These Are The 5 Items I Couldn’t Travel Without This Summer

This summer, my family and I embarked on an 8-week trip to Europe. We had grand plans of exploring new-to-us places as well as returning to some old favorites. When planning the details of our adventure, I included a variety of accommodations, modes of travel, and activities that we would all enjoy.

While planning the trip was fun, the logistics of how best to pack for a family of 4 with 2 young children was more difficult. My kids are 4 and 6 and can’t be counted on to carry their own backpacks or luggage yet. This means that whatever we packed was on my husband and me to schlep across the world. So, we had to find the balance between packing the right stuff — clothes and travel gear included — and not packing so much that we regretted everything.

We’ve been on the road for 4 weeks now, and there are 5 things we packed that I’m so grateful we made room for.

Here are the 5 items that I couldn’t live without this summer.

A Little More About Our Trip

We started this trip by joining our extended family and friends in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. From Cabo, we flew American Airlines to Porto, Portugal, where we explored Porto, Lisbon, and Sagres, Portugal, for 2 weeks. After Portugal, we headed to Valencia, Spain, for what was supposed to be 2 weeks but ended up being 3 weeks.

About a week before we were due to depart Valencia for Barcelona, we saw on the news that locals in Barcelona were protesting and spraying tourists with water guns. Needless to say, we decided to pivot and avoid Barcelona altogether.

From Valencia, we’re headed to an ecoresort in Vallromanes, Spain, before heading to several cities in France and to see the Paris Olympics.

To get around Europe, we will take a combination of trains, planes, and rental cars. As far as our accommodations, we are splitting our time between Airbnbs and hotels on our 10-city tour.

I typically travel carry-on only, so I’m an efficient packer and rarely pack more than I need. For this trip, we packed 2 carry-on suitcases, and each of us had a backpack. We also brought a kids’ travel car seat and rolled up a duffle bag in one of our suitcases to pack anything we bought abroad.

Among the items in those bags, I’ll share what I’m so glad I packed.

5 Items I Can’t Live Without This Summer

1. WayB Pico Portable Car Seat

When you have small kids, it’s pertinent that you consider a car seat whenever you’re in a moving vehicle. We’ve never had our kids in a car seat when flying or when traveling by plane, but I could not fathom my kids being without a car seat or booster when in the car. So I knew that unless we never rented a car for the whole trip, we were going to want a car seat for our 4-year-old.

That’s where the WayB Pico Portable Car Seat comes in. It’s compact enough to fit into the overhead bin on an airplane and, at only 8 pounds, it isn’t a hassle to carry when we aren’t using it.

WAYB Pico Travel Car Seat with Premium Carrying Bag- Lightweight, Portable, Foldable - Perfect for Airplanes, Rideshares, and Road...

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This car seat is for kids between 22 and 50 pounds and between 30 and 50 inches tall. It is a front-facing car seat and not for infants.

You could say that I could have just rented a car seat with the rental car, and you’d be absolutely right. But I have really loved having our own car seat on this trip. We’ve even quickly installed it into a taxi more than once and had that piece of mind that our little one was extra secure.

3. The Mini Pack from WayB

The Mini Pack from WayB is a small backpack that’s perfect for a day out and about.

WAYB Mini Backpack | Fits 13" Tablet | Durable & Water-Resistant | Lightweight and Slim Day Pack | 15L Capacity

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While not babies, my kids are still small enough that it’s a good idea to bring things like a change of clothes, snacks, water, and wipes when we’re on the go. At home, I have these items stowed strategically in my purse or car. But when we’re traveling, we need an alternative that’s convenient to carry but can also hold everything we need.

This compact backpack is comfortable to wear and even has a pocket for a water bottle on each side. We can easily pack 2 sets of spare clothes for the kids, as well. When we’re between destinations, the empty backpack fits into my carry-on luggage.

3. Pakt Sling

My 5-liter Pakt Sling (also available in a 3-liter size) is probably one of my favorite travel accessories, even though my husband usually wears it on travel days. When I travel without him, I use this sling exclusively and in lieu of a purse or backpack.

It’s a great size for everything I could want to have on me at one time — even my Kindle, which has become an extension of my arm the last few years.

There is 1 zipper in the front that’s great for holding a wallet, pen, and a couple of passports. You can also use the larger container, which fits said Kindle and so much more. There are additional compartments inside to help organize your belongings.

This little bag isn’t as large as the mini pack, so it won’t comfortably hold a water bottle, but it could serve as an easy-access diaper bag. You can fit a couple of diapers, wipes, a pacifier, a small toy, and even a bottle inside the larger compartment. It may not outright replace your diaper bag, but it’s an easy alternative when changing your baby at the airport or on a plane.

4. Packing Cubes

Packing cubes have been a game changer for me for the last several years. They’re an important organizational tool that helps me stay carry-on only when I travel.

We have 3 sets of EZ Packing cubes, which I find especially useful because of their clear cases. Each set comes with 4 cubes; we didn’t end up bringing the smallest cube this time, but I sometimes use that cube as the kids’ toiletries bag when we take shorter trips.

Clear Travel Packing Cubes Set of 4 for Carry On (XS, Small, Medium, Large) / See-Through Clothes Organizer Dividers for...

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I strategically use packing cubes to cut down on overpacking and to minimize the process of packing and unpacking at each destination. If it doesn’t fit into the packing cube, it doesn’t come (or goes into someone else’s cube!). Once we get to our hotel room or apartment, I simply take each person’s cube out of the suitcase and put it in the dresser drawer.

I also use packing cubes to organize other items. This summer, I’ve utilized 2 cubes for hair products and miscellaneous toiletries that were too big for my hanging toiletry bag. This cube held full-size shampoos and conditioners, lotions, contact boxes, sunscreen, etc.

5. Hanging Toiletry Bag

Do you ever check in to a beautiful hotel room only to be met by a wholly disappointing and unusable bathroom sink? Or a bathroom with no storage or anywhere to put your face wash or even your toothbrush? When fashion wins over function, I’m always glad that I have a hanging toiletry bag.

BAGSMART Toiletry Bag Travel Bag with Hanging Hook, Water-resistant Makeup Cosmetic Bag Travel Organizer for Accessories, Shampoo,...

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I was introduced to this bag by a friend of mine who is a professional organizer. When she learned how often my family travels, she was shocked that I wasn’t already using a hanging toiletry bag to save space. Now that I have one, I don’t know how I lived without it. It takes away the guessing game of where to put your toiletry bag around a pedestal sink or otherwise tiny bathroom.

I love that I can carry all of my family’s toiletries in 1 bag. This frees up space in everyone’s luggage for other things and is another organizational tool that aids in our ability to travel with carry-ons.

Final Thoughts

Packing for 4 people to be away from home for 8 weeks requires a lot of thought, lists, and the right gear. We’re halfway through our trip, and I can say without a doubt that I would pack each of these 5 items again. They help me stay organized without being a burden to my carry-on-only lifestyle.