid had their own Kid suitcase (you know, the zip-around wheeled kind with characters?). Then H and I had a lg duffle bag. I had their clothes, bathing suit, towel, and shoes in each (packed tennis shoes, all wore crocs). We stayed the last night in another city, so before we left the 1st place, I packed our large bag with all we needed for the hotel.
Kids are little and have little clothes.....I don't know what you mean by 'large' suitcase, but I could have fit all 4 of my kid's clothes probably one Kohl's reusable tote.
Is there a laundry room available at your hotel? If so, take advantage of that! I only packed one pair of pajamas for each kid, and 4 outfits, and did probably 1/2 load of laundry while we were gone.
Sorry babe, I love ya but I think you overpacked.
We did a beach vacation this winter for a week, with three kids and got all our stuff in one large and one medium suitcase. To me it sounds like you have too many clothes- if you are at the beach most likely the kids will live in their swimsuits anyway. Have everyone wear the shoes they are using there- saves a ton of room in packing. And buy any beach toy/floaties when you get there, so much easier.
Have a great vacation!
I already have all our beach toys--no sense in spending more money.
We could have 3 kids suitcases, but that would be more annoying than one large one. Anything smaller would be super annoying to me. The clothes fit 3 across in here, so I have the top row clothes for each kid, the bottom row is socks and underwear. I couldn't handle having everything disorganized.
For me and DH: I have 5 outfits, plus 4 for working out in. I'll do laundry once during the week, maybe twice. DH has 2 pairs khaki shorts and 5 shirts.
There's no way we could fit swimsuits AND towels in these suitcaes.
I really have no idea how I could pack LESS.
Bummer. I know there's someone here who overpacks. RIGHT?
I overpack. Well, when we used to travel, I overpacked.
I really don't think you packed too much, but I also don't think they will need many clothes. How many towels are you bringing? I would also consider using the towels there.
When we travel we use totes mostly. Are you bringing any food or waiting until you get there?
OMG you will be here so soon!
5 towels. I'm partial to my own beach towels, lol.
I have 5 outfits for Ethan, and 7 for the girls (both somewhat likely to have an accident).
We're bringing some food and will buy the rest at publix or something. But there's a large cooler to be filled with drinks and food for the road.
I don't have the money to just run out and buy everything I forget, so I need to remember as much as possible.
AND I haven't accounted for the suitcase of lovies. LOL.
It sounds like your 'large' and my 'large' are different.
I think as long has you haven't packed 4 swimsuits and 13 outfits for each kid, you're fine. It just ends up being a lot. We had a bag with diapers, bag of swim stuff, bag of toys, bag of car activities, 2 bags of food and a cooler full. Plus chairs and pillows and blankets and sleep toys, oh my. We actually decided we'd buy a pod before our next go-round!
I'm an overpacker, too.
For our week-long lake vacation last year, I took one large suitcase for H and I and one pretty large suitcase for the boys. I brought a LL Bean large tote bag full of towels (beach and bath) and a medium tote with toys.
Charlotte Ella 07.16.10
Emmeline Grace 03.27.13
We're going on a roadtrip vacation in August and my plan is to pack:
1 large suitcase with mine and DH's stuff in it. (This includes bathing suits)
1 medium suitcase with our two older children's stuff in it (this includes bathing suits)
1 tote bag with baby's stuff in it. (this includes bathing suits)
I will try to fit towels in the suitcases, but may need another tote bag for those.
1 large plastic bin with a few of the baby's toys, and some diapers/wipes for the road (we plan to buy diapers and wipes when we get to our destination).
1 baby bag with the normal diaper bag stuff (a few toys, a sippy, diapers, a change of clothes, etc....only packing this because I will want it AT the destination).
we will also have our stroller, a cooler, 1 pillow per kid and 1 blanket per kid (they like to have their own comforts when we vacation).
I agree that you should tell DH you took care of the packing so he should just deal unless he wants to take that on next time.
And my DH is an awful overpacker- ummm, 4 pairs of shoes for a week? Not including the pair he is wearing-oy. Most likely why I underpack.
Hey if it all fits in the car then go with it!
Shoes is not a huge problem. I ended up packing 1 pair tennis shoes for the older 2, and they'll wear their sandals, plus 2 pairs sandals for M, DH will have the sandals on his feet, and I'll wear flip flops and bring my running shoes.
I'm obsessive about being extremely organized in my packing, so I think that might take up more room, you know? I can't just stack it all in a suitcase.
Are you driving? Use bins! Seriously, I did this for a week at the beach and it worked BEAUTIFULLLY! Towels in one, (fit the swimsuits if you can). All kids clothes in one. Your shoes on the bottom of one with your and DH's clothes on top. And then a bin full of beach toys. They stack so nicely in the car. And you can see through them, which makes it so much easier. Add another for perishable food items and viola, you have snacks (and some meals) for the week as well.
At any rate, I totally overpack. And I won't apologize for it. I am ALLLLLL about convenience, ESPECIALLY when traveling. I will bring the damn bathtub with me if I feel it will make it easier on me (and therefore everyone else) when we get to our destination!!!!
Have a blast! And if J has issues with your packing, tell him to see this post!
If he does see this post, tell HIM TO DO THE PACKING! Or, shut it! 
I've never thought of bins...you're genius. I'd have to throw toys on the floor to do that, but I may run to walmart tomorrow and buy a few.
LOVE the bin idea, Jodi!!! Brilliant
As for overpacking, if you're traveling by car, I'd say if it fits, it goes! No reason to leave something behind you * might* need, especially if you have the space for it.
Oh, and be careful with the "you don't get to comment because I packed it" especially if your DH is willing/likely to actually pack next time - you know he won't bring everything you need
Haa haa! But if your hubby is like mine (and would never in a million years be willing/able to pack for the family), then go for it!!! Love it!
Have a great trip!
Wow, I guess I pack light. I am taking a carry on with my and the kids clothes. DH has a full size suitcase and he will take the toys and towels. I don't pack alot when traveling (except camping).
How do you do it?! Wash clothing? Wear the same outfits again and again? I'm generally curious and jealous of your skills... I'm a horrible over-packer and need some insight!
How do you do it?! Wash clothing? Wear the same outfits again and again? I'm generally curious and jealous of your skills... I'm a horrible over-packer and need some insight!
I'm a serious overpacker, but we drive to the beach so it truly does not matter...if it fits it goes! I'd probably feel like we'd left something behind if we could see out the back of the car
Actually this year we have a new car (Acadia), more kids, and it has less cargo room than we've ever dealt with before. Basically once the stroller is in there (it's a City Mini, so not huge at all, and it is definitely going with us), not much else fits in the back. We will have a turtle top on the rack, and we are renting a small trailer. We'll put the boys bikes, pack n play for the baby, tailgating tent for the beach, beach chairs, etc in there, and then things like towels, the boys life jackets, diapers, beach toys, will go up top. I hope to be able to fit our bags of clothes around Jack's carseat in the back. I pack a separate bag for each person just so I can keep it all straight (I even do their laundry separately so I don't have to sort!), and I like to have all my stuff in it's own bag without DH pawing through it all to get to his stuff.
We'll also be taking a few totes of food, a cooler for the road and to use on the beach, and we might even throw the wagon in the trailer if there is room for it (to get everything down to the beach).
And to those suggesting laundry while on vacation...NOPE
You win! That's a lot of stuff!