Athens, Santorini, & Rome: what we packed.featured

Traveling with two young children and packing in only two back packs is not something we set out to do; it came naturally as part of a mindset to let go of the “what ifs” which seem to be especially prevalent in families with young children. Rather than packing everything we could possibly need, we now pack only things we are certain we’ll use. Traveling as much as we did last year, we gained a lot of confidence in this approach. We rarely needed something we didn’t have, and if it was true need, it was available somewhere. We pack diapers for the first two days only and buy small packs as we travel. We don’t bring a pack n play or a stroller and opt for available cribs, makeshift baby beds, co-sleeping, and carriers instead.

Recently we purchased merino wool clothes that are able to be washed and hang-dryed overnight as an investment because of how often we travel, but this approach worked for us packing our regular clothes as well. We also try to stay in airbnb accommodations with washers and/or dryers, which makes the process of nightly washing much easier. We plan outfits carefully, especially shoes, to minimize the amount that we need.

Our complete packing list for our trip is below along with some photos.

Toiletries:

Plane/Day Bag (diapers not pictured):

Fully packed main bag: