This is a sponsored post. All opinions are 100% mine. Family vacations can be tons of fun and stress free when you know how to pack smartly when travelling with kids!

You get to enjoy a couple of weeks away from home with the ones you love most. Whether you and your family choose to bask under the sun’s rays, prance through an amusement park or go on a camping adventure, trips can take a lot of planning and organizing. No one ever likes forgetting anything when they’re away from home.

Travelling With Kids Can Be Fun!

Travelling with kids can sometimes feel like a circus and getting ready for a week-long trip isn’t always the easiest. Don’t worry: take a deep breath, you’ve got this. I’ve been planning family vacations for years and I like to consider myself a seasoned traveler. Today, I’m sharing all of my tips on how to pack smart when you have children.

Know How To Pack Smart When You Travel With Kids

• Make Lists Your Best Friend: Packing for yourself can already be a tough task. When you have kids, you have to keep all of their needs in mind. Before having a family, I was the queen of list-making. I continue that tradition today and when we travel as a family, I make sure to organize a list for every single member. It makes the world of a difference when it comes to packing and getting ready for multiple people.
• Roll Them Up!: Traveling with kids usually involves piles and piles of clothes. A simple practice that you can put into play is rolling up your clothes rather than folding them into your luggage. Rolling clothes can save tons of space so you can rest assured that everything you need will fit into your suitcases.
• Essentials In The Carry-On: This tip is especially important when you’re flying to your destination. Use your carry-on luggage for all of your essential and emergency items: medicines, extra diapers, extra underwear, etc. Whenever there’s a minor 9-11 situation, it’s best to have your essential items at arm’s reach and not packed deep down in your checked luggage.
• Keep Them Entertained: Simple forms of entertainment can make long-distance travelling more bearable. When my kids were younger, coloring pages and crosswords kept them occupied during road trips and plane rides. I often turn to online printables for new material: kids travelling entertainment can be budget-friendly and fun at the same time!
• What Are You Packing Everything In?: Okay, so you may have your list double-checked, clothes sorted out and emergency essentials ready to go. But what are you packing everything in? The key to travelling practically is by having the right luggage and bag products.

Chico Bags is a company inspired by the idea of reusing, recycling and getting rid of the “single-bag-use” habit. They design the longest lasting reusable bags and offer all sorts of styles that cater to many needs. Lately, I’ve been using Chico Bags for our family’s traveling necessities. Remember when I talked about essentials? If you’ve traveled with kids before, you know how vital it is to have snacks at the ready.

Chico Bag’s Snack Time Blue Ladder is a must-have for any parent. These reusable mini-bags are the perfect alternative to plastic sandwich bags and can fit all sorts of snacks inside (Think: mini sandwiches, fruits, veggies and crackers!). For only $14.99 USD, you get 3 adjustable reusable snack bags that are made of food-safe, machine washable materials. They’re also incredibly lightweight and something you just have to have in your carry-on.

I love having smaller bags in larger suitcases for organization purposes. I often use separate pouches for toiletries, phone and tablet chargers and jewelry. Chico Bag makes brilliant pouches and for my more recent trips, I’ve been using their Travel Zip Cobalt 3 Pack. Retailing at a mere $9.99 USD, their Travel Zip Pouch set comes with 3 different sizes (quart sized, medium and small).

The material is durable and machine washable: I love how easy they are to maintain! The pouches come with a one-year warranty and you can choose from a variety of five patterns (they’re all so cute so it’s hard to choose!). Of course, what travel plans are complete without a handy duffel bag? This one by Chico Bag is made of 100% post-consumer recycled plastic bottles. It’s full-size so it’s perfect for weekend getaways or overnight excursions. I love the interior mesh compartments because they allow for easy organization.

The best part about this duffel bag is that it’s is incredibly easy to store: all you need to do is fold it into its outer pocket. It takes up very little space in my closet – perfect for any mother who stores hundreds and hundreds of items! Only $29.99 USD and comes with a one-year warranty. Curious to know more about Chico Bag? Follow their eco-friendly bag adventures on social media via Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram and LinkedIn. One USA reader will win a ChicoBag Duffel rePETe Stormfront ARV $30.