We have gone now 4 countries and can say what we brought verses whats needed are severely debatable. On embarking on this journey I asked friends/family that are regular international travelers (my pilot uncles wife Aunt Cheryl and my cousin who has traveled I believe to more countries than most Americans) as well as referenced the much love Pinterest and my silly granola mothering blogs.
We packed our family in one back pack each (except baby and I were together so 4 backpacks 3 carry on worthy, myself and my husband into 2 additional satchels and one extra grocery bag that is our carry on snack and entertainment bag. Only one checked Bag Per flight. I didn't have a purse because I kicked it fanny pack money belt style from SF to Sweden yo! Donny's bag is the big daddy that had sleeping bags and camping equipment as well as his clothing. When we left the first country we were down one of the bags, which goes to show you how much we edited since we bought 5 jackets and 2 pairs of shoes in Sweden. By end of visiting Germany we were down one more bag. Donny's satchel was left with friends we visited to be sent to us in UK. So we are officially down to 4 backpacks and my messenger bag for trains and airplanes. Now this may switch up a little after leaving Italy since we are buying a tent most likely in Italy. But it's shocking what fits into each, and how little you Truly need.
Donny's
Osprey 70
Mine & Orli's
Kelty redwing 44
Bryten and Daphne each had their own of these:
We each had these silly but super handy sleeping bags. They squish down absurdly tiny!
Where the editing came from:
About 6 stuffed animals got left in cute spots for friends to find and re home (we made a game out of it because let's face it the stuffed animal situation was a hair out of hand).☺️We also made a donate bag of clothes we didn't use the first 4 days as well as toiletries and gave them to the gypsy families that were asking for money everywhere in Sweden.
Leaving with 5 outfits each down to about 3 that can be interchangeable. On our last leg of Germany we offloaded couple more clothing articles, some homeschooling books that were completed, a bag and more toys we weren't using (we left them at the hostel in Berlin for other friends to play with). We lost one of babies shoes at the airport so she was down to one pair but we bought one more pair in Germany to get her by. We also left some of Orli's clothes for a friend that was the same size so her clothing pile was finally getting smaller..
In France we again got rid of toiletries we weren't using, extra nail polishes, and odds and ins that just really created extra weight more than anything.
We are now in Italy at our apartment and I have emptied bags and here is what each bag contains.... If we would have left with this little our life would have been way easier the almost month we have been gone with the frequent travel.
All clothing packed into those cubes all the blogs said we had to buy. Not so useful in back packs folks. I can see their magic in suitcases but in backpacks they just add bulk.
Bryten: 8yr
3 dresses
3 pants
3 shirts
1 sweater
2 pajamas
1 jacket
1 pair Tevas
1 pair of tennis shoes
5 panties
3 pairs of socks
1 foldable day bag
Her little purse
1 stuffed animal
Cold hat/sun hat
Bathing suit
iPad
Finger puppet
2 schooling workbooks
Book she's currently reading
Toiletry bag •tooth brush•toothpaste•hair ties•brush•nail polish•lipstuff
2 barbies
Bag of Legos
Sleeping bag
Camping dishes
Daphne: 5yr
3 dresses
3 pants
2 pajamas
7 underwear
1 jacket
1 sports shirt all weather
3 pairs of socks
1 pair sandals
1 pair of tennis shoes
Walkie talkies
iPad
Homeschooling books
Crayons/pastels/colored pencils
2 barbies
2 small stuffed animals
Toiletry bag
Little day pack
Finger puppet
Cold hat/sun hat
Sleeping bag
Bathing suit
Camping dishes
Orli: 1yr we share
2 pajamas
2 dresses
2 pants
2 tights
3 tops
1 onesie (going to buy more they are so useful so let's make this number a 5)
1 pair of moccasins
1 pair of tennis shoes
1 sweater
1 all weather vest
Cold hat/ sun hat
Bathing suit
2 little stuffed animals (a crotchet horse Auntie Jenny made and a little butterfly Carole made.
1 wooden car
Set of plastic keys (from when Donny was a baby so cute)
Diapers
Wipees
Wooden strawberry (don't ask it's her favorite)
Mine:
Kelty bag 45
3 dresses
1 skirt
2 shirts
1 scarf
Turkish towel
3 books 1 changing rapidly but the Italy guide book (will probably leave in apartment for next guests) and yoga bible
Souvenirs (I have only bought keychain and post cards as our tribe know we are backpacking and storage is minimal they will get the goodies once we land in England)
1 yoga pant
3 sweaters 2 very light weight
1 lightweight trench
Sun hat
Underwear
Sports bra/regular bra
5 pairs of socks
Birkenstocks shoes
Converse all stars shoes
Yoga mat
All that fit with babies stuff this bag is deceiving how small it looks for how much you can fit.
Family toiletry bag: carried in Donny's bag the checked bag.
I was told to pack a pharmacy as when you have a child with a fever you don't want to have to deal with the language barrier.
Airborne
Elderberry zinc tablets
Papaya enzyme
Tummy remedies
Immunity tincture for kiddos
Motrin for kiddos and adults
Cough syrup
Sun block 2 kinds kids and folks
Baby butt salve
Razor
Coconut oil
Mentholated rub
Essential oils
My many tinctures from ear ache to chamomile calm for the kiddos. This is were most the weight comes....
Shout out
Camping washing sheets these sheets will do a load in a camping sink. Amazing find.
Sunblock
Hair ties
Brush
Nail polish
FAce lotion
Tiny jewelry bag •studs•necklace•prayer beads•bangle•
Face spray
Makeup
Deodorants
Shampoos (I bought only enough for travel to Europe. Then once there I found deliciously wonderful shampoos and body soaps that are local, the Paris pharmacies have the goods)....
Donny's bag the big daddy:
Osprey 75
5 shirts
2 shorts
3 pants
1 sweater
1 fleece
1 all weather shell jacket
5 socks
Turkish towel
Underwear
Tevas
Tennis shoes
Camping stoves 2 small ones
Camping dish washing bucket
Camping dishes
2 sleeping bags
Baby cups
Water bobble filtered water bottle
3 Klean bottles.
Tent
Our toiletry bag
Scarf
Baseball hat/ beanie
My messenger:
The days diapers, snacks, my money belt if it's not a pick pocket zone ( if it is I wear all our passports, cards, travel insurance cards, money under my sweater in a RIFD money belt).... I Look pregnant but our stuffs safe.
The BoB stroller our pack mule
And our toddler Tula carrier yes I got down to one carrier, (wellll technically there are few out floating as loaners but one carrier with us. Selling my wraps and carriers was a long process and I cried a few times but we don't need more we need what we need and they were extras that we can't carry and I would rather not store)....
Each child has been sick at least once so I'm glad for all that I have. I feel we could get rid of a few more things but we only have the rest of our stay in Italy before England so I didn't feel the need to offload anymore. I'm actually starting to pick things up here and there for our new home.
Next post all about the big daddy flight as well as small train/bus/metro rides with kids good grief.😳
The things I'm seeing and my 8 year old will remember make this journey so worth it.
Tread lightly.
❤️Mel
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