The Simple Family Travel Hack That Makes Every Trip Easier

I’ve always loved travel.

Long before I had children, I dreamed about exploring new places, wandering unfamiliar streets, and experiencing cultures far from home. But like many people, I didn’t always have the time or resources to travel as much as I wanted.

Ironically, by the time I finally could take the trips I’d been dreaming about… I had two small children. And suddenly everyone had an opinion.

I was told travelling with kids should be limited to “family-friendly” resorts. I was told long flights and exotic destinations were unrealistic. I was told to save those kinds of trips for when the kids were teenagers — or to travel solo instead.

But I didn’t want to wait 10 or 15 years to see the world with my family. So we didn’t.

Both of my children had passports by the time they were six weeks old. Before their first birthdays, they had already travelled to several overseas destinations.

Was travelling with babies and toddlers always easy? Of course not. Family travel comes with its own unique set of logistical challenges. But over time we developed little systems and habits that made travelling smoother, less stressful, and — most importantly — genuinely enjoyable for all of us.

And one of the simplest travel hacks we’ve adopted has made a surprisingly big difference.

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Our Secret Weapon: Colour Coding

It might not sound revolutionary, but colour coding has been one of the most effective ways we’ve simplified travelling as a family.

The idea is incredibly simple. Each family member gets their own colour. When we buy travel gear — luggage, backpacks, accessories, and anything else that travels with us — we buy it in that person’s colour.

My son’s colour is blue. So his suitcase, backpack, iPad case, packing cubes, toiletries bag, passport cover, and travel charger are all blue. My daughter, husband and myself all have our own colours and corresponding coloured travel items.

This small system has made a huge difference.

Why It Works So Well

When the kids were younger and I was packing for everyone, colour coding made it incredibly easy to organise everything. I could lay all the items out and instantly see what belonged to whom. At the airport, it’s even more helpful. Our luggage is easy to identify on the carousel, and everyone knows exactly which suitcase is theirs. No confusion. It also prevents one of the most common travel annoyances: accidentally leaving things behind.

If you have four identical phone chargers plugged into a wall in a hotel room, it’s surprisingly easy to miss one when you leave. But when everyone’s charger is a different colour, each person simply collects their own and packs it with their belongings.

Over time, this also gave the kids a sense of ownership and responsibility. They became responsible for everything in their colour, which helped them become more independent travellers.

A System That Grew With Us

Originally, I thought this colour-coding system would only be useful when the kids were little. But it worked so well that we never stopped. Now it’s second nature for all of us. I don’t even consciously think about it anymore — it’s just how we travel.
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Every now and then we’ll get comments at the airport about our colour-coordinated luggage lineup, and it always makes me smile. Because sometimes the simplest travel hacks turn out to be the most effective.