You can’t carry everything.

The logistics of packing for a two-week overseas family trip are fundamentally different from more typical travel. Merely doubling the amount of stuff you would ordinarily take on a one-week trip doesn’t work:

1. •There is an upper physical limit on what you can reasonably carry around
   

2. •Hotel room space is limited – to a greater extent than what we are used to in the West
   

3. •Airline baggage restrictions are a perpetual issue
   

4. •You’ll need to reserve room for the items you’ll be picking up in China – such as your child’s clothing and toys, extra diapers, and souvenirs
   

5. •And you’ll be bringing food items, formula, and gifts to China
   

This isn’t like packing for a business trip; a family camping expedition is perhaps the closest comparison. But you won’t have an SUV to carry your gear.

For 2 people bringing home one child, aim for using just two medium-to-large suitcases in total, plus one or two carry-on bags.

That goal is a challenge, but it can be done. Let’s look at some strategies to help you get “more” out of what you bring along.

Climate – outside and inside

China is a land of climate extremes, and each region has its own distinct weather. All families end up in Guangzhou, with its year-round tropical humidity. Your child may come from another part of the country, however, so you might spend a week in dust storms, polar snows, or urban smog. Or you might experience beautiful temperate weather. The time of year you travel makes all the difference, and is totally out of your control.

(Download our “Climate Map and Clothing Guide” here or from the Tools page, where you’ll also find weather reports for the most commonly-visited adoption cities.)

Buildings in China are largely not weather-proofed like Western energy-efficient structures. You won’t find central air, or double-pane insulated windows, even in recently-built hotels. Air conditioning in public areas of hotels or shops is often cranked to maximum in summer. Heat, cold, and humidity inside are therefore also outside your control.

In short, your clothing needs to work well in a variety of conditions:

1. •Think multiple layers of thinner fabric, rather than hauling bulky items like sweaters or heavy jackets.
   

2. •Look for breathable, “performance” clothing. You don’t want to be seen with big patches of sweat, no matter how hot or humid it gets. (This is the single biggest embarrassment for Americans.)
   

Laundry

On a week-long business trip, you’re probably coming home with a week’s worth of dirty laundry. Not such a palatable option on your China trip – if the thought of paying baggage fees to haul dirty laundry to Guangzhou doesn’t make you wince, the smell you’ll experience opening your bags when finally home will.

The service quality is high – clothes are cleaned well, and come back folded. The  phrase “Chinese laundry” has positive associations for good reason!

And most importantly, you can take fewer garments. You can do this trip comfortably with just five changes of outfits.

1. •Don’t pack expensive, ornamented, or dry-clean-only fabrics.
   

2. •The hotel laundry services aren’t as expensive compared to charges at business hotels in the U.S.
   

3. •And on Shamian Island, competition keeps the cost of a load down to almost what you’d pay to do it yourself at a Laundromat back home.
   

Food, Formula, and Gifts

There’s enough to talk about regarding these topics to warrant separate discussions, so we have given each its own article. Probably 1/3 of one of your suitcases will contain food and formula as you depart. (Don’t forget plastic cutlery!)

In many cases, your child will be at an age where she’s transitioning to solid foods – or has already reached that stage. This is a good question to ask ahead of the trip!

Diapers

If your child has not completed potty-training, your best bet is to purchase diapers in China. You’ll inevitably be stopping at a Wal-Mart or Carrefour in any case, and it’s easier to buy these for your child once you’ve figured out his size and preferences as you’re holding and interacting with him. (Plus, if you guess wrong, you won’t have lugged a case of diapers across the Pacific in vain.)

With these thoughts in mind, here are some list suggestions to help you get started. 

Clothing

4-5 long pants or skirts

1. •Men: forget about bringing shorts. While they’d be much more comfortable in the South, it’s just not culturally appropriate.
   

2. •Women: shorter items are OK if in good fashion. When in doubt, pick the more modest item.
   

3. •Remember, too: mosquitoes. More coverage = a less inviting target.
   

5 changes of underwear and socks / hosiery.

1. •Again, look for the lightweight, moisture-wicking fabrics.
   

2. •Women: if traveling in the South during the hot season, you probably won’t want to bring pantyhose.
   

Coat: as light as possible, depending on where your child is coming from. A windbreaker or light raincoat is appropriate for most regions and seasons, except in the Northeast and West during winter.

4-5 shirts

1. •Lightweight, moisture-wicking fabrics
   

2. •Mix of long and short-sleeve (unless you are traveling in summer)
   

3. •Polo shirts and golf shirts are good choices. T-shirts are not appropriate for you to wear in public. (Women: you have a bit more latitude on this, but again, keep it tasteful and well-made.)
   

1-2 sets of pajamas

1. •Because you’ll be in a hotel, and you never know when staff will want to come in to change towels.
   

2 pair of shoes

1. •One set for hiking / long-distance walking
   

2. •The other set more lightweight and slip-on for airports, shopping, and close-to-hotel strolling.
   

3. •Men: no sandals, ever. No one wants to see the hair on top of your feet.
   

4. •Women: sandals for the 2nd pair are OK as long as they are stylish. No flip-flops or jellies, ever; in China these scream “low-class.”
   

No formal wear is really needed for this trip, as long as your wardrobe is clean and in good condition. For your meetings with officials, a “business casual” outfit is a solid choice.

Dresses – while perfectly acceptable culturally – are probably not the best option when trying to keep your packing to a minimum. Pieces that you can swap out and combine in several ways are what you’ll want in case you do get vomited on, for instance.

Toiletries

The bathroom kit, which you’ll toss out before your flight home – to save weight and space. For this trip, both of you will want to use the same products.

1. •Razors and shaving cream
   

2. •Toothbrushes, toothpaste, Listerine Breath Strips
   

3. •Anti-perspirant (you can’t get it over there)
   

4. •Hand sanitizer, antibacterial ointment, cortisone itch cream, insect repellent wipes, wet wipes, lotion
   

5. •Cotton swabs, cotton balls, bandages, travel tissues
   

6. •Plastic zip-top bags (millions of uses)
   

7. •Shampoo, if you really want to. The hotels have the little bottles of free shampoo and conditioner, just like back home.
   

Other items – don’t throw out:

1. •Nail clippers, hairbrush, cosmetics
   

2. •Ibuprofen and acetominofen, stomach upset meds
   

3. •Necessary prescriptions – in their original packaging (be sure to get antibiotics during your travel clinic visit.)
   

Hotels do provide hair dryers. Don’t bring curlers or straighteners, as they pull too much electrical load for the wiring, plus, given the humidity in South China, are a waste of your time.

Items for your Child

This will be much more subjective based on your child’s age and developmental needs. It’s probably better to go with fewer items and pick up what feels right once you’ve met your child. (You may have noticed that they do make toys in China.) Also, the more you bring, the more you have to clean up and trip over each day.

1. •1-2 Manipulative toys, such as stacking blocks or Duplos
   

2. •1-2 stuffed animals
   

3. •1-2 picture books (a photo album is a good fill-in here)
   

4. •Blanket (keep in the carry-on bag; you’ll all be snuggling under it on the flight home. Airplanes tend to get cold.)
   

5. •Nesting bowls with tight snap or screw lids. (These do triple duty, as a game item, something to eat from, and as storage.)
   

6. •1-2 sets of bottles / sippy cups, depending on developmental needs
   

7. •Diaper bag, especially for day trips and shopping outings
   

Electronics and Media

1. •Camera, plus extra battery, charger, and a few memory cards. If you have a choice, pick a camera that is slim enough to slip into a pants pocket, but still has good resolution and video mode. SD cards are almost cheaper in the West and certainly easier for you to find.
   

2. •iPod plus charger/transfer cable. Your best bet for inflight entertainment, games at 2 am when you can’t sleep, and to show photos to fellow travelers and friendly locals.
   

3. •Laptop or netbook computer, if at all possible, plus power cord and LAN cable. You can’t count on universal Wi-Fi access, hotel business centers have fees, and nothing’s better for blogging to keep the folks back home in the loop.
   

4. •Notebook / 3-ring binder – with pockets to stow the receipts, tickets, government documents, and brochures you pick up during the trip. You want a place to consistently take notes and record ideas. This is also where you’ll want to keep your list of phone numbers and emergency contacts, eyeglasses prescription, and travel itinerary. 
   

There are as many list suggestions as there have been travelers, and we’ve linked to a few others to provide more perspectives. Balancing the desire to take “everything” against physical and economic constraints will always be a struggle for every family and every trip (half of what we took we didn’t use, while there were a few items we dearly wished we had brought), and there is no “perfect” way to pack.