Family holidays create memories that will last a lifetime. They can be incredible for family bonding and enjoying time together away from the home. That being said, they can also be incredibly stressful, so here are some hacks to take some of that stress away. 

• Try to find family-friendly accommodation
• Use a backpack
• Pack spare clothes
• Use vacuum seal bags
• Comfort is key
• Think about entertainment
• Don’t forget plane sweets
• Share the responsibility 
• Bring some home comforts
• Don’t forget to enjoy yourself!

Try to find family-friendly accommodation

Before you begin to contemplate travelling, think about your accommodation. Although staying in a generic hotel or renting short-stay accommodation may be cheaper, consider finding family-friendly specific accommodation. Family-friendly accommodation is built with children in mind, so there are usually additional activities available to keep your children entertained. It may be slightly pricier, but it could make your family holiday more enjoyable for everyone involved. 

Use a backpack

Between checking in to your flight, getting through security, and making sure that your children are safe and happy, it will be rare to find your hands empty whilst you are at the airport, and on your holiday. Using a backpack for your carry-on rather than a travel bag will guarantee that your hands are accessible when you need them, and will guarantee that you don’t misplace or lose sight of your carry-on. 

Pack spare clothes

In your carry-on make sure that you pack a spare change of clothes for all the family. If you have young children you may already have packed a spare change of clothes for them, but make sure that you also pack spare clothes for yourself. Children can become travel sick, or could spill juice and/or food down themselves and you, so it’s always best to be prepared. Even if you just pack a change of top, it will at least help towards making everyone feel fresh once you have arrived at your holiday destination. 

Use vacuum seal bags 

There is a lot of packing involved for a family holiday. To save yourself some space in your suitcase, use vacuum seal bags. Assign each person in the family one or two bags to put all of their belonging in. Once each bag is packed, seal them shut and put them in the suitcase. Not only will this save you space, but it will also make packing, and unpacking, much easier. 

Comfort is key

When deciding what to wear for traveling remember that comfort is key. All members of your family should prioritise comfort over style, so think about wearing loose-fitting clothing made from lightweight materials. These types of clothes will be easy to move in, and perfect for if you are traveling to or from a hot country. Consider packing a couple of small blankets or thick long scarves in your carry-on just in case you or the members of your family get cold whilst traveling. It’s always good to be prepared for all weather whilst on the move. 

Think about entertainment  

Children can become irritable whilst traveling, especially on particularly long journeys, so make sure that you have an ample amount of things that will entertain them. It could be their favourite toy, a tablet to watch TV and films on, or a game that can be played. Alternatively, you could entertain your children by getting them excited about the holiday.

Don’t forget plane sweets

One of the most unpleasant things about traveling is when the airplane is taking off and landing and your ears pop. This can be disorientating for both children and adults alike, so be prepared with plane sweets. Anything that can be sucked on will help to un-pop your ears on a plane, so choose some age-appropriate sweets and have them on-hand for your flight. 

Share the responsibility 

The responsibility of traveling as a family should not land on one person. If you are traveling with another adult or with older children share the responsibility. Make a list of responsibilities before you leave and divide them between the other adult(s) and older children in your family. You could even share some of the smaller responsibilities with the younger children, such as deciding on travel entertainment or what snacks to take with you. Traveling as a family can be stressful, so sharing the responsibility will help ease that stress and ensure that everyone has a good time. 

Bring some home comforts 

We all get homesick at times, and, for younger children especially, it can be scary and disorientating staying in a new location. To make the transition from home to holiday easier for them, pack some home comforts. This could be their nightlight, pillows, or favourite teddy. You don’t have to pack anything too big or difficult to travel with, just something small that will make them feel safe and at home. 

Don’t forget to enjoy yourself 

A family holiday is for the whole family, not just the children, so don’t forget to enjoy yourself. Whilst you are away take some time out of your day to do something that you want to do. Maybe it’s reading a book on the beach, going for a swim, or taking a walk on your own. A family holiday is just as much about enjoying yourself and getting away from the stresses of everyday life, as it is enjoying time as a family. 

Enjoy your family holiday without the stress of laundry. Book your Laundryheap service today by heading to the Laundryheap website or downloading the free Laundryheap app.