Packing for a family beach vacation doesn’t have to be stressful! With a little bit of thought, organization, and help from your family members, it can be done easily and well. Here are some of our best tips for getting your family packed for your next beach vacation in Indian Rocks Beach, Florida. Happy Packing!

1. Do some pre-vacation planning.

A week or two before your vacation, take some time out to preplan. This would include looking at the upcoming weather forecast, choosing which attractions and activities your family will be doing, and reviewing what you’ll have access to in your Indian Rocks Beach vacation rental when it comes to appliances and amenities. (If your rental has a washer/dryer, you can count on packing less!) Once you have a pre-vacation game plan, then it is much easier to prepare for and pack what you’ll need. 

2. Use a packing list or app.

Now you’re ready for the next step: a packing list! Whether you create your own list, choose from one of the many free online vacation packing checklists, or use a packing app to help—you’ll definitely have an easier time keeping track of what you need when use one of these tools. Major categories of vacation packing include clothes, shoes, accessories, toiletries, medications, beach accessories, and whatever other miscellaneous items you intend to bring to your vacation rental. Don’t forget snacks and other things you’ll need during travel. 

3. Pack outfits for each day of your vacation.

Pack smarter, not harder! Consider packing outfits for each of your family members for each day of your vacation. Pre-packing outfits takes out a lot of guesswork and time spent deciding what to wear. Using packing cubes helps to keep outfits organized while also saving valuable space in your suitcase. You can transfer the packing cubes right from your suitcase to dresser drawers without any additional folding or organizing. Don’t have packing cubes? You can just use plastic bags to keep everyone’s outfits organized and ready to go. 

4. Have kids pack (and carry) their own backpack.

You know how kids are when it comes time to travel—they each have their own random things they would like to bring with them, whether it’s stuffed animals, electronics, or other miscellaneous items you don’t want taking up valuable space in your luggage. Let each of your kids be responsible for packing and carrying a backpack to bring with them containing the items they desire. Once you arrive at your vacation destination, those backpacks can be emptied out and used as day bags that they each carry what they need for the day’s outings.

5. Do a post-packing review.

Just like you did some preplanning, now it’s time to do some post-packing review and revision. Double-check your packing list for anything you missed. Take a look at the sum total of your luggage and bags. Is it too much? Can you eliminate anything? Make sure that you’re prepared for the vacation travel itself, whether you’re flying or driving to the beach. Consider packing up your car to make sure everything fits. If you’re flying, make sure your luggage is within the proper weight limits and everyone can manage what they need to bring to the airport. 

We hope these vacation packing tips have helped you! Now you can feel good knowing that you are prepared and ready to enjoy your vacation days. And remember, you can always buy things you need if you do happen to forget something or you aren’t able to bring everything you’d like with you. Enjoy!