One word summarises how we travel: LIGHT.
Travelling light is by default the way to go when you are a large family. We definitely travel way lighter as a family of 9 than when we were a family of 3. Henson would tell you that I packed our whole house and the sink when we first travelled with 6-month old David. Which seriously was no fun. But I will keep that story for another day.
Be it for a short family vacation to nearby beach resorts, longer ones to Australia, or even to Church camps/retreats, we travel light.
We had to.
Travelling Light = Less Luggage to Watch Over
In the beginning, we travelled light because I wanted to have fewer pieces of luggage to watch over since I already had to watch over our many children. Then, as they grew older and stronger, it was so that each of them could carry and be responsible for their own pieces of luggage.
So now*, it has become the norm. I always remind them that we are not participating in a fashion show. There is no need to have multiple changes of clothing in one day.
How We Travel Light
But how is the question, right? Clothes take up the most space in the luggage. So if you can manage to pare down the number of outfits, you are good to go.
a) Church camps or retreats
For church camps/retreats, they are usually 3 days, 2 nights long. Occasionally they are 4 days, 3 nights long. Either way, they are almost always held in air-conditioned rooms with participants being mostly sedentary i.e. sit and listen to the speaker and take notes, and then break out into discussion groups. One outfit per day is enough.
If Henson is the speaker, he may have to pack slightly more formal shirts and shoes.
b) Beach holidays
For holidays at beach resorts, we are mostly in our swimwear or exercise gear. Again, one outfit per day is enough. Even if more outfits are brought, dri-fit exercise clothes are lightweight and easy to wash and dry.
c) Non-beach holidays
So far, our only non-beach holidays have been to Australia. We generally prefer to travel in the cooler months (Spring/Autumn versus Summer/Winter). Therefore we need not bring multiple outfits in case we get sweaty or bring bulky outfits in case it is very cold. Again, one outfit per day is sufficient.
At most, a change of t-shirts or shirts may be needed. Pants and jeans can be worn over and over. So, the general rule of thumb is one outfit per person per day. And choose wrinkle-proof clothing.
I always remind them that we are not participating in a fashion show.
There is no need to have multiple changes of clothing in one day.
How Many Outfits?
Since our holidays are short (3 Days 2 Nights or 4 Days 3 Nights), we each pack 3-4 outfits each. For longer breaks, I will find a way to wash our clothes.
For example, our last two trips to Australia saw us renting houses equipped with a washer and a dryer. That meant we could still bring along just 3-4 sets of clothes for our 11-day and 7-day trip.
Also, it is best if everyone wears/packs dark-coloured clothes so that everything can be washed in one full load. Otherwise, bring along something like the Dylon colour catcher so that you don’t have to sort the clothes before dumping them into the washer.
Dryers though helpful are always scary to me because of the possibility of shrinkage. So do keep an eye on it to make sure that clothes are not overdried. And if you pull the clothes out immediately after they are dried, you eliminate the need to iron most of your clothes! Just shake them out and hang/fold.
Luggage
While I know that getting each of them a small pull-along luggage is easiest on them, (pulling is always easier than carrying), it is not practical for us. These pull-along luggage are bulky to store. We travel usually just once a year, yet I have to find space to store 9 pieces of luggage the other 360 days of the year. What a waste of space. So, backpacks it is for us. Backpacks can be easily stacked, rolled and packed into a large plastic bag before being stored in the storeroom.
What Goes Into their Bags?
Besides their 3 outfits, each child has in their bag the following items:
- Pyjamas.
- Underclothings.
- Swimwear, if needed.
- A toiletry bag containing a toothbrush, toothpaste/toothpowder, comb, hair tie, cream, lip balm, etc.
- A sweater or cardigan.
- A pair of slippers or sandals, if necessary. We wear sneakers to travel.
- A book or game to keep one entertained while waiting.
- A stuffed toy for the younger ones.
- Older ones who want to bring electronic gadgets along are responsible for all the necessary cables and adapters.
They are free to bring along other items if they are able to fit them into their bags, be willing to carry the extra load and be responsible for them. The older ones tend to carry more stuff.
But I have also reminded them,
Just because your bag is big does not mean you have to stuff it full of things.
Because YOU are the one who has to carry it, not me.
Advantages of Travelling Light
- Travelling light has many advantages.
- You reduce the chances of leaving things behind.
- Everyone can easily handle looking after ONE piece of luggage.
- Clearing customs is so much faster.
- And on the rare chance we decide to travel by car to Malaysia, we CAN fit everyone’s luggage into our car’s boot because squashing backpacks is easier than squashing multiple pieces of luggage.
What Else Do We Pack?
These are some of the extras I like to bring along if we have space or if our vacation is longer than 3 to 4 nights. They usually go into the medium-sized luggage that Henson puts his things in.
a) Stainless Steel Electric Kettle
For hotel stays longer than 3-4 days, I will bring my own stainless steel kettle.
Why?
If we all know that heating food in plastic containers is unhealthy, boiling water in plastic kettles should also be avoided. If it is just for a few days, I will close my eyes. Any longer than that and I would prefer not to use it. More on plastic kettles can be read in this article.
b) Water Filter
Why? Heavily chlorinated water.
We have found that the chlorine levels in Malaysia and Australia are higher than what our bodies can tolerate. One child breaks out in rashes when she bathes in the chlorine treated water. Previously I had a cheap water filter contraption that I could attach to the shower hose to filter out the chlorine for us to shower. But modern showers with no hosing have prevented us from doing so now.
Why not just drink mineral water? Sure, this is an alternative. But plastic bottles leach, well, plastic. Plus you have no idea how long the water has sat in the plastic bottles.
In an ideal world, I would have a water bottle (preferably stainless steel) that filters tap water. This would allow me to top up my water bottle anywhere and still be able to drink relatively clean water. But, they cost an arm and leg. Multiply that by 9 arms and legs and you understand why I just close my eyes and play ostrich if the stay is a short one.
But I will bring my Brita Tabletop Dispenser along if the stay is longer than 5 days.
c) Board Games
Unless it is a Church Camp where the programme is often packed to the brim or where the youths like to hang out together, there will always be pockets of free time. So bringing along a board or card game helps to alleviate boredom for those who don’t want to read or space out.
Medication & Supplements
I also carry along a standard assortment of medication for common ailments such as Panadol (painkiller), charcoal pills (stomach issues), Meclosil (gastric), and various antihistamines for allergies (nose/skin/eyes) which may flare up during the trip.
Besides medication, I will also bring along Vitamin C to boost our immune system and magnesium which is helpful for relaxing muscles. For those afflicted with eczema, I bring along Borage Oil. Should someone be afflicted with a serious flare, I will bring along more supplements such as digestive enzymes and quercetin.
Travelling Light = Less Hassle
Giving each child his own bag to pack and be responsible for, plus limiting the number of outfits and stuff each can bring along has made travelling light as a large family of 9 less of a hassle.
I hope my sharing has helped you think out of the box when you plan your next trip.
Your Turn
How light or heavy do you travel as a family?
*I do remember the days when half our luggage would be packed with diapers, toys, activity books and craft materials to keep the younger ones occupied. This is especially when we attended Church Camps as they often decline to join in the Children’s Ministry programme. But coming home would see our luggage much emptier and lighter. The day the last child successfully toilet trained was a day of much rejoicing indeed! Lol!
Need a Packing List?
Click on the image to download and print the PDF file. Or use it to jumpstart your own packing list.
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