5 Reasons I'll Never Go Back To Suitcases For Our Family Holidays

I used to spend the night before every holiday sitting on a suitcase. This summer, that changed.

By Megan Court, a mum of two in Brisbane · 4 min read

Every school holidays, it's the same in our house. I pack for four the night before. Tom asks where his thongs are. Max needs his footy boots 'just in case'. Lily wants to bring every soft toy she owns. And then we all stand in the driveway staring at a boot that won't shut. This summer we tried something different. A few mums at school have asked me about it since, so here are the five reasons I'm not going back.

Our boot, the morning we left for the coast. The first time it ever shut on the first go.

1

It actually fits in the boot

Hard suitcases are great on a plane, but in the car they're a nightmare. They don't bend, they don't squash, and there's always a gap you can't use. These are soft quilted bags, so they squeeze into the corners and sit on top of each other. Four of them went in around the esky, and the boot shut first try. Tom actually said 'well, that's new'.

Around the esky, under the boogie board. No Tetris required.

2

Nobody grabs the wrong bag anymore

We used to have four black bags, and every single trip someone opened the wrong one. Now everyone chose their own. Mine has a little vintage caravan, Tom's has a caravan by the coast, Lily picked the puppies on a bus, and Max chose the daisies 'because nobody else will want it'. You can spot each one from across a car park.

One each. No arguments.

3

The kids pack their own (and complain less)

I didn't expect this one. Because it's their bag, the kids wanted to pack it themselves. Lily laid her clothes out on the bed like she was off on a world tour. Max did his in about four minutes, which is about right. But the best bit is that nobody complained about what I'd packed, because I didn't pack it.

Lily's packing. Three soft toys made the cut.

4

The right size for how we actually travel

We don't do big overseas trips. We do Nan and Pop's for the weekend, a few nights on the Sunshine Coast, a week at a holiday park at Christmas. That's exactly what these are for. There's a smaller size for the kids and a medium for the grown-ups, and one long zip along the top that opens right up, so you can see everything without digging. The handles are really comfortable too, even when it's full.

Day one at the holiday park. Unpacked in two minutes.

5

Four of them cost less than one good suitcase

I'll be honest, the price is what made me hesitate, because four of anything adds up. But they're having a Moving Sale, and it gets cheaper the more you buy. With four bags you get an extra 20% off. Two mediums for us and two smalls for the kids came to $303.84 instead of $379.80. I've spent more than that on one decent suitcase before.

Packed and by the front door the night before. That has never happened.

Two practical things before you go. Olivia Bennett Melbourne is having a Moving Sale, and some of the prints are being retired, so once they're gone, they're gone. And there are lots of prints to choose from, so whoever you're packing for, there'll be one that's clearly theirs.

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