How To Pack Less When Staying At A Hotel With Your Infant

Taking your baby with you on a trip can be a fun first adventure, but when planning for a hotel stay you might feel like you need a second car just to transport your baby's belongings. Many parents bring everything from portable play yards to special laundry detergent with them. However, all of the gear can be hard to keep track of during a family vacation, and things can get lost or cause more stress than they relieve. If you are getting ready to stay at a hotel with your little bundle of joy, consider the benefits of taking just the basics. 

Benefits of Packing Less 

There are many benefits travelers can experience by carrying less baggage. These benefits, such as mobility, flexibility and saving money, are not limited to solo travelers. If you are traveling with a baby then you will often be juggling infant care along with luggage loading and unloading luggage, so you might want to limit yourself to one bag per person if you are traveling by plane, or what fits comfortably in the trunk of your vehicle. 

For some parents, limiting items such as toys and familiar distractions can be a scary challenge. However, if you do, you will find that you are creating a habit of actively engaging with your child in the world around you. From a young age, babies and children can benefit from having only a limited number of toys. While you should not leave all of your child's comfort items at home, you should focus on new situations during your trip instead of trying to recreate your home environment. This will make your child a more flexible traveler as they grow up. 

Bringing the Essentials

While you want to limit your luggage, you still want to make sure you have the essential items to keep your baby safe and happy for the duration of your trip. Besides adequate clothing and feeding supplies, here are the things you should include: 

• Your baby's regular soap and shampoo. Although the hotel may provide free toiletries, your baby's sensitive skin will appreciate consistency regarding cosmetic products. 
• Your baby's towel. Many hotels wash with towels and linens with strong detergents. While they are fine for most adults, your baby may be sensitive to them. 
• A sheet that has one clearly printed side and the other blank. You should choose which side will touch your baby and which side will touch other surfaces such as beds, couches, and the floor. This way you can quickly lay the sheet down, creating a protective barrier, wherever you are. 
• A blanket for wrapping up your baby if the lobby or dining area is chilly. 
• Plenty of reusable wipes or burp cloths. 
• A mattress protector, so you can give your baby naked time and quickly rinse off any accidents. 
• Your baby's favorite toy or stuffed animal, and one or two books. 

What to Leave at Home 

When you start packing and realize your bags and trunk are full, take a look at this list for some ideas on what you can leave behind. 

• Leave the portable play yard behind and instead use the hotel's crib or play yard. Simply lay your clean sheet in it before using it. 
• Strollers take up a lot of space in your car and in your hotel room. Unless you have a modular car seat/stroller combination, leave the stroller at home and bring the car seat along with a ergonomic carrier or sling.  
• Several toys. Limit yourself to one or two favorites. 
• Sleeping aids, such as swings, night lights, and mobiles. You can commit to rocking your child and singing him or her to sleep during your vacation instead of relying on these at-home devices. 

Being a minimalist traveler with a child can be intimidating at first. However, after a successful trip with fewer items to haul around and keep track of, you will find it is a liberating way to travel.