The Essential Essentials in your Daypack

I really have to laugh.  Before we left on our trip, I didn't want to overpack, so I made a list of the essential items that I need to go out with the kids for a day.  

I didn't realize it at the time, but my list was based on:

1) having a car

2) being a 30 minute drive from most places

I created a list on the Evernote app which could be duplicated and checked off every morning to make sure I didn't leave behind an essential item when I went out.

Here is my list copy and pasted from Evernote:

Check the morning before we go:

Diapers

wipes

potette bags

 Potette

water bottles

food for louis

food for marcelle

charge camera / battery 

cell phone

wallet

apply sunscreen

 Straws 

 Go potty before we leave 

Keep in the bag

spoon for M

utentils for Lou

Bib for M

Bib for Lou

Water bottle for M

water bottle for Lou

water bottle for me

wet wipes

camera

map / tour book

sunscreen

hats for all 3 of us

sunglasses for lou & me

cheerios or puffs

We arrived Monday. Tuesday morning, I whittled the list down to ONLY items that could be carried in the stroller (basket and parent organizer)/no purse.

Here is what I shortened it too:

Diaper - 1

wipes

water bottles for both kids

cell phone

wallet... Decided to go all tourist nerd and wear a money belt since I'd be a target with 2 kids in tourist areas loudly speaking English. Glad I did. 

 Go potty before we leave 

map 

- 1 small portion of "emergency" food for M 

- rain cover for stroller 

By Monday night, I was sick of the stroller. The list got shorter:

- baby carrier

- rain coats on our backs 

- waterproof zip pouch w 1 credit card and a small bit of cash, cell phone, map

You'll notice I was even crazy enough to leave the diaper and wipes at home. I knew we wouldn't be more than 10 or 15 minutes away. If we needed them, we'd just have to go back.

It was liberating to lose the "stuff."

Here's how I'm doing without: 

- I always travel with sippy cups but Louis can drink from a bottle. If he spills, it will dry. marcelle and drink from a cup or a pinched straw to slow the flow.  (I would still recommend sippy cups for the plane rides when hydration is so important as well as drinking is for little ears.)

- If we are hungry, we can find food. (I would still recommend squeeze pouch food for toddlers eating in flight to reduce choking hazards, and due to limited food access, schedules, and messes.) 

- I adore the potette. In fact, I used it myself last week. (Ha ha ha!) But it's really a luxury and not a "need" in a city where toilets are available.

- I'll save the DSLR for photos with Great Grandma, but carrying around that heavy bulky thing and trying to remove a lens cap every time my kids do something cute. Forget it! iPhone pics will have to do!

- the kids can make do with utensils available when we are out.

- hats go if they are on our head or not at all.  Same for sunglasses. 

- Huggies makes a ziplock container you refill yourself that my cousin gave me. I put a thin fill instead of the big bulky pack

Takeaways for the traveling mom:

Here is my master list of the essential essentials (for a 1 & 3 year old), which you can fit in the pocket of an ergo baby carrier:

- 1 credit card

- small light thin stash of wipes

1 waterproof zip pouch containing:

- a small bit of cash 

- cell phone 

- map

- 2 diapers 

- 1 small portion of "emergency" food like 1 squeeze pouch (may be omitted, depends what you're doing)

- if weather may chance, a Baggu is a light bag that folds up teeny tiny and opens pretty big to hold all your jackets, grocery stop on the way home, etc.