Packing Light for a Family of 4

I don't like to argue on this forum but using a hair dryer to dry clothes is one reason hotels get huffy about doing laundry in your room (others are leaving a mess and soaking all the towels). Energy is amazingly expensive in Europe. Running a hair dryer for extended periods is wasteful. Soaking the towels also wastes energy because people won't reuse them and they have to be rewashed and dried. It's much better to pack clothes that are fast drying. I'm rooting for the tiny budget hotels that are trying to stay in business during rough economic times (Check out Rick's guidebook updates for the number of his recommended hotels that have closed in the last year). Using energy considerately is a great way to show you are a good guest. Now off my soapbox, sorry.

Pat has a good point about ice cream breaks. I've traveled with my kids enough to see the signs of them running out of energy. A quick snack snaps them right back. The other problem with small children is standing in lines - nothing bores them faster. I like having one parent stand in line while the other walks the kids to get a drink, chase pigeons, watch a street performer, or other activity that keeps them interested. Make sure the parents take turns in line or one is going to feel like a martyr. I also like sandals in August, just make sure it's a pair they've used all summer that won't hurt their feet. Using Adidas warm-ups as a fast-drying alternative to jeans is another great tip.

Packing that light for summer is doable, but you will have to do laundry. You can't have it both ways, especially if bringing kids. Use travel underwear and socks. They dry a bunch quicker than normal ones. Many rooms have blowdryers which you can use to help the clothes dry a bit faster. Or buy throw away travel underwear. When I travel for a few weeks with only a carryon size backpack I do my own laundry in a zip lock bag & my sink or hit up a drop off wash and fold laundry service. Bring extra zip lock bags for that and for snacks. My experience with kids is they can go from ok to starving in 30 seconds. Always have nuts/crackers/fruit/water available in a small daybag for you all.

Michael, Even in those locations without a Washer / Dryer, you'll probably find there are Laundromats available in each of the places you'll be visiting. If you pack enough clothes to last five days, that should be adequate. Although not related to your original question, have you considered a slightly different (and more efficient) route? Your present Itinerary involves some "backtracking", something I always try to minimize or eliminate. Is there any possibility of arranging your trip to travel Paris (including DisneyWorld) > Munich > Venice > Naples / Sorrento > Rome? All of those trips could be relatively easily done by train, which would eliminate the concerns with weight limits on the budget flight from Venice. One other note on the budget flight from Venice to Naples. The shortest rail trip I could find was 5H:13M (with one change at Roma Termini). Even though the actual flight time on that route is only 1H:15M, I suspect the actual "travel time" is going to be very similar and in fact travel by train may be faster. The cost of train could be reduced by using "Mini" or other special fares. Check This Website for lots of good information on travel by train in Italy. Good luck with your planning!

Because it is summer, I think it is doable: Clothes are light and so are shoes. When we pack, I find it isn't the clothes that add up to weight though, it's the "stuff" for living: toiletries, electronics, etc., although we do manage for two adults to be quite light. Each person needs (IMHO) 3 complete changes of clothes and probably an extra set of underwear. You might get by with one pair of shoes each. Personally I need two. You will have to rinse out a few things every night in the sink, or every two days go to the laundromat. One way around this is to rent apartments with washers everywhere you go. That makes it so easy to keep your few clothes clean and is great with kids. (I can recommend an apartment in Rome if you are interested.) Minimize the toiletries, take dry laundry sheets by Purex and cut some of the sheets into a few smaller pieces for sink washing. One camera, one tablet computer both for entertainment and communications, should be enough electronics. OK, maybe a cellphone for convenience, but that goes in a pocket. Load your guidebooks on a Kindle app and access them through the tablet. That greatly reduces weight. You'll want a daybag of some sort for touring that you can put all the family stuff in when you are out and about. One of the adults should be able to carry this in addition to his/her own converitable carry-on. What will the kids need for entertainment? Will a tablet PC be enough? I saw a lot of kids on our last trip fully engaged with games, books, and movies on a tablet. Get an earphone spiltter so they can share a movie. You might also look at the website No Baggage Challenge to see how light one person went!

We do it with each carrying their own bag. Mom, Dad and bigger kids carry a normal carry-on, either convertible or roll-on depending on their choice. Littler kids use a school size daypack. A 6 year old's pack list is essentially the same as yours, but the items are smaller and lighter. Just make sure the internal frame pack is the right size for carry on, many times they are too long and must be checked - which defeats the whole purpose.

When we were taking our kids with us (many years ago now) we each carreid our own bags. Rick's bags(or similar bags without frames) are plenty big enough for adults and even the 9 year old could probably manage one, and you could probably fit both kids' clothes in in it. Then let the 6 year old carry a school back pack with the kids' 'fun stuff' for the plane. I also recommend that everyone have their own day bag for carrying a bottle ow water, jacket, etc. while sightseeing. Lots of bags work for this (school back packs, messenger bags, etc.) We usually took 4 to 6 pairs of pants/shorts, 5-8 tops (kids do tend to get dirty), plenty of socks and underwear for the kids. One outfit was "nice" but not dressy for evenings out. Hubby and I could get by with 3 -4 pairs of pants and 4-5 tops. We only took one pair of shoes each. Many hotels have blow dryers in the rooms or at the front desk- you can use one to dry clothes that are a bit damp if needed (works great for socks and underwear and T shirts). And- outer clothes can often be worn more than once before washing! You can buy toiletries in Europe if needed, too. Our bags usually weighed between 10-15 lbs.

That is about how we traveled with our two sons. Reduce the amount of cotton based clothes helps with drying times. At one time we would wait two or three days before washing/raising clothing. That was a pain so learned to do it quickly every night which took about 15 minutes. We did not use convertibles since the wheels and handles add needless weight. Both boys used book bags. Since, their clothes were smaller and lighter that was about the correct size for them.

Thank you for the helpful replies. I like the idea of renting an apartment. We are staying w/ family in a B&B in Sorrento that has a washer, and in a hotel w/o one in Rome. It will be just the 4 of us in Munich and Paris, though. Where would be the best place to look for apartment rentals in those cities? We have hotels booked now that are reasonable and in a good location, but both are refundable so we can switch if need be. As far as electronics, we'll likely be bringing 2 iPod touches, my DLSR, and a iPad. Since we've got Verizon, I'm going to look into their rental program for phones. The internal frame pack is about 1800 sq. inches, and not terribly tall, so I don't think we'll have a problem carrying it on. It's the bag I usually use for long day hikes w/ camera gear. Since the flight from Venice to Naples has a 8kg carry-on limit, I think we're going to have to check the two larger bags on that flight, though. I love the idea of using a hair dryer to dry clothes that still may be damp. I never thought of that. What about a stroller? My 6yo is good for about 2 miles of walking before complaining. We've got a good, sturdy McLaren that we use for him at Disney World. Is it worth bringing, or more hassle than it's worth. Thanks!

Another idea,, if its warm, kids are wearing good walking sandals( ecco or whatever) so no need for socks,, ( which often take longest to dry). That way you only have to pack them a few pairs.
I sometimes get sick of my clothes on longer trips, so I have been known to leave a top or two behind at the hotel and purchase a new one( this doubles as a souvenir),, this tip is mostly for your wife. Lastly,, a six year old in a stroller,, thats just too old in my opinion, and too heavy to push,, a child that age should be able to prance about all day as long as ice cream stops are built in,, do be sure your itinerary is not insane,, that induces the most whining,, the constant go go go.. My 11 yr old dd and I did 26 days in Europe without mildewy clothes, and we only used a laudramat once,, the sink the rest of the time,, its not that big of a deal. I would just be sure to only wash on days i was at least two days at a hotel,, frankly with two kids you should have a 2 or 3 night minimum in one place anyways.

Oh yes, since going in August you won't need jeans, they are heavy and impossible to sink wash or dry,, have kids pack a pair of yoga pants or track pants, the synthetics dry faster and they are lighter .

I use vrbo.com and homeaway.com to find apartments, both in the U.S. and Europe. Many apartments have washers and a drying rack. Some have dryers, and some have a machine that is a combination washer/dryer.

For Paris apartments, try vacationinparis.com.

Anytime a jeans or something akin is warranted. To travel with less than that is ask for trouble should an unusual cold front strike during your trip. Who wants to get a cold? It's Europe, not Arizona.

andre,,I don't quite understand your post,, the chance of a cold front so severe that jeans would be warmer then track or yoga pants in AUGUST, is unlikely at best,, and this is from a Canadian girl, one does not NEED jeans in August anywhere except Alaska or Yukon,, and even then yoga pants layered over long johns would be just as warm if not warmer! (Jeans are not warmer then any other pant you know,, lol This question is about packing light for August in mostly in ITALY, a cold front there in August is like what,, 20 celsuis,, lol And Having been to Paris many times in August,, its not going to dip much below 16-18 even during a cold snap!It can be rainy though,, but jeans are the worst for rain,, they wick up water, and stay wet for days if not in a warm room.. yech.

Thank you all for the apartment rental sites. I'll be checking them out. Brad, Point about the hair dryer well taken. Thanks. Ken, Thanks for the advice on the itinerary and on the laundromats. We ended up w/ this because we have to be in Sorrento and Rome on certain dates because we are staying w/ family. We have more time to travel after that than before, so we're starting there. Venice ended up due to flight schedules. There are no non-stops from NYC to Naples anyway, and the fare was the same for a flight w/ a 2 hour stopover in Rome and a multi-flight trip that gives us 24 hours in Venice. We'll only get an afternoon there and we'll be jetlagged, but we'll have 6 days in Sorrento to recover and relax afterward. We did look to see if flying into Venice and taking the train would be any cheaper, but the flight was actually about $40 per person more expensive w/o the Naples flight.

Regarding my suggesstion about using a hair dryer. I did not mean to imply that you would use one to totaly dry your laundry right after washing. Just use it if an item is a bit damp. Two or three minutes (or less) will usually do the job on socks or underwear. That's less time than most would spend drying their hair.

I think you can pack light, but will have to do laundry in hotel rooms (or laundromats). Don't forget something like a deck of cards, a notebook and pencils (we actually like a small write-on/wipe-off board) to keep the kids occupied with games, drawing, etc. Weather is a wild card, though, and if you aren't bringing jackets, pants, etc., I think you need to be prepared for the possibility of having to buy them. I have pictures of my family at Parc Asterix (outside Paris by CDG airport) in August wearing hoodies underneath our raincoats with jeans on. And at times we were a bit cold. I really, really hope this was just a one-off thing (the cold spell in August), but you need to be prepared that it could happen again. Assuming there are no physical problems, leave the stroller at home and start conditioning the 6yo. Many years ago when we were planning a trip to Disneyworld, we took "Disney walks" through the neighborhood to get the kids used to walking. Used our zoo membership to test out being out and on our feet for long periods of time. Just take breaks when needed, eat lots of gelato and pastries, and don't attempt to climb Notre Dame towers in the morning and the Arc de Triomphe in the afternoon. (My kids dragged me to do this recently and while the 8yo loved it, my legs were screaming at me!)

Check the weather records for August in Europe last year, especially Germany. It was freezing cold, with rain almost every day. We had the European Ironman Championship going on in Frankfurt in August and had people who had to drop out due to Hypothermia, it was so cold. Wierd, wierd weather. Weather can be very tricky any time of the year, so it is better to be prepared with a closed pair of shoes, some socks, a rain jacket or poncho, and a long pair of pants.

Sure you can do it (we've done that too). Our kids were about that age on their first trip with us and they had their own backpacks, too. Simply put; no matter how long your trip is, you take one week's worth of clothing and wash only what's necessary along the way. Machines preferred, but in the bathroom sink if you have to. To get one week's worth of clothes to fit, don't take bulky things (August is hot) or things that take more than 12 hours to dry (jeans). You will not find many drying machines in Europe. Plan on air dry only. If it's not visibly dirty or noticeably smelly, don't wash it. There is no way you are going to avoid doing laundry at all with carry-on only. Look for places to stay that have machines. Apartments often do and youth hostels almost always do. Youth hostels are perfect for families like yours. We have stayed in many with no trouble at all. Kids clothes are smaller and lighter. They will naturally fit in a smaller bag. If your airline allows, each person can also have a "handbag" that fits under the seat for fun stuff, food and for heavy stuff (should you be worried about weight restrictions).

Highly recommend luggage with wheels. We tried 16 day trip with backpacks and ended up purchasing something with wheels in Italy.

Are your children comfortable and familiar with wearing backpacks for long hours? How much weight can they carry? Can you do a test run at home, like over a long weekend? We traveled throughout Europe with our son beginning when he was 6. He always packed his own little backpack, but even if it was half empty when we left, it was amazing how full it got. He always found something interesting to keep. Hotel owners, restaurant staff, tour guides, etc. were always giving him little souvenirs. Once a proud hotel owner gave him a book on the area for Show & Tell back home.
Pretty soon, he couldn't wear that backpack for many hours, so we had to add it to our load. We did bring our MacLaren because he was still napping 1-2 hrs. a day. It was one more item to keep track of, but it was great to hang our daybag, purchases, picnic supplies on it to give our backs a break. If bringing a stroller won't work for you, I think bringing one wheeled carryon is a good compromise, so I definitely agree with one of the posters who suggested this. Just use it to carry your heavier items. You could pack less clothing for your children, but if you find you need more or can't do laundry, children's socks and t-shirts are easy to find in Europe. Have a wonderful trip! The experience is invaluable. Now that our son is grown, he still remembers his trips with much fondness and we've found travel has helped him become a confident, adaptable, open minded adult with good people skills. So best of luck!