Full-time travel means my husband, baby, and myself live out of two large checked bags, a diaper bag, and two carryons.
Fitting everything we own and need into a grand total of 60 kg involves a lot of deliberate purchases, strategic packing, and discussions over every item of clothing.
This is everything we had with us when we left Thailand, and we’ve been downsizing ever since!
My husband and I share one large suitcase, and a carry-on for electronics, and our baby gets the rest of the luggage.
These are our tips on how to keep your luggage light when traveling – even with a baby.
You don’t need that much clothing.
Before having kids, travel was about having fun and experiencing something new – not laundry. Traveling with a baby means spit-up, smeared food, diaper blowouts, and somehow, always being wet and/or sticky.
One of the ways we keep our suitcases light is by booking vacation rentals equipped with washing machines. We use VRBO (vacation rental by owner) to rent affordable and practical homes while traveling. We choose practical and well-equipped homes over beautiful properties – I would much rather have a washing machine than a private pool.
We’ve discovered that three of everything is our magic number. Three bottoms, three tops, two fancy outfits, and three comfy house outfits mean we can always have one to wear, one to spare, and one in the dirty laundry hamper.
We use these packing cubes to save space and organize our luggage. Each family member gets one cube, and we have an extra cube for underpants, socks, and warm clothes.
| Mom | Dad | Baby |
| 1 Merino Wool Leggings 1 Merino Wool Shirt 3 pairs Long Socks 2 pairs Short Socks 3 pants 3 shorts 1 skirt 1 dress 3 t-shirts 2 sweaters 1 fleece jacket 1 Windbreaker 1 coat 2 bikinis 1 pair trailrunners 1 pair sandals | 1 Merino Wool Leggings 1 Merino Wool Shirt 3 pairs long socks 3 pairs short socks 3 pants 3 shorts 5 t-shirts 3 sweaters 1 hat 1 coat 1 windbreaker 2 swimsuits 1 pair trail runners 1 pair sandals 1 “cozy outfit” | 2 Merino Wool Base Layers 2 tights 3 pants 2 shorts 3 long-sleeved onesies 3 short-sleeved onesies 3 longsleeved t-shirts 3 shortsleeved t-shirts 3 sweaters 2 warm hats 2 sunhats 1 fleece layer 1 snowsuit 2 swimsuits 2 swim diapers |
Book an Accommodation that has what you need
Another way we try to avoid large amounts of luggage is by booking vacation homes that provide us with the largest items. Booking an accommodation that comes with a baby cot or a high chair helps us avoid purchasing expensive equipment to lug around the world.
Our baby’s all-time favorite bed was a pack-and-play in Porto. He loved it so much that we e-mailed the hosts about it, hoping to purchase one.
Although we travel with a portable highchair, it’s impractical for extended stays. Also, most restaurants have high chairs, unless you’re sitting outside on Porto’s steep, cobbled streets.
Bring Enough Supplies for Two Days
I will preface this section by saying none of us have allergies, which makes packing a lot simpler.
We have yet to find a country that doesn’t have a store selling diapers, wipes, baby food, and baby formula. Although using valuable vacation time for a baby supply run is mildly inconvenient, purchasing baby necessities at our destination frees up a lot of luggage space. Especially the diapers!
We travel with enough diapers, wipes, and food for two days. Here’s how we calculate diapers:
| Age | Diapers for 2 Days |
| 0 – 6 Weeks | 1 Diaper per Hour – 48 Diapers |
| 6 Weeks – 3 Months | 1 Diaper per 1,5 Hours – 32 Diapers |
| 3 Months – 6 Months | 1 Diaper per 2 Hours – 24 Diapers |
| 6 Months – 9 Months | 1 Diaper per 2,5 Hours – 20 Diapers |
| 9 Months – 12 Months | 1 Diaper per 3 Hours – 16 Diapers |
| 12 Months – 18 Months | 1 Diaper per 3,5 Hours – 13 Diapers |
Trust me, less is more when it comes to stuff you can easily purchase. Babies and their nutritional and hygiene needs are universal. Unless you travel to a very remote location, you can purchase baby food, formula, and diapers on the way.
Pack, Repack, and Repeat.
If you’re debating what exactly you need, follow these steps.
- Pick out the luggage you’re willing to schlep around on your trip.
- Pack everything you think you’ll need.
- Get rid of everything that didn’t fit in the suitcase.
- Take out everything from the suitcase and get rid of at least three things.
- Repack.
- Repeat steps 3 – 5 until your suitcase is 3/4 full. This leaves room for last-minute additions and souvenirs!
Final Tips
Here are some of my favorite tips on packing less – tried and tested by me.
- Layers are your new best friend.
- A Merino Wool Base layer makes all our outfits so much more versatile. They are small, compact, snuggly, and warm. I wear mine around the house on cool mornings.
- Layers warm your limited wardrobe enough for a brisk 3° winter’s day, while separately, remaining cool enough for a 45° Thai summer.
- If it can only be worn with one specific outfit, don’t bring it.
- I LOVE patterns. The brighter, the better. However, patterns are impractical when packing a small capsule wardrobe. I removed my flowery tees, colorful pants, and tribal skirts. Now, I focus on plain colors. This way, my three tops and three bottoms equal nine outfits instead of 3.
- There are always stores.
- If you forget something, most places people travel to have at least one shop selling clothing.
- Sometimes, it is better to purchase clothing at your destination. In addition to being better suited for the climate, clothing purchased abroad is a practical souvenir. We had to get rid of all our Hamburg T-Shirts in Thailand, as they were made of thick cotton and smelled like B.O. almost immidiately.
There you have it! Those are my top tips for packing light.
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