I Travel With My Family of 4 for Work 6 Times a Year—These Products Make It Easier and Keep Us Organized

My partner and I frequently travel for her job and my clients (I’m a queer and non-binary small business owner in the Deep South) with our toddler in tow. Since most of what we do is remote, her mother often joins us when we travel as a family. It's important to me to minimize stress for everyone while fostering safety and ease along the way. 

Since we go out of town for work and leisure every few months, I rely on these family-friendly travel products for smooth journeys by land, air, and sea. Plus, they’re all carry-on compatible, including this portable car seat. Shop foldable utensils, reusable bags, handy tech, and more, from just $4.

YangQian Folding Spork with Case

Toddlers love to do everything independently—including feeding themselves—which means when food is delivered to our hotel room without cutlery, it's ripe grounds for big feelings to happen. To avoid meltdown town, I reach for this foldable, reusable camping spork and our little proudly feeds himself with no fuss. It’s made with sturdy stainless steel and is microwave-safe. Who knew a spork could protect your entire family’s peace?

Keoll Portable Power Bank

This portable power bank is small but mighty (no, really, it’s smaller than most iPhones). It’s compatible with most smartphones and tablets and features a built-in USB-C cable, so you don’t have to pack extra cables. In addition, you’ll find another USB-C port and one USB-A port, allowing you to charge up to three of your family’s devices simultaneously. Best of all, your disgruntled toddler won’t be upset because Bluey froze and vanished from a dying tablet. 

Atickyaid Mini First Aid Kit

It seems like the more people you travel with, the higher the odds are that someone will get a boo-boo. Stay ready: bring a waterproof (important!) medical kit on day and overnight trips with your family to handle scrapes, cuts, and other injuries or health needs. 

This carry-on mini first-aid kit is small enough to fit in many purses and bags. It contains 120 premium first-aid supplies, such as bandages, gauze pads, cleaning wipes, scissors, and tweezers. It’s like a little suitcase pharmacy for your family.

Tide Liquid Travel Sink Packets

The Tide Liquid Travel Sink Packets are my secret weapon for keeping travel stains and smells at bay. These small detergent packets hold just enough Tide liquid detergent to hand wash a few items from your hotel room or anywhere with a sink, avoiding stains and smells co-mingling with your other items. Grab a three-pack at Amazon for just $4 right now. 

Wayb Pico Travel Car Seat with Premium Carrying Bag

At just 8 pounds, the Wayb Pico Portable Car Seat can alleviate a lot of stress while traveling with a little one. Parents editors tested this convertible car seat, and I have personal experience with it, too. For example, it folds up to fit as a carry-on and is so light that my own backpack is heavier. Plus, kids weighing 22 to 50 pounds can safely ride in the Wayb Pico, so you’ll get years of use.

While the $505 price tag may shock some parents, it was worth the investment for our family (we can now ride in any Uber vehicle with our kiddo).

Kitsch 2-in-1 Shampoo Bar & Body Wash Bar for Sensitive Scalp & Skin

Raise your hand if hotel soaps and shampoos have ever irritated your skin (I feel your pain!). The Kitsch 2-in-1 Shampoo Bar and Body Wash is ultra-gentle on the skin—even kids!— thanks to its fragrance-free ingredients. Each bar is equivalent to two bottles of liquid, but it never counts as liquid in your carry-on luggage. 

Johnson's Baby Care Essentials Gift Set

If you’re traveling with a little one, you’ll want this Johnson’s Baby Care Essentials Gift Set (even if it’s not a gift). It includes diaper paste and 3.4-fluid-ounce bottles of body wash and shampoo, making them safe for your carry-on. 

Geekey Original Key Shaped Pocket Tool

It looks like a key, but it’s so much more than that. The Geekey Original Key Shaped Pocket Tool includes a screwdriver, serrated edge, can opener, ruler, and more. Whether you are opening a bottle or painlessly cutting open a package, this pocket tool is a must on my packing list that passes most TSA checks. Get over 16 tools in one for just $23. 

Coidea Clear Shoe Bags for Travel

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but these reusable bags are so much better than plastic grocery bags to store spilling items and dirty clothes when traveling. The plastic material is clear, waterproof, and dustproof, making it easier to contain and assess an evolving spill or smell situation quickly. A pack of five is just $6 right now.

Shop More Deals for Parents

• I Always Bring One of These Travel Puzzles & Games to Entertain My Toddler on the Road & in the Air, Starting at $5
• What to Pack for a Family Vacation? A Mom of 5 Shares the Under-$40 Products That Make Traveling Easier
• These 7 Travel Products Make Long Plane Rides With My Toddler So Much Smoother—and They Start at $5