Holiday Clothing Guide

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Special thank you to U.K. guest poster Muriel Vincent for this holiday clothing guide!

The family holiday is always something to look forward to, particularly if you can only manage it once or twice a year. But vacations with young children can take some serious organising too. Planning your time away can reduce the hassle and leave you to concentrate on the fun stuff. A big part of this is knowing how to pack in a practical, space-saving fashion.

Thinking ahead is therefore a good way to begin. Start looking out for useful items 2 or 3 weeks ahead (especially if it`s a long holiday or you have a good distance to travel). These obviously depend on the type of holiday but in any case, it`s a good idea to buy sooner rather than when you have a thousand other things on your mind. Sun cream, insect repellent, hats for the beach, waterproofs and sensible footwear if you`re going to be walking a lot are common requirements. Think about any equipment you`ll take – cameras, games consoles for the kids and what batteries or chargers will need to accompany them. This will leave you free in the week before you leave to think about clothing.

Packing just enough clothes with some flexible options means you don`t have to worry about oversized luggage fees at airports, or spend days trying to organise it all so that the lid shuts on the case. This is where a packing list may be the most valuable tool you`ll take on holiday. Consider which outfits you will need on each day and for different activities and whether it will always be necessary to change for the evening.

You can create more outfit options for yourself and for the kids by keeping to only a few colours that will ensure that most items go with everything else. It`s wise to think about clothing that is less likely to crease as you won`t be so inclined to iron on holiday. Or if unavoidable, think about wrapping clothes around a central bundle as this means you won`t need to fold anything. With kids in tow, it`s important to include spares of things like underwear and socks. Also consider layering and accessorising things like dresses, long-sleeved t-shirts and leggings to get more wear out of the clothes you do take.

Figuring out which outfits are the lightest options is probably the most important tip, as you will save yourself from exhaustion trying to lug it all around. When packing shoes, try to wear the heaviest pair. Chances are, you might all need an extra layer to keep warm when on the move, so it also makes sense to leave the bulkier items of clothing like coats or jumpers, out of your luggage. This means you can save room for thinner, lightweight items of clothing you will want for the holiday itself like the casual beachwear at Hurley Clothes. However you do it, preparing clothing ideas in advance will make it much easier to take exactly what you need for the perfect family holiday, whilst cutting down on the fuss.