Luggage

Why not load and test your luggage?

Most of the people on this forum are supporters of “packing light” (just as I am) therefore you will need to take our comments from that perspective. I would rather take bags that are 21”x14”x9” or smaller so you can carry on easier for both planes & trains. If you haven’t watched the packing light video on this site I would encourage you to. You will have to check all 4 bags on the plane and will probably do just fine (I had a bag lost years ago so I embrace carry on only), the real issue will be loading & unloading onto trains and at hotels. It would nice if after your trip you would report back on this forum as to how things worked out with the larger bags. Above all else have a great time in Spain & Italy!

Fill the cases up with the weight they will have, then roll them to the end of the street and back again, and then take them upstairs.

Train doors often have steps up. Sometimes they are level, sometimes not, see this photo: https://thumbs.dreamstime.com/z/open-train-door-platform-exterior-empty-blue-station-62818922.jpg
I always put my bag on the top step, then get in myself and pick up the bag.

Give the kids small (and colourful) backbacks. They can keep "their" stuff for the journey in them, and when they want a drink / snack / whatever you don't have to go to the big case to find it. Nothing vital in case they loose them.
One small backpack (daypack) is also good for similar reasons, passports, tickets and travel supplies go in it. And useful on day trips.

Everyone needs a carryon with a change of clothes and necessities in case one of the checked bags doesn't make it to your final destination. Personally, I wouldn't be able to lift/drag the 24 and 28 up and down steps and the trains may not have enough space to store that many bags of that size.

Hi,

In my opinion, 28" luggage will be very heavy (and cumbersome) at the start; load it up with traveling clothes, etc., and you'll soon tire and become frustrated struggling with big luggage. A 24" is 'doable' along with a backpack as you intend but will still become heavy with all that moving around.

Consider a soft 22" bag. A soft-sided bag will be lightweight to begin with. If you pack right, you can fit a lot in there. I'm not fond of spinners but to each his/her own. Then, maybe you can invest (unless you have them already) in a large backpack to fit your essentials (a change of clothes/undergarments) in case your bag is checked or gate checked (and misplaced.)

An example: Walkabout 3 22" Expandable Carry On Rolling Suitcase. It's lightweight, fits a lot of stuff, has enough pockets, and the big wheels are good. Here are the other choices: https://www.macys.com/shop/luggage/sale-closeout/Brand/Travelpro?id=17246 If you really want spinners, they have those too. Check out https://www.kipling-usa.com/ They're known for their lightweight products. Most of their bags come with many pockets to organize and store things. Consider a 22" rolling duffle - it's lightweight, has inset wheels, a lot of space, and durable.

Consider packing cubes to organize your items - American Tourister sells frame-less cubes in a set of 3 sizes. (At Walmart; about $9) The largest one has two compartments - equal in size but can organize separate articles.

Added thought: Maybe you know this already, but invest in a money belt or neck wallet to wear under your clothes. With train travel, you may come into contact with crowding. This is meant to make you aware not scare you, but tight traveling is when the pickpockets are the happiest. Of course, don't put your vitals - money, PP's, cards, tickets, or anything of great value in front pockets (clothes or bags.) Backpacks are like a slice of lemon cake to them. Some pickers are getting more savvy - they may slice the seams of a purse or backpack - contents fall out and they grab and run. A money belt is worth the small investment

Having traveled in Spain and Italy on trains, the issue for you and your family is not just space, but having to lift and carry that luggage. At your children’s age, it is unlikely that they will be able to cart either luggage size up and down stairs and that leaves it to the adults. My advice is to take no more than 22 inch (weight is going to be more of a factor than size) and certainly you should have backpacks for this kids. Plan on doing laundry on the trip. While we have not traveled with children in Italy, our recent trip, we traveled with friends you had mobility issues and my husband and I had to carry their 22 inch luggage along with our own. It was physically demanding, especially as the trip went on and the luggage got heavier with souvenirs. You didn’t mention where you are going, but Venice is the worse for luggage transport.

If you take the larger suitcases, then you will need to have a strategy for minimizing the physical strain on transporting those suitcases. The plane shouldn’t be an issue as you can check luggage, but your other transportation and hotel and/or appartment choices should reflect the physical demands.

• Getting to and from airports/train stations—taxis will save you from carting luggage on public transport
• Trains: give yourself plenty of time between connections, especially in Italy. Some of the larger stations have elevators, but not all of the smaller stations. You may have to cart luggage up and down stairs and will need the extra time. Also on many of the regional trains we took, there was good overhead space and we fit our 21-22 inch bags okay. Most larger bags we saw on the trains were either at the end of the car or at people’s feet. Not a comfortable way to travel if you are going any distance.
• Hotels/appartment: look for places that have few or no stairs for apartments and hotels an elevator.

One suggestion to see how this would feel to you, do a trial run at home. Fill up the suitcases and then simulate your experience and multiply that by the times you are carting luggage to see if it works for you. If it doesn’t, then you can look at luggage downsizing strategies.

Sandy

You may need a change of perspective. I know you use the travel length of 27 days to justify all the luggage. There should be no relationship between length of trip and amount of luggage. We pack the same amount of clothing whether we are going for 10 days or 10 weeks. Twenty-eight inches and even 24" are huge suitcases to handle especially when full. Assuming your and your husband can handle the 28s", will the children be able to handle the 24s? There is no luggage assistance available anywhere. Sometimes you might find a luggage cart at the train station.

Handling that much luggage in a train station can be a problem. Sometimes you will need to go up and down a set of stairs to go over or under a set to tracks to reach the correct platform. Then, you have get it all on the train in a narrow passage way crowded with other people going in both directions.

Spinners (IMO) are not a good choice for general European travel. They are fine on the smooth surfaces of airports and train stations but can be a problem with rough cobblestone and broken concrete sidewalks and streets. But you might not much choice either since the two wheel are disappearing from the market. My preference is the larger two wheel bags. E Bauer has a great two wheel, 20", half duffel bag that is great for kid's use. It is one of our main bags when traveling anywhere.

Here is where you need a perspective change. Instead of thinking of 28 days of travel you should think of seven day (max ten) clothing cycle. We pack three changes and wear one with idea that we do complete laundry every seven days or so. With the exception of underwear everything is worn at least two days. We would use a 20" rolling suitcase or duffels for each children. That bug filled with their clothes should be light enough for them to pull and you can quickly move their luggage up and down stairs. For yourself, no more than 22" carry on. When we traveled with our two sons about the same age, we used carry-on size backpacks for ourselves so that our hands were free to assist the kids when needed.

I have to assume from your question that you are relatively inexperienced European travelers. You need to serious rethink what you have proposed. Just too much luggage.

On my way to JcPenney to return my beautiful not useful luggage. I will do 4 24' but I will make sure they are light and not hard case with big wheels. I will try to find the ones that have the tiny wheels that hide.. Unfortunately my husband is a big guy 6'4 over 260 pounds and size 14 shoes.. Only taking 2 pairs of shoes for him is an issue every time we travel and we travel twice a year however this is the first year where we are not stationed and will be moving around.

I will need 4 suitcases no matter If I can do away with I will HOPE for 3 and 2 back packs.. I will make sure my kids bags are not heavy and try my best to pack light for 7 days... TY

You do not want tiny wheels. Tiny wheels are the problem when you move off of smooth surfaces. The tiny wheels catch in every small crack and hole. They are miserable to pull across cobble stone streets and broken concrete because you will be pulling the bags and rolling them on four wheels. You are better off with the two wheels that are the larger skate board type of wheel.

I wear a size 13 shoe and solved that problem by using a shoe with removal liners. Wear one shoe and change liners each night to keep the shoe dry.

Ok Got it 2 wheels skater type... OMW now! Hope this time I make better choices!

Twenty four inch bags are still large. And may not fit on overhead racks in many trains and will have to be checked on all airlines. Buy one 22" or even 20 and see what you can pack in it prior to buying three more.

Travel Tips: Packing Light

Just my personal experience -- we have travelled (usually for a month) with 22" roller bags plus a smaller personal item each*, but I got seduced by a 24" spinner for the most recent trip. Extra space would make it so much easier to pack, right? And it's only 2" bigger. But that extra stuff bumped up the weight, and I noticed it EVERY time I had to try to lift the suitcase. Can't even imagine lifting a loaded 28" up/down stairs, onto trains, into car trunks.
People DO take bigger bags on trains -- as long as you realize they must be stored in unattended racks at the ends of the car, NOT at your seats.

• OK, and a Civita bag full of snacks for the train.

I'm 5'4", and I have trouble carying a 23" bag up and down stairs without dragging it. I cannot stand on a RR station platform and lift the bag onto the train carriage; I have to carry it. up the steps, which is awkward due to the tiny steps.

A 24" bag will be a bit wider and more awkward, even aside from its greater weight. I used one of those for my 2015 trip, and it was definitely a big problem for me. If you're tallish, you won't have those issues, but beware of filling the bag up with heavy things lik shoes and toiletries. Figure out how much of each product your family will need for the duration of the trip and either buy the right size container or decant to smaller bottles as necessary. Almost all lodgings will provide some kind of soap and shampoo (sometimes the same product), so you can probably get by with just an emergency supply of those items.

With 4 people, 4 medium size rolling suitcases and a daypack (or purse or tote) each is reasonable. I would say 24 inches is fine but 28 will be unmanageable. 24 inches is not carry on, which will be a hassle with 4 flights. I do carry on only for my overseas flights, but the low limits on some of the intra-Europe flights make this difficult. Depending on your airlines you may or may not want to see if you can go smaller.

With kids that age (mine are similar) you want them to roll their own bag as much as possible. Stress the importance of this, but keep an eye on it. My 11 year old left his bag by a ticket machine in the Rome train station - he was interested in the kiosk and helping us buy the proper ticket and forgot about the bag. Luckily we noticed and 5 minutes later it was still there (miracle!). Anyway, the kids roll their own bag and wear a small backpack. They will need help lifting a bag onto trains and such, but that's just part of traveling with kids. Be sure you and your husband can lift all the bags. Ideally you need to be able to lift them over your heads to go on overhead racks above train seats or top shelves of separate luggage racks in the back of the train car. Also, make sure you can carry the bags up stairs. Hotels often have very small elevators and sometimes there are stairs to even get to the elevator. Some hotels and apartments are in older buildings with no elevator at all.

With kids you may want to stay in airbnb type apartments some of the time - many of these come with washing machines. You could make that a criteria for strategically spaced stops. Be aware that washing machines may be common buy dryers are not - leave time to air dry everything.

All very good points. On some of the airlines I have paid for baggage checked in will they refund me if I do not have to check them in?

husband is a big guy 6'4 over 260 pounds and size 14 shoes

Well, I am 6'3" and over 300 pounds right now. I travel with nothing more than the RS classic back door bag. I recently did 6 weeks in Scandinavia with just that bag. Everything I needed fit fine. Even my growing selection of prescription drugs. I included a few extra things I wanted to take but didn't really need. I did laundry once a week.

I realize everyone has different needs when it comes to what they have to carry with them, but spend some time seriously looking at what you are taking. More is not always the better option.

I don't think any airline will refund baggage fees.

On some of the airlines I have paid for baggage checked in will they refund me if I do not have to check them in?

If you have downsized from 28" to 24", you will still have to check those on the airlines.
You will have to check with your airline, about their refund policy, but I would be surprised if they would do a refund

We pack for 5 days on our 4-6 week trips and handwash undies in the eve, drying with a travel clothesline. Clothes are quick-dry, except jeans. We use 22" and medium backpacks and check the 22". I prefer 2-wheels for this style of travel, even the kids can do it. The stores are filled with 4-wheels, but those are good for different travel stairs. Look at E-bags for wide variety.

Bets, may I ask why you check the 22'?

Getting on and off the trains will be the problem. Boarding and deboarding from a plane is a fairly organized event. Getting on and off a train can be a free for all. There can be a lot of people milling about the aisle as you try to move your person and your bag(s) to your seat or to find a seat. Keeping the bags a manageable size is essential.

I assume that you plan on each family member managing his/her own bag.

I am with Frank - I pack about the same for one week as I do for a month. I just plan to do laundry every once in a while (it doesn't bother me in the least to pay the hotel to do laundry sometimes - worth every penny in the name of packing light and avoiding this chore!)

I almost always take a 21-22" suitcase, but I generally check it because I hate dragging it around the airport and lifting it over my head on the plane. When I'm traveling alone (almost always), I find it a pain in the neck to have to keep track of it while in the restroom or when buying food to carry somewhere (have you ever balanced a suitcase, a purse, some food and a drink all at once!) I get to check baggage for free on Delta and its partners (from Minneapolis, I'm almost always taking Delta), so it is a pleasure to get rid of the suitcase and I've never had it lost (although I carry a small bag on the plane with all the essentials, just in case). But, of course, I can handle this size on trains and at hotels when necessary.

It wasn't easy, but I bought a new 21" suitcase recently that only has two wheels (Travelpro brand). I much prefer this to the spinners. The wheels are large and very sturdy and I expect them to last a long time. I only take a larger suitcase (24" - also a two-wheeler) when I participate in a volunteer teaching trip where I need to take extra teaching materials. In this case, I'm not moving around (staying in one place for several weeks), so it's not a big deal to have the larger suitcase. When I think of what I can fit into either a 21" or a 24" suitcase, I can't even imagine what I would put into a 28" suitcase!

Watch out for the weight of toiletries. For instance, I have discovered that 3 ounces of shampoo lasts me for a month (and I wash my hair daily). In Europe, getting these kind of items is no problem and hotels usually supply them.

Although your husband is large, your kids are small (and not teenagers yet, lol). So maybe you could even pack just one 21-22" suitcase for the two of them? Assuming they don't need to dress up for a special occasion, what do they really need? Jeans/pants, shorts, t-shirts, underwear, socks, one pair of shoes to wear, one to pack, pajamas, swimsuit. If they have some "special" things they want to take, have them each carry a small back-pack, and limit them to what can fit in it. (They might whine now, but everyone will be happier once you're on the trip!)

Once you settle on your luggage, load them up and take a walk around the block. Include some stairs (maybe inside or in front of your house). You'll probably take some of the things out at that point!

Have a wonderful trip!

Americans are not used to travel in Europe that involves trains, small taxis, and pulling bags a great distance over very bumpy pathways! Having traveled on trains in Europe with 24” and 26” bags we vowed never to take large bags again when on trains. I agree with the people that are providing advice as they are speaking from experience! Large & heavy bags are not fun and will diminish the quality of your trip! Bags must be carried up and down stairs, in very small elevators (when you have them), wheeled on very bumpy walkways, lifted on and off trains very quickly with large and uneven gaps between the train and station landing, put in train cars with little or no room for bags, transported in taxis with little space for luggage, and kept in small hotel rooms. Train stations require carrying bags up and down stairs and your train journeys may require changing trains with several up and down trips. Spinning wheels may not be sturdy enough not for the type of travel you indicate involving many cities and trains. I suggest good quality 22” bags with 2 large sturdy wheels (it is not fun to pull bags with a broken wheel). You might want to consider 1-2 of these for your children and 1 for each adult that could be checked plus a backpack for everybody that could go under the seat. If you must add extra bags, add a 20” - 21” 2-wheel carry-on bag for one or both adults. This bag could be strapped onto the 22” bag when rolling. When going up stairs, one may carry a bag in each hand. I find that the Rick Steves Ravenna Rolling Case works well for this (but check the dimensions for the overhead restrictions for your airline). With the carry-on, you can put toiletries and a change of clothes in case your checked bags don’t arrive on the same day as you. Plan on washing some clothes every few days to save space. Also, have your family walk around the neighborhood with ALL the baggage and backpacks to see how it works Have the children do this too as they will need to help with the transport!

What do you think if we do 4 of this one https://www.jcpenney.com/p/olympia-8-pocket-22-carry-on-rolling-upright-duffel-bag/ppr5007168714?pTmplType=regular&catId=SearchResults&searchTerm=22%27+carry+on&productGridView=medium

or 4 of these: https://www.jcpenney.com/p/ricardo-beverly-hills-delano-carryon-spinner-luggage/ppr5007173769?pTmplType=regular

and 2 backpacks like these:
https://www.jcpenney.com/p/fuel-top-loader-lightning-backpack/pp5006190121?pTmplType=regular

Total would be 4 carry ons and the 2 bookbags and I am determined to make it work.. Please give me advice if to the the olympia duffels or the ricardos!

TY

Duffel and backpacks look good. You'll need to use something to organize inside the duffels because they are one big space, but I like all the outside pockets. I'm cheap, so I use large and medium baggies; packing cubes run all prices. I have a bunch but I don't like them as well as baggies.

You asked why I check the bag: I don't care if I have to wait a few minute for it at the destination, it frees me, and I have rarely had a bag arrive late. When it has happened, it's been delivered to my door. Exactly what Renee wrote.

Ok this is what I came up with..

2 in 26'
2 in 22'

I already paid to check in bags...

https://www.jcpenney.com/p/olympia-pocket-carry-on-rolling-upright-duffel-bag/ppr5007168714?pTmplType=regular

https://www.jcpenney.com/p/olympia-pocket-rolling-duffel/ppr5007168717?pTmplType=regular

Plus 2 backpacks... Im just praying the 26 are not too big.. do you think these will be ok on the train? if they have to go in the back I will have to do the 4 in 22... I also wonder if they fit more than the 22 luggage?

we were just away for 5 weeks in Poland and Croatia. The first 2 weeks in Poland, train and car to 4 different cities, we were with cousins who had 28" bags, full to 48 lbs each plus a 22" plus a tote and backpack each. We only had a 22" and tote each. We told them to try and pack lighter but they are used to tours where everything is done for you. Well, needless to say, getting on and off the trains, rolling the suitcases into the old part of one city, was a problem. They are closer to 70 and the husband has a heart problem. In Wroclaw they were renovating the train station so there was no elevator. We had to carry them down the stairs, walk through the station then carry them up another set of stairs. My husband had to of course help them and we are no spring chickens. By the end of the trip, the husband said to me, next trip we have to seriously pack lighter.

The last two weeks of our trip in Croatia, 4 family members joined us. I told them. PACK LIGHT! Thank goodness they each only had a carry on and a small backpack. We went to 5 cities by ferry and car with no problems. No problems carrying, wheeling, lifting etc. I will say though that for our next trip I am going to work on bringing a smaller tote and only one between my husband and me, not one each. I didn't need the "extra, just in case I need them" items I threw in. Anything we need we can buy.

The issue with the 26" bags isn't just the airplane. Its all the other transfers where I suspect you will find regret in bags that big.

On trains its not just the issue with where to store them but the stairs and the width of the door.

Can your 9 and 10 year olds handle the 22" bags on their own?

While you can still return them, load them up with what you plan to pack and play "tourist" in your home town.

martica, take a tape measure with you when you go to shop. Measure yourself, from the top of the handle to the bottom of the wheels. Luggage makers are not honest about how they describe "carryon size", there is no industry standard for this, and you need to know exactly what you're getting. .

Our long trip bags are 25" ones. Is it fun going up and down stairs on the Paris Metro? Not really, but it's over quickly and painlessly because we're active and healthy sorts who just prefer to travel with a bit of stuff and have room to bring more stuff home with us. My reaction to the idea that a large bag is this soul-destroying crusher of joy that will wreck your trip and appreciation of travel for life is that it's a rather silly exaggeration.

I also shudder at the idea of doing laundry in the sink but do pay attention to the laundrette or wash and fold options when we're going to be on the road for a while. Remember it's a marathon trip and not a sprint and remember to pace yourself accordingly and block off time for general maitenance activities like that.

It is not silly. It may be an exaggeration in your opinion. But with two small children in tow and their bags, it can be a serious challenge. And we have been there and done that with grandchildren and a daughter-in-law that just had to bring everything with her. It was major learning experience and has not been repeated. Now everyone has one bag.

We are active and healthy but everyone has told us the same thing to pack light however we have done Europe but stationed and never moving around this much.. We have always had 4 big suitcases! Having 2 kids we are rethinking what happened to me 2 years ago, I hurt my back in Barcelona carrying suitcases up and down the stairs.. And Barcelona is pretty decent compared to other cities that are pretty broken up..

Keep in mind that you need to "toss" that piece of luggage on the rack above your train seat, ie with "relative" ease because relying on storing the spinner at the end of the coach or somewhere set aside for luggage may not be available.

People hog luggage space, not all are cooperative when you ask if their piece could be moved a bit over so as to accommodate you. You have to be able to get that spinner off and on the train on your own without holding up the others wanting to get on. I pack light ...relatively. I redistribute the weight on to different pieces since I certain pack more for 10 weeks than for ten days.

Don't count on escalators or elevators in train stations, they certainly are there, I use them too but there are times I end up carrying the pieces and up and down the stairs....all depends.

marticabellido, I don't like your idea of 4 cases. You have two adults, you need to limit yourself to one wheeled bag per adult. You cannot haul 2 bags. You need one hand free for opening doors, grabbing kids, holding onto handrails as you carry the caes up and down stairs etc. Everything else in backpacks, which should not be big backpacks.

BTW the examples you gave links for give the following when I try them: "We Are Currently Unable to Provide a Shopping Experience for This Country" ☺

Part of it depends on your kids. What Chris says applied totally if your kids can’t do any of it and you are managing 4 bags. But with 2 kids of that age you have help and probably don’t need to worry about them darting into traffic or the things parents of toddlers have to. But all kids are different. So think about your kids ability to be helpers!

As an example - My 9 and 11 year olds roll their own bags but can’t lift them overhead. Actually the 9 year old’s bag is so light he can carry it down stairs, too. 11 year old cant (or is scared to). But he can walk down the stairs and stand out of the way watching one bag while an adult goes back and forth. No one ever has to carry two bags, but we actually can because they are under 20 lbs each.
We have done 3 bags when the kids were a little smaller - the kids shared a bag and shared turns managing it. Lately they demanded their own bags so here we are.

We find 4 LIGHT rolling bags ideal because then no 1 bag is super heavy, everyone can roll one and be hands free (possibly wearing a backpack or crossbody bag). I don’t like backpacks for luggage, but one luggage backpack per person instead is ok. Kids might not be comfortable with everything on their backs, though.

Last trip we were struggling to stay within Aegean Air’s 8kg limit per suitcase (not personal item). So each bag was around 8kg with some shuffling. To give an idea of weight.

The JCP Ricardo Beverly Hills Carry-On Spinner Luggage has wheels that look like they are begging to be knocked off. Spinning type wheels are great for many applications, but not the cobblestone pathways you will find in Spain and Italy and unfriendly train storage. Your children should be able to help move small & lightweight wheeled luggage, and they can carry small backpacks with their items for use on planes and trains. My 7 year old granddaughter recently took a small roiling suitcase and small backpack to Mexico.

Perhaps instead of focusing on the size of the case, focus instead on what you really need in terms of clothing for this trip. Like virtually every other poster, I completely agree that taking bags larger than carry on size will present a lot of challenges - including the fact that European hotel rooms are typically much smaller than their equivalents in the U.S and if you plan to share a room with your children, large bags simply won't work!

As others have pointed out - plan for enough clothing choices for one week and either do laundry (or have it done) during your trip.
At 9 and 10, your kids are capable of pulling a small rolling carry on each. That with a school sized backpack should be plenty for them.

So how to approach packing:
2 pairs of shoes per person. You honestly don't need more and worst case scenario both Spain and Italy have wonderful shoe stores.
3 - 4 bottoms - jeans, pants or shorts depending upon the weather.
6 shirts - again depending upon time of year a mix of short sleeved and long sleeved.
1 sweater/sweatshirt. If going in the winter, add a second - one lighter weight one a bit heavier. Wear the heavier one on the plane.
A waterproof shell jacket if rain is a possibility.
Make sure all the shirts go with all the bottoms - this gives you 24 possible combinations.
All of this can easily be packed in a carry on.
Use packing cubes to maximize space and keep your gear organized.
Relax!

Pack for 7 days max, do laundry as needed in your hotel room and / or once a week a wash and fold laundromat. That is our mode of travel. The maximum size of our bags is less than 22" X 14" X 9". One of our rules is that if you can not lift it because it is too heavy and bulky, you must lighten your load.

We got
3 of the Rockland 22" Rolling Duffel Bag-Polka Dots
Product: 22 ROLLING DUFFLE BAG
Color: Black Dot

and 1 of the Rockland Rio 2-pc. Luggage Set-Polka Dot
Product: 2 PC RIO LUGGAGE SET
Color: Black Dot

We will use 2 polka dot backpacks that we already own from Disney!

As I said in my earlier response up thread, there needs to be change in perspective. Nancy hit it pretty well. The focus should be on what you are packing instead of trying to fill up four 22" or 24" or 28" suitcases. I would start laying out what you plan to pack and see what is needed to hold the stuff. I suggested earlier that you should consider buying one 22" suitcase and seeing how much you could pack. And its weight. Kids at that age will not be able to handle a packed 24" suitcase -- too big, too heavy.

I know we are preaching to you about packing light with small suitcase and I am sure that is overwhelming to you if you haven't done that in the past. Unfortunately I really believe that packing light is learned behavior. Until you actually are struggling with too much luggage, you don't appreciate all the potential problems. When we travel by car in the US we take too much stuff because we can. Good luck. I know you will take less luggage the next time.

One last question.. I did save money on the luggage so I have a little xtra to work with.. Are ebags worth it?

https://www.amazon.com/TravelWise-Packing-Cube-System-Weekender/dp/B00HHBR008/ref=sr_1_4_sspa?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1535152753&sr=1-4-spons&nodeID=7141123011&psd=1&keywords=ebags+packing+cubes&psc=1

I have the AmazonBasics brand of packing cubes. They do help keep things organized. They also fit perfectly in my luggage. Here's a packing cube review on thewirecutter.com.

Are ebags worth it?

Not sure exactly what your question is, but I have made purchases ( selectively) from ebags and been quite happy with the promptness of delivery and product quality

All of our stuff is in another individual bag. For our packing we use one folding envelope/bag to hold folded shirts and pants. For everything thing else we use large zip lock bags - 2.5 gal freezer bags. Then, especially for the kids, we use a magic marker to mark each bag as to contents. It helps keep to keep track of everything as we are packing to move on. If the bag says 4 t-shirts and there are two in the bag, someone is wearing one and is in the dirty clothes bag. We got them all. Same for socks, underwear, etc. Since everything is in a bag and then put in the main bag. It makes pack so much easier. And zip lock bags are cheap.

Anyone that travels with us is limited to one 21" carryon bag and a small backpack. Rick Steves travels indefinitely in that size bag and so does my fashionista wife. if she can.do it,.anyone.can travel that light.

Anyone that travels with us is limited to one 21" carryon bag and a small backpack. Rick Steves travels indefinitely in that size bag and so does my fashionista wife. If she can do it, anyone can travel that light.

Packing cubes -- my long-time favorites are Eagle Creek, but I recently bought some EBags (great colors!) and use a 2-gallon ZipLoc bag to compress a down jacket for winter travel.

Go with what you have and enjoy your trip.

When you return and unpack, make a note of everything you didn't use. The next time you travel ask yourself if you need those items Over time, you will learn how to pack lighter. It's an ongoing process.

And don't forget to think about how it was traveling with those bags.

Here’s how we do air travel.... (don’t ask me about car trips; I don’t know how we can go to Europe with nothing and yet we fill up a giant SUV to go away for a weekend).

Family of 4: me, husband, daughter now age 13, son age 12. Son is special needs and uses a stroller thru airports since he can’t cover that much distance on his own feet. So he can’t carry a bag, and someone has to push him with two hands.

Husband packs an eBags mother lode weekender with all of his stuff and carries it on his back, pushes the stroller. No personal item. He manages the stroller when it gets folded and stashed for planes/trains. I have a hand free to assist my son while husband is dealing with stashing the stroller.

Daughter packs a RS rolling backpack and a messenger bag as her personal item. She either rolls the backpack or carries it on her back, whichever is easier for the circumstances. Messenger bag is cross-body.

I carry my stuff and my son’s. My stuff goes in an RS rolling backpack and a messenger bag. His stuff goes in an Eagle Creek under-seat size convertible backpack that has a trolley strap (no longer sold). I roll my RS bag with his EC bag over the handle, and if we are someplace with lots of bag lifting (hopping trains, stairs), I can backpack his bag and carry my roller. My messenger bag is always cross-body.

The RS rolling backpacks are smaller and lighter than the RS rolling carryon. We can still get plenty into them.

We’ve done this for years and can travel for weeks, as long as we do a load of laundry every 6/7 days. All of the bags are easily carried on; in fact, in a pinch, they all fit under the seats on planes (if not overstuffed!).

Daughter and I use packing cubes and love them (eBags). My husband thinks they are a waste of money and weight. All of us enjoy our trips, so do what works for you.

We all find it super helpful to pack a small bag (packing cube, ziploc, whatever) of things you will need on the plane. This bag comes out and goes on the seat pocket for the plane ride, and you don’t need to keep digging in your big bag during the flight. Easy to pack up and pop it back in the suitcase when you land. Just another way to help organize lots of tiny kids’ stuff.

Depending on what your boys can handle, perhaps you can extract some strategies from our plan and use them for your travels. The key for us is to bring just a few bags that are easy to handle and track, while keeping some hands free to help the kids when they need it.

Have a great trip!

LOL Deb you sound like us... We go from Florida to TN almost every year and my truck is so packed we look like canned sardines!
We also have a special need son (ASD) he is high functioning but we do use a wheelchair in airports bc of fear he could get lost.
I am following all the advice given bc 2 years ago we went to Spain and spend only 2 weeks and I came back with terrible back pain and mind you I live in th egym.. Im in pretty good shape but those suitcases will do it to you so now YES I am going as light as possible. Last night I tested my knowledge and packed my 10 year olds clothe all in his backpack and still had space. I am using the cubes and rolling everything up..

4 t shirts
2 dress shirts
4 shorts
2 dress shorts
1 dress pants
5 underwear
10 socks (he has HUGE sensory issues with the socks)
2 pajamas
1 light sweater
1 pair sandals (he will wear his sneakers)

Everything was very light so I did great!

Thank you everyone..

BTW to the gentlemen with the fashionista wife, that is so me.. I would have taken 10 pairs of shoes but honestly WHY... ALl i need is comfy cute sneakers and a pair of sandals! (well 2 or 3 they are flat so I can take them) LOL

I’m able to get both my kid’s clothes in one 21” suitcase. They are 11 and 13. If you could try packing their things to see if you can do one case for them both, that would eliminate one big suitcase and ease your burden a bit.