Packing for an international trip can be tricky. Packing for a seven month expedition to a new continent, spanning seven different countries and three seasons, with five family members is overwhelming.
Fortunately for us, we're people who live by lists. My wife's approach is tech savvy: a smart phone is all she needs. She started her electronic lists for this trip almost a year ago. By now, she's so familiar with them she hardly needs to reference them anymore. To her, packing is one of the best parts of the prep. She loves sorting all the travel-size shampoos and medicines while neatly rolling all of the clothes and cleverly tucking them into the extra spaces. My approach is more traditional: a scrap of paper and a pen, taped to my desk and updated as I think of things to pack. When I pack it, I cross it off the list. For me, it's a necessary evil. Add to this challenge three boys of varying shapes and sizes, a pile of carefully chosen toys, and top it off with homeschooling supplies for seven months and you've got a heck of a mess.
Below is our attempt to make sense of the madness. It doesn't include everything we're bringing and should be used only as a reference for international travel with kids. It's merely a guide as to what we think are the necessities. The most important thing is to remain calm: with a bit of planning and some semblance of organization, you'll get through it.
Husband's List
*not pictured: 6 pairs of underwear
Wife's List
*not pictured: 6 pairs of underwear, 1 nursing bra, 2 sportsbras, 1 swimsuit
Boys' List
Per boy:
*not pictured: (1) floppy hat per boy that covers their ears
Baby's List
*not pictured: 1 pair of baby sandals for when he starts walking, and small pack of diapers and wipes (until we get down there and buy full size)
Homeschool Supplies/Toys
Medicines
Gear List
Final Thoughts:
Continue to follow us at http://ift.tt/1yMYGVx or #dclandromomania on Instagram and find out more on Blogspot at dclandromomania.blogspot.com.
from Travel - The Huffington Post http://ift.tt/17vkAjx
Fortunately for us, we're people who live by lists. My wife's approach is tech savvy: a smart phone is all she needs. She started her electronic lists for this trip almost a year ago. By now, she's so familiar with them she hardly needs to reference them anymore. To her, packing is one of the best parts of the prep. She loves sorting all the travel-size shampoos and medicines while neatly rolling all of the clothes and cleverly tucking them into the extra spaces. My approach is more traditional: a scrap of paper and a pen, taped to my desk and updated as I think of things to pack. When I pack it, I cross it off the list. For me, it's a necessary evil. Add to this challenge three boys of varying shapes and sizes, a pile of carefully chosen toys, and top it off with homeschooling supplies for seven months and you've got a heck of a mess.
Below is our attempt to make sense of the madness. It doesn't include everything we're bringing and should be used only as a reference for international travel with kids. It's merely a guide as to what we think are the necessities. The most important thing is to remain calm: with a bit of planning and some semblance of organization, you'll get through it.
Husband's List
- (1) 2-in-1 zip out fleece lined waterproof jacket
- (1) wool beanie
- (7) pairs of socks, including 3 wool and 4 athletic
- (1) pair flip flops
- (1) pair hiking shoes
- (1) pair running shoes
- (5) long sleeve shirts, including 2 fishing convertible shirts and 1 thermal
- (1) set thermal underwear
- (1) swim suit
- (2) exercise shorts, including compression shorts
- (6) short sleeve shirts
- (3) under shirts
- (1) pair of jeans
- (2) pairs of heavy duty convertible cargo pants
- Toiletry bag
*not pictured: 6 pairs of underwear
Wife's List
- (1) waterproof, lined jacket
- (1) fleece hoodie insert
- (3) sundresses, including a quick drying option
- (1) swimsuit cover-up that doubles as a tunic
- (2) cardigan sweaters
- (6) long sleeve cotton shirts
- (4) short sleeve cotton shirts
- (3) camisoles
- (3) tank tops
- (1) pair of exercise shorts
- (2) pairs of shorts
- (1) pair of jeans
- (1) pair of loose-fitting linen black plants
- (1) pair of heavy-duty cargo convertible pants
- (1) pair of black leggings that doubles as thermal underwear
- (1) decorative scarf that doubles as a nursing cover
- (1) black floppy hat
- (1) pair of flip flops
- (1) pair of camel flats
- (1) pair of black flats
- (1) pair of hiking shoes
- (3) necklaces
- (5) pairs of earrings
- (2) headbands
- Misc travel size toiletry items (until we get down there and buy full size), including deodorant, toothpaste, floss, hairspray, lotion, a small bottle of coconut oil, wide tooth comb, toothbrush, loofah, 2 baby washcloths, and 1 quick dry towel
- Make-up: blush plus brush, mascara, eyelash curler, eyeliner, sunscreen face lotion, and chapstick
*not pictured: 6 pairs of underwear, 1 nursing bra, 2 sportsbras, 1 swimsuit
Boys' List
Per boy:
- (1) 2-in-1 zip out fleece lined waterproof jacket
- (3) convertible, vented fishing shirts
- (3) long sleeve shirts
- (5) short sleeve shirts
- (2) pairs of convertible pants
- (1) pair of jeans
- (2) pairs of "soft" pants, aka fleece pants that can be worn out in public
- (1) pair of "soft" shorts
- (1) swim suit, including long sleeve rashguard
- (1) pair of crocs
- (1) pair of hiking shoes
- as many underwear and socks as can fit, at least 5 pairs of each
- (1) pair of sunglasses
*not pictured: (1) floppy hat per boy that covers their ears
Baby's List
- (1) 2-in-1 zip out fleece lined waterproof bunting
- (2) swaddle blankets
- (1) onesie pajama
- (2) short sleeve onesies
- (2) pairs of shorts
- (2) pairs of pants
- (4) long sleeve shirts
- (4) short sleeve shirts
- (1) swimsuit, including long sleeve rashguard
- (1) pair of baby leggings
- 6 pairs of socks
*not pictured: 1 pair of baby sandals for when he starts walking, and small pack of diapers and wipes (until we get down there and buy full size)
Homeschool Supplies/Toys
- iPad
- Window clings
- Beginner readers
- Dry erase preschool activity book
- Dry erase tracing and arithmetic cards
- Hand-picked toys
- Matching game
- Personal sleeping companions
- Busy Binders
- Preschool activity books
Medicines
- Essential oils and wipes
- Woolite packets for sink washing
- Laundry packets
- Spot remover pen
- Anti-diarrheal tablets
- Acetaminophen chewable tablets
- Bugspray
- Anti-bacterial hand soap
- Allergy relief chewable tablets
- Motion sickness relief tablets
- Emergen-c packets
- Alcohol wipes
- Earplugs
- Sunscreen
- Nyquil tablets
- Super glue
- Bandaids
- Infant's acetaminophen liquid
- Teething tablets
- Sea bands, for nausea
- Preggo pops, for nausea
Gear List
- Journal/Event Log
- Spanish/English Phrase Book - we downloaded a Spanish/English dictionary for the phone. If you're not getting an international cell phone plan, make sure the app works in airplane mode
- Money Belts
- Water proof Pelican Case
- Multi-tool
- Camera and power cord
- Write-in-the-rain notebook and pen
- His/Her Headlamps
- Extra braided Parachute cord
- Parachute cord bracelet - always a good idea to keep some on you at all times.
- Watch compass
- Watch
- Sunglasses w/ cleaning cloth
- External harddrive - for backing up pictures and documents
- USB 1-to-4 adapter - great if your laptop only has one or two built-in USB ports
- Extra AA & AAA batteries
- Extra belt & gear clips
- GPS with power cable
- Durable thumbdrive
- Sunglass lanyards
- Kindle
- Waterproof stuff sack
- Mini tabasco bottles - perfect for collecting a little sand from every country
- Extra toilet paper bundles and wet wipes - keep these in your cargo pocket...just in case
- Bungee cords and zip ties
- Kindle charger
- Laptop with power cord
- Water purification tablets
- Headset with built in microphone
- Plug adapter kit - nearly every country in South/Central America uses different wall plugs
- Velcro
- LifeStraw
- Mace
- Business cards
- Portable day pack
- Ballcap with a light
- Luggage security cable - used to tie together bags when you're at a bus terminal
- Survival kit
- Camelback with snap-in water filter
Final Thoughts:
- Everything should have more than one purpose. For example, camping pants that convert to shorts, essential oils used to treat a variety of alignments, and a bundle of parachute cord.
- You can't pack for every possible contingency. Do some research and choose your battles carefully. Over time, ounces equal pounds and pounds equal pain.
- Always leave room in your bag for souvenirs...or just buy another bag during the trip.
- Start early. It's a lot less overwhelming the sooner you begin putting pen to paper.
Continue to follow us at http://ift.tt/1yMYGVx or #dclandromomania on Instagram and find out more on Blogspot at dclandromomania.blogspot.com.
from Travel - The Huffington Post http://ift.tt/17vkAjx
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