Packing the minivan for 3 years for a family of 7

By Kyle LB Morey

“What do you pack for a three-year worldschooling adventure for seven people when all you have is a minivan?” I ask Denielle as she zipped up another small suitcase. “What’s essential and what’s not?”

“Each family member gets a backpack or small suitcase that will include five outfits each, a special toy, and a Kindle device.” She says quite sensibly.

“Oh, right,” I reply.

Denielle and four of our kids leave tomorrow on a three-year world-schooling, house-sitting, book-touring/writing, public-speaking, and community service mission with our family’s first stop in Wisconsin (Kaelyn and I will join them in three weeks at our next house-sit in Nebraska).  “And all I get to bring is five outfits?” I complain.  In the words of Homey D. Clown, “Homey don’t play that!”

“But Homey just might have to,” says Denielle.

Not only does the minivan have to fit our stuff, it has to fit seven smelly but sweet human beings.

“Or does it?” I ask Denielle as she searches for her Sunday shoes.  “Perhaps we can supersize this a bit by keeping and taking our old Lexus.”

After some discussion, she agreed.  Problem solved.  I can now take seven (okay, nine!) outfits including a suit or two and snow gear just in case we end up sitting a house in the winter in Canada.  There seems to be many of those on Housesitter.com in the winter, by the way.

So, what’s on the list and what makes it into the van as we start out on our Big Adventure?  Try this on for size:

• Thirty-nine outfits (five per kid, seven for adults)
• Twenty-eight pairs of shoes (four per person including tennis, water, casual and Sunday shoes)
• Seven Snow bibs, boots, and coats
• Seven light jackets
• Ten pillows (one per kid and Kaelyn snuck in three)
• Five Kindles
• Three laptops
• Three mobile devices
• One projector and Bose speaker set for movie watching
• A few books and games for traveling
• Three small cases of DVDs
• Seven swimsuits
• One swim floatie for Lydia
• A few bottles of sunscreen
• Three pocket knifes for Casey
• Five flashlights
• Tow cables in case we get stuck
• One weather resistant cargo bag that can be filled up later and placed on top of the van
• One case of canned food
• Folder of unscanned documents and photos intended to scan and place on FamilyHistory.org
• Nine reusable water bottles
• Booster seat for Lydia
• Three sets of headphones
• One small box of homeschool stuff
• Four  backpacks with wheels for clothing which consists of 4-5 summer outfits, 4-5 winter outfits, underwear, & Socks.
• Teenager is bringing a small suitcase and backpack w/ makeup and hair products.
• Wife brought a small carry on bag.
• We also brought some spices the wife could not part with yet, but only a fraction of what she did have.
• Vitamins (see spices above).
• Essential oils, and a diffuser.
• Misc. ream of paper
• Dish detergent
• Seven 72-hour kits complete with emergency blankets, water bottle filter, matches, emergency cash and clothing
• Kitchen items include a ninja bullet blender, cheese slicer, and knife

I think that about does it.  Not sure all these things are essential or not.  Three pocket knifes, Casey?  Really?!  I will keep you posted.