How to pack for a trip (to China) with a small child?

What’s the worst thing about traveling? Packing! I sincerely hate this process. While the planning of the trip itself is fun for me, I would gladly cede the packing to someone. So how to get through this ordeal? Today, some tips and ideas, using our trip to China as an example.

You might think that, after all, after so many trips, packing should be in our little finger and should take an hour max. Maybe it should. It’s half bad when you go to a place where you know what to expect, have resident care and reliable weather. It’s worse if you’re going somewhere where forecasts show it could be 10 to 30 degrees in 2 weeks, or you want to travel thousands of miles where a different climate awaits you.

What annoys me the most? Just choosing clothes and shoes – this is the most time-consuming, and still the end will take either too much or too little, or too thin or too thick. You won’t catch up. Even more so when packing children’s clothes – here it’s already you have to be prepared for every scenario, and that’s several sets per change of clothes…. you know why ;-) Other things like cosmetics, medicines, accessories are already, one could say, a small thing :)

There’s another thing that gets on my nerves: too much carry-on stuff. Very often, just at the end, we throw things in our backpack that we don’t use and don’t need to have on hand anyway, and they take up unnecessary space. In addition, any net of food and suddenly you find yourself running out of hands to carry everything, and baggage control is a real torment.

I realize that some people like packing, they can have everything washed, ironed, arranged and waiting to be put in the suitcase a week before. I admire, I really do. I, unfortunately, leave it to the last minute. Or should I write: left? I learn a little from my mistakes :) I remember the first flight with Olive, or rather the preparation for that flight (to Sicily), which was stressful to the maximum, and not because the first flight. It was more about the very fact of how to pack when there is a child in the house who can’t let you out of their sight for a moment….

Slinging helps, but unfortunately packing requires bending, reaching, squatting, which is difficult with the extra weight on your back. Well, so I didn’t know that I had to spend 2 x more time on this packing (and it’s not at all about the extra time to pack the baby’s things).

And yet, we travel quite a bit, have never yet missed a flight because we didn’t have time to pack, and have never had to pay for excess baggage. So what can be done to make packing more enjoyable?

I read somewhere that it is necessary to change the mindset: not what I want to take, but what I need! One wise head told me: divide the things you want to pack into three piles:

1. What you might find useful.
2. What you are likely to find useful.
3. What you are sure to find useful.

Discard the first two, and take only half of the last one. And this is the essence :)

What to pack in?

Let’s start with the basics – suitcase or backpack? It all depends on the nature of the trip: if you are going stationary, in one hotel, have a direct transfer provided – a suitcase is ok. However, if you plan to move around locally, traveling by train or public transport with luggage – consider a backpack. If you go in the second option additionally with a baby carriage – be sure to take a backpack.

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Why? A backpack is handy, comfortable, smaller (although not always), and most importantly, your hands are free. A cliché? Try pulling a suitcase, pushing a stroller, plus squeezing through gates, doors, buying or reaching something, going through an inspection, entertaining a toddler, picking up toys, etc. etc. Believe me, free hands come in handy :)

We packed for China with two large backpacks from Decathlon: Quechua’s Forclaz Easyfit versions of the male (70l) i women’s (60l) and two handy model N-Hiking, also from Quechua (both 30l), plus, of course, for this we had a stroller with Bobas on board ;-) It was a perfect set, because we carried everything on us, and there was only the stroller to push. What’s more, having a large backpack, I was even able to have Olive in the front in the carrier! :) With a smaller one, it’s absolutely no problem anymore :)

What to look for when buying a backpack? For us, it’s important that it’s roomy, has side pockets and a separated bottom section, and most importantly, that it doesn’t feel heavy – in fact, when properly fastened to the hip belt, you don’t feel those teeny pounds at all.

Initially, we were a little concerned about the capacity of the backpacks (70l + 60l). They seemed smaller than our existing, worn-out backpacks, but once packed, they proved to be very roomy. We were also afraid of the express on the front of the main pocket, and yet now I know that this is a very useful thing, so that you don’t have to pull everything out of the backpack to get to those things at the very bottom.

We managed to pack all three of us (!!!) into these two backpacks (we could also take full-size checked luggage on Olive, which we did not use), and there was even some room left. I will add that the flight endured without the slightest damage to their health ;)

For carry-on luggage, we also take backpacks, but of course smaller ones. The models we had, we also recommend in good conscience, they are very sturdy, comfortable and, above all, roomy, which is important especially when you are traveling with a baby and need to carry a ton of toys, diapers, food, clothes, etc. with you. Not only do they have an easily accessible pocket at the bottom (which is great!), but there is a rain cover tucked underneath, which unfortunately came in handy a few times for us.

In case your luggage is lost or delayed, it’s a good idea to have basic toiletries, a toothbrush and a change of underwear in your carry-on backpack ;)

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What clothes and footwear to pack?

As a rule, we start packing with clothes and shoes, because they usually take up the most space. Due to the nature of our trips, we focus on comfort: clothes that are looser, cotton, breathable, versatile, so that they fit with everything. There’s no denying, it matters to me how I look, but I don’t take the whole closet, just a few pieces, classic, versatile clothes. When packing, it is a good idea to see if there will actually be an opportunity to wear a particular item (e.g., the right shoes, a purse for the dress, socks appropriate to the shoes, etc.). I always want to take too much :) Only after the nth selection somehow it looks like.

How do you choose things? It’s best to make a list of how many t-shirts, strapless shirts, pants, dresses, sweaters, sweatshirts you need and sew exactly that much. NOT browse through your entire closet and take what you feel like and then make a selection – this is more time-consuming and there are more decisions to be made.

As for how much of what to take, this is already a very individual issue, but we never take one t-shirt a day, always less (we get about half). After all, you can wash on the road too :)

Some recommend taking 7 sets of clothes, whether you are going for two weeks or a month. I would add that a great deal depends on where you go. In warm countries, things dry very quickly, so you can take less.

I always take a shawl/pareo/pashmina in addition, which have multiple uses and work great when it’s a little cooler and that way one less sweater to take.

The way of packing is also important: clothes are best rolled rather than folded into cubes. Stuffing must be done so that every space is used (you can put socks and toiletries in shoes or cups).

Going to Beijing, we had to take both warmer and summer things. In fact, there were days when it was cloudy and cool and we walked around in sweatshirts, and there were days when the sun was shining and the temperature reached 30 degrees. So we had both good, warm fleeces, decent rain jackets, but also comfortable shorts. Although we used the latter far less ;)

Cosmetics

The basic question is, will there be amenity kits at the hotel? If so, we have the shampoo and shower gel issues out of the way :) There’s no need to take a whole new pack with you. Even if there will be no cosmetics in the hotel, it is worth pouring them into smaller containers and taking them with you, instead of carrying a large bottle or tube.

We try to pour or repurpose our cosmetics into smaller and smaller tubes and bottles, as this saves a lot of space and pounds (especially space!). However, we recommend always wrapping them in foil or lining them with cling film before screwing them on, in order to avoid possible flooding other things. Cream containers can also serve a variety of functions: you can put jewelry, hair elastics and other small items in them. You can also use lens containers for this purpose.

What else? We share cosmetics:) For trips we take those that are universal and we can both use them, such as face cream, washing gel, shampoo, toner, etc.

It’s a good idea to pack your cosmetics in a makeup bag that you can hang – hotels often lack the space to spread everything out, and such a makeup bag can be hung at least on the door. In addition, it folds easily and we do not have to waste time unpacking and packing cosmetics.

We also recommend taking tourist towels, which take up very little space and dry quickly. We always take at least one such towel with us, even if we know that we will have towels at our accommodation.

Medicines (travel first aid kit)

Our small first aid kit always includes a basic set: painkillers, antipyretics, something for diarrhea, sore throat, plasters, bandages, gauze. We also have a special kit made for Olive with safe baby medicines. We have such a kit always prepared in the bathroom and ready to take.

We do not take whole packs, as a rule, one blister each (if there is something new we also take the leaflet with us) – so that there is enough for the first few days.

It is important to do a review of the expiration dates of medicines from time to time (!). Remember: return old, expired medicines to the pharmacy, not throw them in the trash.

What equipment, electronics to take with you?

Camera, phone, laptop, tablet, reader…. electronics have become an integral part of not only our luggage :) And along with the equipment we take a lot of accessories: lenses, tripod, batteries, chargers, cases…. quite a lot of it.

We used to take two cameras with us: one compact and a DSLR, but nowadays we travel only with a mirrorless. We also invested in better phones, so we quietly take good pictures with them, too.

A few times we wanted to give up the laptop, but in sum, we generally take it, although in most cases we are forced to do it by blogging :) It’s still definitely easier for us to do something on a laptop than a tablet/smartphone, you can write posts and browse the web in peace.

But that’s not all. In China, we had a small malfunction of a cell phone that had a lot of pictures on it – a software problem. Here the laptop helped, because we could easily rip everything to another piece of equipment and save the photos (we could have used the cloud as well, but remember that in China the internet has different rules). So in our case, the laptop has an advantage over the tablet, especially since in terms of weight and dimensions it is only slightly larger, and the battery lasts quite a long time.

What else? We try to take universal chargers, adapters, splitters instead of extra cables.

As I mentioned, China is a specific destination when it comes to Internet access. Forget Facebook or Google (yes, you won’t even use maps on site!). We (or more accurately, Paweł!) got around this problem by buying a VPN – we did have a few technical problems on site, but this was related to the weak network in the hotel. Other than that, it worked flawlessly and we were able to stay in touch with you :)

It is important that all equipment is charged before the trip and that the electronics themselves are taken in hand luggage :)

Eating/cooking

We always take with us tea, metal cups and a set of cutlery in a pocket knife. You never know when it will come in handy. In hotels, even when there is tea, they give tiny cups for it. And such our favorite familiar tea is an easy way to relax for a while in the evening.

If you take food it’s only food that will survive the trip (won’t spoil or melt) and is properly packaged. I don’t just mean airtight packaging, but give up cardboard boxes – they take up a lot of space, and be careful with bottles and glass – they are heavy and can break.

We always take a plastic food container with us; you can keep fresh fruit, sandwiches and other food for the road on the spot, instead of packing them in disposables in an environmentally unfriendly way. However, if you absolutely prefer bags, you can get yourself a more decent plastic bag with a zipper closure (or zip-zip as you prefer), which are reusable. The ones from Ikea work perfectly for us :)

In China, we geared up for street food, and we also had breakfasts in our first night’s stay, so we didn’t take any food with us, except for small snacks for the road. Instead, we took some jars for Olive and a plastic bowl and spoon.

Things for the baby

I will not exaggerate if I write that things for Olive take up as much space as an adult. Even though the clothes are smaller, you need to take a little more so that you always have something on standby and on hand for changing. In addition, some kind of towel, diapers, sleepers, wrappers, toys – a lot of it! ;-)

Like for us, we also had to bring these warm as well as lighter clothes for Olive to China. We even took a warmer jacket, because you never know. Most of the time, Olive “walked” in a long-sleeve top plus leggings, and that was generally enough. Sometimes a sweatshirt and a chimney would get on the wallpaper when the weather was cooler.

The important thing is that we used the carrier a lot, and in this one the baby is much warmer, so you can dispense with one layer of clothing. In the stroller, on the other hand, it’s always a good idea to keep a blanket or sling to cover Bobas. We were very careful not to overheat Olive.

We also took pampers with us, of course, for a few days. In China, you can easily get good disposable diapers, so there is absolutely no need to carry them. The situation is similar with wet wipes, although one whole packet from Poland was enough for us. We also had changing pads with us (a couple of disposable ones and one reusable one) – we didn’t see any like that on site, so it’s a good thing we took them with us.

Of the universal items, we recommend taking the aforementioned carrier and/or sling (a sling can also replace a blanket) and a decent wrap, preferably a bamboo one, which is cool on warmer days (also very versatile).

Toys? This we took too much, as always :) A few favorites plus one book would have been enough. In fact, Olive was much more interested in everyday objects than in toys she already knew well. Now we would take far fewer of them, thus saving a lot of space.

As for baby care and protective cosmetics, we took disposable samples, a ton of which we got at the birthing school, the hospital and from the midwife. However, we preferred not to risk local cosmetics on the delicate skin of the child ;) We also took a cream with a strong sunscreen, so that the sun would not burn Olive too much during our sojourns.

Entertainment

How do you fill your free time? Provided that by some miracle you already happen to find a moment of leisure it is good to have at hand some game, book, newspaper. And this is where there is a lot of room for improvement.

Since we travel with the baby, we understand entertainment a little differently, because we focus on books and toys for the baby, but after all, the baby also sleeps sometimes ;)

The only book we take on the trip is a guidebook. We haven’t taken other books with us for a long time for two reasons: first, we are not big bookworms, although we read more than the average Pole, and second, our salvation is an e-book reader. It takes up little space, is lightweight, can be handled with one hand, and the charged battery lasts a full week. For this we take a few magazines, more or less serious, which we discard along the way.

Games? Reliable cards :) take up little space and fit everywhere. Sometimes, if we are traveling with a larger team we take Dobble and Hall of Fame.

Less obvious

Our backpack is certainly not the pride of McGyver, but it’s always a good idea to have the following in reserve: string (if only to hang up laundry), needles and thread, duct tape (thick/thin), garbage bags and tritots (zip ties) for emergency situations.

Why trash bags in China? We were warned about the omnipresent dirt, especially on the trains, so we decided to bring bags with us on which tozłour backpacks. It may not have been very dirty, but we saw that even the Chinese did not put their bags on the floor, but on a layer of plastic bags or newspapers. Besides, such garbage bags are a very versatile thing ;)

We also always have a cotton net on hand – not only for shopping, but you can fit some handy trinkets or wrap your gear in it.

The bottom line! Don’t forget your passport/ID/driving license! We recommend making a photocopy and taking it with you too, but carry it in a different place from the original in case it is stolen or lost.

And be sure to check the expiration date ;)

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Polecamy naszą książkę!

Bazując na naszym doświadczeniu, praktykach i popełnionych błędach, chcemy pomóc Ci w pakowaniu, bo wiemy, że jest to wyzwanie dla wielu osób.

W tej książce znajdziesz 180 stron pełnych praktycznych informacji, wiele uniwersalnych porad, głównie pod specyfikę wyjazdów, ale wszystkie skupione są wokół pakowania na wyjazd z dziećmi.

Rodzinne podróżowanie – Pakowanie >>>

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What is your way of packing?

Every trip is a new experience for us and new ideas on how to pack easier and better. We are very curious what are your tried and tested ways to pack? Let us know in the comments :)