Awesome Family Holiday Checklist to Have a Stress Free Departure Day

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Last Updated on January 20, 2026 by Ariana Svenson

Here we provide you with not one, but three family holiday checklist to organize your family pre departure.  Over the years we have done a lot of travel with kids and there are two ways to prepare yourself for a trip.  One is to leave all the packing and organization for the last couple of days – and get it all done.  That is pretty stressful and I always forget things.  For me, the best way to have a stress free departure from home and get straight into the holiday is to be well planned.  This you can do with our three holiday checklists for families that cover:

• What you need to consider for your family holiday checklist, 1 month prior to departure.
• For the week prior to departure, take a look at Travel Packing List: 1 Week to Departure
• For the last 24 hours – Departure Day: A Final Checklist

I am confident that if you follow this approach to your family vacation checklist you will find getting out of the house and into holiday mode a breeze – and you hopefully won’t have forgotten anything either.

This post may contain affiliate links, from which we would earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. More info in my disclaimer.

Family Holiday Checklist – 1 Month To Departure

With 1 month to go, the pace changes around our house.  Suddenly we have a deadline, and everything needs to be done by D-day (Departure Day).  While the tempo picks up, so do the stress levels which is not ideal!  By being well-organized and doing bits and pieces off the checklist starting 4 weeks before departure,  I have a sense that things are “on track”.   When we get to 2 weeks before departure the logistical aspects of packing should be under control, and there is not a mad rush at the end.

At 4 weeks prior to D-Day,  I set aside a chunk of time to think through everything that we “need” for our destination.  Nearly always I end up with a long list of ‘needs’, repairs, or even simple mending.  All these things take time, and invariably, if you realize that the suitcase has a broken handle the day before departure you will go and buy a new one.  Or do it at midnight.

At the bottom I have included my Family Travel Checklist – a list to check off.  Four weeks prior to departure is the time that I sit down and THINK about what the trip will involve and work out what is needed.  For this mumma, it’s a more creative process than simply going through a list!  Below are some considerations to be aware of.

Be Very Conscious Of Health

• We are extra conscience to get in fruit and veggies; and get out for walks.  This is tops on our family holiday checklist one month prior to departure.
• Ensure that everyone is taking multi-vitamins regularly.

Baggage Inclusions

• Before you can pack you need to know what you are allowed by the airline!
• Call airline to confirm child luggage.  Read through the entire traveling with children and infants section of the relevant airline’s websites.  It explains what you can and can’t take, including liquids.  This is really important to have on your family holiday checklist, that way there are no surprises at the airport.

“Most” airlines allow you for both infants and children a collapsible stroller or push-chair, collapsible cot or bassinet; or car seat or baby capsule.

We’ve also had airlines accept our Deuter Trekking carrier as one of these pieces.  We have large Tatonka duffel bags that we put the carrier or collapsible cot into after showing the airline staff what it is.

Baby/ Toddler Paraphernalia

Babies and toddlers come with a lot of paraphernalia.  Deciding which items to take is a first step in the travel packing planning for us, because it gives you a sense of how much stuff!  Will you have enough hands for all the pieces of luggage you have?

• Baby Carrier or Sling – we always take one.
• Decide whether to take a stroller – or not.
• Consider the baby car seat – pros and cons of taking your own, vs hiring it.
• A high chair equivalent or booster seat. (Or will there be high chairs where you are traveling to?)
• Portacot/ Portable crib / or Travel Tent

Even for older kids that are able to walk, say in the 3 to 5 year old range some thought needs to be given regarding ‘how’ they might get around when tired.  Try to imagine how the child will act after a long flight.  Check out our super useful Baby Travel Essentials: The Best Travel with Baby Gear.

If you will be traveling to a beachy area,  Toddler Beach Essentials and Beach Gear for Babies is a must-read.

Medical Kit

• We have a list in our medical kit that is supposedly updated when we use something – though in reality this doesn’t always happen.
• So a review of the medical kit is important and then a purchase of any necessary items.  I allow some time 30 minutes to 1 hour to do this task properly.
• We have written a blog about what we include in our Family Travel Medical Kit.

Toiletries

In 2016 we made the commitment to reduce the level of synthetics and artificial items in our life.  This means that popping to the shop in the last few days of travel is not possible.  We will post a separate blog about which natural/non toxic products we use.

Depending on the length of trip, I will decide whether to take small bottles (about 100mL) or decant into smaller ones.  As the whole family uses the same shampoo we need a relatively large amount even for a week, especially if it’s a swimming holiday or the like.  Add these necessities to your family holiday checklist to make sure they get packed.

• Hair care & Moisturizers
• Deodorants
• Cosmetics
• Sun and Insect Protection
• Toothpaste & Toothbrushes – (Did you know that you are supposed to get a new toothbrush every 3 months – going on a trip might be a good idea to get a new one!)

Schooling (For School Aged Kids)

Talk to teachers about the children being away.  Be mindful that teachers are busy people.  One teacher said to me, “Why should I spend hours preparing work for your child when you choose to take them out of school?  I need to be doing things for the class as a whole!”.  This stopped me in my tracks (I must have sounded so demanding!).  Now I am much more considerate, and go in and do some photocopying.

The plan is to generally make it as easy as possible for the teacher to pass on what we need to do.  I’ve also spent an hour a week in class learning about what the kids are learning and essentially a bit about ‘how to teach’.  It’s not easy to get a ‘free hour’, especially if you have younger kids at home BUT I highly recommend it to learn about what the kids learn, class dynamics and what to expect from your child.  This is one of the things that is often overlooked on a holiday vacation checklist for families.

Kid’s Activities

This is a task that can be started well before departure and one that is enjoyable as you seek out things that will (hopefully) captivate the kids.  Left to the last minute, I tend to throw in a range of used coloring books or toys I have hidden.

To start with, take a look at our super useful 21 Awesome Airplane Activities For Kids.  Not only does this give me ideas, it helps me to visualize the flight and how we want things to go.

The Visualization Process & How It Works!

A checklist doesn’t really make the grade of sitting and thinking.  So, I end up looking up the weather and doing some doodling, thinking or visualizing.  This process kicks off the packing planning and then I get into serious lists.  This is important because you figure out if you are short of some things and then need to work out where to buy them.  Or, whether they can be bought from an op shop which can take time!

I was writing the one pictured above as we prepare for a Fiji trip.  By putting the following items on a list we are being a tad over prepared, but better to consider them and then decide against them; than not be prepared at all.  The things that is ‘different’ than other trips are:

• Flippers for kids (we already have snorkels)
• Are there child sized lifejackets (we have our own but they would be quite big to lug)
• Reef shoes
• A swim hat with wide brim for our daughter
• Does Miss need flip flops? Have got a few spare pairs around

If you are creating your family vacation checklist to a similar place like Fiji, we have some great posts to read.  Best Swim Baby Wrap | Why you Need a Water Baby Carrier and The Ultimate Beach Packing List For Family Days and Holidays are great resources.

“THE” Family Travel Checklist – 1 month to Departure Day

Pre-Departure-Checklist-1month

Family Vacation Packing List – 1 Week To Departure

This travel packing list, designed for 1 week before departure is designed to help.  Let’s face it, the week before we go on a trip is stressful!  There are a lot of positive benefits of travel and I wouldn’t miss it for the world.  BUT – the week before you head off is always very FULL!  And, for us, the levels of stress rise in correlation with the amount of time you will be away.

Travel is essentially a pause in your ‘real life’ which is why it’s so alluring.  You get away from routine, see new things and because it’s “special” everyone is happy!  However, because it’s a pause in “home life” it means that all the things that you would normally do, need to be done in advance.

Having been self-employed for 9 years I’m familiar with the pros and cons of having independent income.  Which, likely I will write about in more detail in another blog.  However, holidays always get me; because it’s very hard to put businesses “on hold”.  The work doesn’t stop coming.

Even though I have a number of super capable staff and assistants, my tasks don’t disappear because I am on holiday.  They just build up.  Or, in the case of Social Media, you need to program your posts well in advance.  So, even though I am relatively well organized, the week before we travel is super stressful!

Also, whenever I Googled Travel Checklists, I couldn’t find one that worked for me.  Often it was long lists of clothes or bathroom items.  All very useful for the actual day of packing, BUT not useful in getting my life and travel sufficiently organized in advance.  That is why I developed my own holiday packing list family editions.

This is my 1 week until departure family holiday checklist.  I’d love it if you would drop into the comments if this is useful to you.  Or even let me know what I have missed!

Departure Day – Family Vacation Checklist

Departure Day looms and the final 24 hours before travel are either horrendously stressful or as easy as checking items off a list.  That is why we have developed a family vacation checklist for day of travel.  A departure day checklist that takes the stress out of remembering what to do.

We start planning really early, which does spread out the time preparing for a trip.  We do this because invariably one or both children get sick in the lead up to the trip and have a day or two off school.  That means some glitches in the preparation.  Also, being self-employed means that work has to be done at a faster past than normal prior to a holiday or postponed until after the holiday.

Remember – packing for a mum and two kids will easily take 3 hours or more – without distractions.  Especially air travel with toddlers can take a lot of preparation and packing.

Our Departure Day Family Vacation Checklist

You can find our departure day travel departure checklist below in a table.  This family vacation checklist for departure days is a great resource.  However, if you like to print things out, click here for our FREE printable PDF  Departure_Day_Final_Checklist .  We hope you find it useful!

More Resources for Your Family Holiday Checklist Planning

Since we are a traveling family, as you can imagine, we have lots of experience with packing.  This mumma has become quite the expert at holiday packing list family style.  We have traveled all over the world, to all different climates, and different locations.  Whether it is hiking to Machu Picchu with kids, or strolling along the beaches in Bali, we have done it all.  Below are some more resources to help with your family vacation checklist making.

The Best Toddler Carriers And Baby Backpacks For Hiking

Best Bags for Moms with Toddlers

The Best Hiking Backpacks for Kids

How To Use Packing Cubes: One of the Top Packing Hacks for Families

Ideas To Ace Traveling As A Family & Travel Essentials For Kids

The Verdict – Awesome Family Holiday Checklists to Have a Stress Free Departure Day

So from making sure you have the right paperwork for your holiday, through to ensuring your plants get watered, we have covered everything you need to know with our family holiday checklist.  Leave home comfortable that you’ve informed the neighbors and made all the necessary arrangements for things to flow smoothly at home; while you are away.

Furthermore you will have packed everything you need!  This means when you get to your holiday destination, you can be out on the beach or by the pool in a jiffy.  The kids will have their hats and sunscreen while you have your favourite swimsuit.

Let us know what you think of our family vacation packings lists in the comments below!  What things do you make sure to put your your lists?

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