Packing for the Family

Space Saving Tips

Sometimes, packing a car for a family vacation can feel more like playing a game of Tetris. The number of items needing to be pack and find the perfect configurations to get every suitcase, bag, beach chairs, skis, umbrellas, strollers, and the kitchen sink into one vehicle can make for a stressful start to any trip. Not to mention trying to pack the family’s suitcase or bag with enough clothes to last a week along with toiletries, favorite stuffed animals the kids promise they can’t sleep without every night.

My husband and I have talked about how we are now busting at the seem when packing the car. As a family of four with two young kids, we are always thinking of a creative way to pack the car so every item we need can fit safely. With our kids getting older, it is becoming a little easier; however, we are still packing the larger items such as a stroller and the Pack ‘n Play while playing our own game of Tetris each road trip. For this reason, it was a personal mission to find an easy solution to our family’s packing needs, bring fewer bags, but still, make sure we have everything needed for a beautiful family vacation.

I found a practical and straightforward solution that had been staring at me in the face for years, Ziploc Flexible Totes. Although most people use these to create more space in their homes, they are the perfect solution to packing the family’s clothes into one suitcase. Place the kids’ clothing in one Ziplock Flexible Totes and adults’ clothing in another. You can pack the entire family in half the amount of bags or, if luck has it, just one suitcase. You can also use the Ziploc Space bag for longer trips where you might not have a chance to wash clothes. A trick to fit the bag in one suitcase: put one set of clothes in the back of the space bag and another set close to the zip seal. Leave a slight gap between each set to fold the space bag in half and place it in the suitcase once you have squeezed or sucked all the air out, and the bag lays flat. You can pack the entire family in half the amount of bags or, if luck has it, just one suitcase.

What I love about this trick, you keep the shoes from touching the clothes. Everything stays clean, and you do not have to worry about dirt getting on to the clean clothes before wearing them. These tote bags also give you a place to put your dirty items for the trip home. You will not have to play the guessing game “who wore what on the trip” when you get back and, bonus, less laundry. Lastly, the tote bags protect your clothes from the unexpected shampoo bottle explosion, which we know at least one person has encountered while traveling.

Using the Ziplock Flexible Totes has been a packing trick we use to pack for cruises, beach vacations, mountain getaways, and many more family adventures. We have been able to adapt our packing techniques using these bags, which has given us more space to pack the items we truly need for our vacations to be memorable, less chaotic, and not have our car looking as if we are moving cross country. Ziplock Flexible Totes come in many sizes, so be sure to find the best fit for your family.