The holidays are such a special season, but let’s be honest — traveling as a mom is a whole different ball game.

It’s exciting… and it can be exhausting.
It’s fun… and sometimes chaotic.
And the mental load? It’s a lot.
Not just the packing and prepping, but the actual traveling…and then coming home afterward.

But over the years — after many vacations, road trips and cruises — I’ve learned something important:

Traveling with kids doesn’t have to feel stressful.
With a few simple systems, a calm mindset and realistic expectations, travel really can feel lighter and even truly enjoyable.

Here’s what helps our family travel smoother and calmer — and what can help yours too.

1. Prep Your Home Before You Go (Just the Basics)

I love coming home to a clean home. In the past, I even hired a cleaning crew for our trips so I didn’t walk into chaos afterward. But once we started maintaining our home with simple resets, that changed everything. Now I just do our resets before we leave — quick, doable and peaceful.

Here’s my pre-travel checklist:

• clear kitchen counters
  
• load/unload the dishwasher
  
• clean bathrooms (I do ours, the kids do theirs)
  
• quick vacuum
  
• take out the trash

That’s it.

You don’t need a perfect home — just a peaceful one to return to. Walking into a tidy home is truly one of the best gifts you can give yourself.

2. Pack Light — But Pack Smart

Three kids = a lot of stuff…but more stuff doesn’t make travel easier.
It usually makes it harder.

Here’s what helps us pack light and stay organized:

• roll clothes in the suitcase (or use packing cubes/Ziplocs — one per day)
  
• pack fewer toys: books, coloring pads, drawing supplies
  
• load up on snacks + food for meals ( plus more food)
  
• keep a small “emergency bag” (wipes, trash bags, Tylenol, deodorant, tissues, extra underwear if you have younger kids)
• charge Kindles/iPads the night before
  

We bring:

• one cooler for cold items
  
• one reusable bag for snacks

This keeps food accessible and minimizes chaos.

3. Prep Simple Snacks + Meals for Travel Days

Hungry kids = cranky kids.
Hungry moms = cranky moms too. 😉

We pack easy, filling options:

• protein bars
  
• apples, grapes, clementines
  
• cut veggies
  
• sandwiches, wraps, pepperoni bread
  
• pretzels, popcorn, chips
  
• water bottles pre-filled + extras

For longer drive days, I prep no-cook meals for the first day — such a time saver. And yes… I have absolutely brought pepperoni bread on a flight. 

4. Create a Calm Car (or Airport) Plan

Simple rhythms make the biggest difference:

• start with prayer
  
• everyone shares what they’re excited about
  
• kids pack their own backpack (or get a “travel bag”)
  
• build in coffee stops for mom
  
• put on a fun playlist or you can do a calming play list

But my biggest tip?

Start slow. Don’t rush.
The energy you begin the day with becomes the energy your whole family follows.

5. Set Expectations Before You Leave

This is especially helpful if your family doesn’t travel often.

Talk about:

• what the day will look like
  
• how long travel will be
  
• how we treat each other when we’re tired
  
• what happens if plans change

When the kids were younger, we did this every trip. Now that we travel often, we don’t always need it — but it really helped in the beginning.

Kids do better when they know what’s coming. Honestly… so do we.

6. Protect the Mood — Not the Schedule

Something always happens — traffic, headaches, antsy, tired kids.

But travel days don’t fall apart when plans change.
They fall apart when we spiral.

Sometimes the best thing you can do is:

• stop for a longer break
• grab coffee
• pull out extra snacks
• turn on a show
• lower the expectations for that stretch of the day

A calm mom makes for a calmer trip — even when things aren’t perfect.

7. When You Arrive, Stop and Breathe

This one will change your whole trip.

When we arrive somewhere new, we:

• use the bathroom
• check the space for cleanliness
• unpack only the essentials
• take 10–15 minutes to just chill

Then we explore, settle in and ease into vacation mode.

That pause helps everyone decompress and reconnect.

Friend, your holiday travel doesn’t have to feel chaotic.

You can’t control every moment — but you can build rhythms that help your whole family feel calmer.

Traveling with kids is loud, messy, beautiful and filled with memories. And ever since we adopted these simple routines, traveling has become easier — and honestly, more fun. Which is one reason we are traveling a lot more.

Love and Support,

Billie-Jo