I used to pride myself in how light I could travel. I traveled to Russia for 2.5 weeks with simply a carry-on bag, and Mexico for a week with just a cross-body bag (I rewore the same clothes a LOT on that trip). It was nice to move through the world unencumbered by too much stuff.

Then we had kids, and packing light was a skill I had to relearn. There is so much gear to contend with, especially in the baby and toddler stages. Minimalist packing with babies and toddlers is really tough. You have to worry about a bed for them, whether to bring a stroller or baby carrier or both, and what to do about car seats.

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