7 Summer Travel Packing Tips (For Dads)
I hope everyone is having an enjoyable July 4th weekend!
Now that summer is well under way, many of you are planning, or have already gone on, a family trip. Traveling, especially with children, can be extremely stressful. There’s always that fear that you forgot something important.
I find that the stress of thinking about the trip, and all the stuff that has to be taken into account prior, increases my anxiety level around other, totally unrelated things.
“Did I turn off the stove?!”
“Did I unplug the iron?!”
“Did I accidentally leave the refrigerator open?!”
Yes, I actually do worry about that last one.
Packing my own personal belongings, however, does not cause me too much stress. Sure, I get agitated if I put it off to the last second and have to do it in a rush, but if I give myself time, figuring out what to take on my trip is actually rather enjoyable.
The reason why I, a person who has a fairly high baseline of anxiety, do not find packing for a trip stressful is because I keep some very important points in mind.
Remember, this is a list for YOU, not your kids. Obviously, you need to pack things like stuffed animals, bedtime books, diapers, snacks, and favorite toys for them. The list below consists of things that you need to remember for yourself so that YOU can have an enjoyable trip, too.
#1 – Make a list.
I don’t travel anywhere without making a list of what I intend to bring. But here is the key: Write out the list a couple days before you leave.
I know that travel causes me stress, and I know that when I am stressed I don’t think clearly. Having a list that I wrote out well before I started to pack gives me the best chance of having everything I need on my trip.
Write out your list, but don’t feel that you have to adhere to it 100% once you start packing. It’s just a guideline and a way for you to get your arms around things you’ll need while away. The specifics can be altered as you go.
While you’re writing out your list, I recommend you put a star next to the things that you absolutely need and if you forgot them you would punch yourself in the face before turning the car around and driving all the way home. Things like medication, or your work computer. If forgetting a particular thing would have a hugely detrimental effect on your enjoyment of the trip, then put a star next to it and pack that thing first.
Place your list next to you while you pack and cross off the items as you go. Don’t rely on your memory to recall whether or not you actually packed something. Only cross it off once it leaves your hand and descends into the bag.
#2 – Pack light.
Obvious. But it needs to be mentioned.
You’re the one packing up the car, aren’t you? Don’t give yourself more work by having multiple bags of your own personal items.
Why is our impulse to pack like we are going to soil ourselves three times a day for a week?
Making a list beforehand will definitely help you pack light, but sometimes you will need to make some cuts to the items on your list.
You know what, though? That’s part of the fun of traveling!
Since you can only bring a handful of items, you are forcing yourself to “make it work” with what you have in your bag while on your trip. This might mean wearing something outside of the normal circumstances in which you wear that item.
Maybe that means wearing your oxford shirt to the beach. Or a polo underneath your jacket at dinner.
Having less choice forces us to experiment. It forces creativity. Perhaps you’ll discover a new way to wear something going forward.
I like to pack a handful of patterned, collared, short-sleeved sport-shirts when I travel in the summer. They can look as nice as I need them to look when I am out to lunch or on a Zoom call, but I can also leave them untucked and run around with my sons at the park without looking like I just came from tea with the queen.
#3 – Take a few old standbys and few newcomers.
When I pack for a trip, I like to take two or three things that I wear all the time. My denim shirt. My old, frayed OCBD. Call them security blankets, if you will, but it gives me comfort having my favorite items with me.
On the flip side, I also like to bring two or three things that I don’t usually wear.
Maybe there’s a shirt or pair of pants that is sitting in the back of your closet because, while at home, you always habitually grab something else. For whatever reason, that item just never really made it into your usual rotation.
Traveling is perfect time to let those items see the light of day.
Feeling a little unsure about wearing something that doesn’t really jibe with your normal style? That’s ok. That’s probably the reason why that item doesn’t get much wear.
But there is no better time to wear stuff like that than while traveling. No one knows you! No one will remember!
And who knows? Maybe that newcomer will become an old standby, once next summer rolls around.
#4 – Don’t sweat the wrinkles.
You’re traveling. Your stuff is going to get a little wrinkled, especially in the summer when you’re probably wearing materials like cotton and linen.
It’s all fine. Don’t worry about it.
You’ll probably see packing advice on the internet that recommends rolling your clothes to save space and minimize wrinkles. I’ll roll my underwear to save space, but I don’t find it’s worth it to roll my shirts and pants.
Just fold your shirts and pants normally and place them into your bag. Yes, you might have a crease here and there from the folds, but once you shake out the garment and actually, you know, put it on and wear it, the wrinkles will fade and no one will notice anyway.
#5 – Pack patterned clothes.
I’m mainly referring to shirts here.
It’s common knowledge that patterned clothing is a good choice around children since patterns hide stains. And we all know that children = stains.
When you’re traveling, this is doubly important since you might have to wear an item multiple times. You may not have access to a washing machine so you don’t want a shirt to be removed from your trip arsenal because your son wiped Cheeto dust on you five minutes into your drive.
#6 – Pack one pair of sturdy shoes or boots.
When you’re going on vacation in the summer, you might be tempted to only bring your “vacation shoes” (boat shoes or sandals). After all, how many pairs of shoes do you really need?
Also, if you only bring, say, a pair of boat shoes, they can be dressed up (somewhat) or down. They are very versatile in that way. Do you really need anything else?
Yes, you do.
Do you plan on doing much walking on your trip? If so, bring along some sturdier shoes or boots so that, if your feet are killing you after one day, you have the option of wearing something with more support.
I learned this the hard way when my wife and I went to Paris some years ago before the kids were born. I wore boat shoes as we walked close to ten miles each day.
Every day I limped back to the hotel to get changed for dinner and practically kissed my black oxfords.
Vacation shoes are light and can easily be packed in your bag. Wear your sturdier shoes en route to your destination. You might not need them, but this is the one instance where it’s better to have them and not use them than not have them at all.
#7 – Bring a water bottle… for you!
It’s summer. It’s hot. You’re lugging all the family’s junk. You’re going to get sweaty. You’re going to get dehydrated. You’re going to get moody when you’re dehydrated.
I don’t go anywhere without my big, reusable water bottle. Even when I’m not traveling, the water bottle comes with me if I am running errands or out with the kids. Sure, I always pack water for them, too, but Daddy gets thirsty and needs his own water.
Staying hydrated is incredibly important when you’re out with your kids. On vacation you’re out of your normal element, so it might be easy to let things like that slip your mind.
But remember that you need to be the best, healthiest version of yourself to take care of your children. You don’t want to get surly and irritable because you haven’t had enough water. More importantly, you don’t want to risk, God forbid, getting a little loopy from dehydration when you need to be there for your kids.
Dehydration can sneak up on you, especially when you are go-go-go while on vacation.
Traveling with the family is immensely enjoyable. Keep these seven points in mind next time you’re packing your bag and you’ll have a great time!
