Sometimes, less is more when you are traveling with the family and for those families struggling to downsize their luggage, the Telegraph's Hattie Garlick has some helpful tips.
"The first time we went on holiday as a family, we left the house looking like the 1953 expedition to Everest. Should calamity of any kind have befallen us, we would have faced it bravely with travel sterilizer, velcro black-out blinds, toys, books, sippy cups, a thousand changes of clothes and something called a universal bath plug," writes Garlick.
Now, Garlick is a seasoned family traveler and has several tips for those who are heading out with tiny tots in tow, and her first suggestion is to travel with less luggage to keep your travels flexible.
"The less encumbered and weighed down you are, the more mobile and flexible you become. Setting out with just the small bags on our backs lightened our mood as well as our load," she says.
Parents, remember you will always carry your kids' luggage at some point.
"While packing, remember that at some stage (almost certainly very soon after you close your own front door) you will end up carrying your children's luggage. All of it. In addition to your own," Garlick notes.
READ MORE: Packing: Essentials and What You Can Leave Behind
Save time with hand luggage. The less you have to check, the more time you will have to enjoy your vacation.
"At departures, you skip straight past the queues for luggage check-in. On arrival, you stroll past baggage reclaim while other families wait the average 21 minutes it takes to get your suitcase off the revolving belt while man-handling your overtired toddler as she attempts to clamber onto it," writes Garlick.
It also saves money, she adds.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
