We spent a year travelling across Asia, the four of us, often only staying somewhere for a week before packing up and doing it all again. When you move that often, packing stops being a one off job and becomes the thing your whole trip runs on. Forget one charger or one comfort toy and you feel it for days.
So we did what you end up doing when you repeat anything fifty times. We built a system. A simple printable list we could tick as we went, so nobody had to hold the whole thing in their head at 5am with two tired kids and a taxi waiting.
We know the chaos of getting a family out the door. This is the thing that took the edge off it for us, and you can download it for free below.
Grab the free pack
The pack itself. Print it, stick it on the fridge, tick as you go.
Why this one is a bit different
Most packing lists assume packing is about clothes. With kids, and especially with a child who has ADHD or sensory needs, packing is really about heading off the meltdowns before they start. Our pack puts that first.
The whole thing is built around one idea: split everything into three. A Calm Bag you keep on you, a day bag, and the main case. Get the Calm Bag right and a hard travel day stays manageable. That is the bit we wish someone had told us on our first big trip.
The essentials, if you only remember one section
Here is the short version to get you started. The full printable goes further, but this is the heart of it.
The Calm Bag (pack this first, keep it on you). Noise cancelling headphones or ear defenders. A familiar comfort item. A fidget toy. A chewy snack. Sunglasses or a cap to cut visual overload. A charged tablet with offline downloads. A spare charger and battery pack. A water bottle they actually like.
Travel day carry on. More snacks than you think you need. A full change of clothes per child. Wet wipes. First aid basics and any medication. Passports and documents in one pouch. A surprise or two, saved for the moment it all wobbles. It always wobbles. Once it is all packed, here is how we survive the actual long haul flight with kids.
Sleep, because it falls apart fastest. A familiar pillowcase from home. A blackout cover. White noise, from an app or a small machine. The same bedtime story or playlist you use at home.
For the tablet and offline downloads to actually work abroad, sort your data before you fly. Here is how we set up an eSIM so the kids’ shows load the moment you land.
A few things we learned the hard way
Give countdowns before every move. “Ten minutes until we get off” beats a sudden scramble every time.
Feed early and feed often. Hunger and tired kids are a bad mix, and that goes double for us parents too.
Keep the plan visible. A simple written or picture order of the day lowers everyone’s anxiety, including yours.
Lower your own bar. A calm parent is the best travel tool there is, and nobody packs that in a bag.
If you are packing for a longer trip and pulling the kids out of school, we wrote a full guide on how to deregister and homeschool while travelling, and on the travel insurance that actually covers a family long term.
Download the free pack
If any of this sounds like your family, grab the full printable. Print it single sided, stick it on the fridge, and tick as you go. It is free, it is ours, and we made it because we needed it too.
