Packing for Disney is something that totally overwhelms me.  I just hate to do it; I’m not super into clothes and the thought of planning out everyone’s outfits really pushes me to my limits.  What’s even worse, I’ve found, is when you are on the vacation the kids’ clothes just seem to be everywhere in the room.  The lack of organization and stuff everywhere can put damper on staying in a beautiful hotel.

A few trips ago I was pregnant, and I just couldn’t handle having the clothes all over the room. I know my boys, the clothes would be thrown everywhere and they’d wind up wearing the same thing day after day.  So, in a moment of genius, I decided to bag the clothes according to the days we were going to be there.  I laid out all the days we were going to be there, got a bunch of extra plastic bags and labeled them all accordingly.

In the morning, out came the “Monday day” outfits and that’s what everyone put on. No fighting, no debating, just get dressed and let’s get to the park.  I let my kids pick out their own outfits, but my only rule is if they are going to a restaurant they must wear a collared shirt.  So, on the nights they were dining with us (which are few and far between) I would have another bag labeled “Monday night”.

After the outfits are worn they go right into a dirty bag, to either run through a load of laundry or not see again until we got home, depending on where and how long we were staying.  If we have laundry in the room I will do a load half-way through the trip so I can pack half the amount of clothes for the time we are there.

This system has helped me out tremendously in not losing my mind getting everyone ready. I am also paranoid about the airlines losing luggage (it’s never happened but there’s a first for everything!) that I will split up all of the clothes between the various bags we bring.  Just in case.

As I’m preparing for our next trip I will post a video of the madness that ensues during the packing frenzy.

Also, if you’re like us and wind up buying more souvenirs than you intend, make sure to realize those extra things will need to make their way home. Leaving a little extra room in the suitcase could be a big help in the end.

by Ellen Volpe – Co-Owner ET Family Travel