Our Essential Family Packing List For Moving Abroad To Spain
After gathering all the paperwork and applying for your long-term visa (and waiting impatiently for an answer), you finally received the “Your visa has been approved” email. Yassss! This is happening! Time to start packing. Welcome to expat life! Now you have another challenge: how to fit your life in 2 suitcases?
This entire task took about a month for us. We started with packing winter clothing because it was an easy thing to pack since it was summer! But the closer you get to the moving date, the harder it can be without an intentional packing checklist for moving abroad.
In hopes our experience will help you figure out what to pack for an international move, I’ll share with you our family’s ultimate packing list for moving to Spain.
I swear, we started off packing so many things that we wanted to bring with us to Spain. Given the weight (50 lbs. per bag) and space limit, we ended assessing what was truly essential and ended up removing a lot from our belongings. We wanted to avoid any extra cost and it didn’t make sense to bring cheap replaceable items. A very scrutinized checklist will help you pack everything you’ll need for your international move. We made a minimalistic “moving abroad packing checklist.”
So, why 2 suitcases? If you are moving to a new country and living abroad on a budget like we did, you want to pack light. We decided to downsize by selling or donating most of our belongings before moving abroad to avoid the cost (and headache) of shipping our goods overseas.
We flew Delta Airlines, and at the time of our move, August 2022, Delta allowed 2 checked bags per passenger for international travel. So for our family of 3 plus a small dog, we were able to travel with 6 bags. Oh, and we used all the space in every one of them!
Space Saving tip: When packing our clothes, we used vacuum bags to fit the most. We saved so much space using (Amazon link). It does wonders keeping clothes flat.
Useful Packing tip: If you don’t have enough pieces of luggage, before running to buy new ones, try your local Goodwill store. They may have bags that are just good enough to make it for your international relocation. Also if buying vacuum bags is not in the budget, try rolling your clothes to create more space.
Our Packing List For Our Move Abroad - Essential Packing Tips / Packing Checklist
Now, the real challenge begins! Besides packing your personal items and important documents, assess the things you use the most in your day-to-day life, and check if those are easy and affordable to find in the country you are moving to.
If the answer is “No”, make space for it. For us our list looked like this:
Medicine: Alka-seltzer tabs, Advils, kids allergy medicine, band-aids and at-home Covid tests;
Clothes and shoes, don’t forget to pack for all seasons:
Workout clothes
Loungewear
Jeans
Joggers
Tops
Dresses
Suits
Underwear
Socks
Shoes
Pajamas
- Items like accessories (jewelry, favorite headbands, watch)
- Miscellaneous: 2 Reusable produce bags, cheesecloth (I use it to make oat milk), gratitude journal
Educational books for our son (at that time soon to be 1st grader) we packed 2 “Summer Bridge” transitional learning books: K to 1st grade, and 1st grade to 2nd grade. This way we could keep up with the USA curriculum in case we ever had to go back. We packed as well English story/reading books to continue fostering the language.
Doggy items: heart-worm pills, winter coats, thunder vest (extremely needed, especially if you are moving to Valencia.);
Sentimental items: a few printed family pictures, 4 meaningful books (mine and Mario’s, 2 each) and our polaroid camera;
Food items that are hard to find or not available in Spain. For us it’s Cream of rice and Tostito dipping cheese. LOL!
Tech gadgets: European travel plug adapter, chargers, portable speakers, PlayStation, router;
Extra backpacks, including one waterproof backpack for our future travels in Europe;
Tip: Avoid using an adapter for your day-to-day tech gadgets and devices. Instead, buy power cords (cable de alimentación) for your devices in your new country.
Space Saving tip: Use the space in your sneakers and boots to store your jewelry and other small items. Simply place them in the fabric jewelry pouch, and place the pouch inside the shoes.
I believe this is everything you need to pack before relocating abroad. Whether it’s bring everything, pack the essentials, or get multiple packing cubes, you can choose your own moving abroad process.
Moving Abroad With A Family - Things To Bring With You In Your Carry-on
Besides traveling with 6 suitcases, we took 2 carry-on bags. Technically, every passenger is allowed to travel onboard with one personal item and a carry-on, but given that we were traveling with our small-sized adult dog, we had to give up on taking a third carry-on.
Our flight arrived in Madrid, and our final destination was Valencia. From Madrid to Valencia we took the AVE (high speed train) that connects Madrid and Valencia in just 1:30hr. Once in Madrid we planned to send 4 of our 6 big luggage via Correos to our Valencia Airbnb. We paid 20€ per bag, and it was so worth it as we traveled lighter in the train.
Traveling light from Madrid to your final destination: Once you collect all your bags in Madrid, you can ship your bags to your final Spanish city with Correos. This is helpful when you are traveling to your new city by train where luggage bins are limited.
Given that most of our belongings were dropped off at Correos to be shipped to us in Valencia, we had to make decisions on what to bring with us in our carry-ons for a period of 3 days, although our bags arrived the next day. So if you are planning to use this option as well, you’ll want to pack what you will be needing for the next 2-3 days.
Here’s our carry-on packing list:
Documents:
Passports
Visa documents
Pet traveling documents (APHIS USDA international health certificate, rabies vaccination certificate, pet vet record, etc)
Health insurance card (or App)
Birth certificates
ID cards
Credit cards
Euros, just enough to get you around in case some places/taxis don’t take credit cards;
Dog food, enough to snack on the plane and eat the following day;
Dog travel water bottle;
Clothes for 2-3 days;
Headphones;
Phone chargers;
Power adapters;
SIM card removal tool;
Fully charged portable chargers (2);
Laptop computer;
iPad with your favorite downloads;
- Flip flap phone and tablet holder;
- Snacks for the ride;
Disinfecting wipes and hand sanitizer/alcohol;
Empty insulated water bottles to fill with water before boarding the airplane;
Extra face masks (Yep, COVID times!)
Toiletries, just enough to cover for a few days/month. One thing I love when traveling is buying beauty products from the countries we visit. And Spain has a great variety of good quality beauty products. So for us it looked like:
Toothbrush
Toothpaste
3 oz perfume
Face wash
Face lotion
Eye cream
What Should You Not Pack When Going Abroad?
Honestly, it is very hard to know what you need to take when moving!
When moving overseas, it is important to be mindful of what you pack. Many people make the mistake of bringing too many unnecessary items with them, which can be burdensome for their move.
It is best to only bring necessary items that are essential for your upcoming move and keep your baggage light. Anything that you can buy at your destination or that is not absolutely necessary, don’t pack it.
This includes bulky electronics, blankets, towels or pillows. These items end up taking unnecessary space in your luggage. If you have limited space in your suitcase, try to choose versatile items that can serve multiple purposes.
Additionally, try to research any restrictions on what you are allowed to bring into the country before packing so that you do not end up bringing any prohibited items which could get confiscated at customs.
You Still Have Some Extra Space In Your Bags And Have The Luxury To Utilize It?
Lucky you! That’s some real estate right there. LOL! In that case let me share with you things I wished I packed when moving abroad.
Let me be clear. Almost everything that we have in the US, it’s widely available here in Spain. So keep in mind this list is more of a personal “want” than a “need”.
- Picture frames: They don’t take much space in your bags, and are a bit high-priced in Valencia. One of the first things I wanted to buy when we finally moved to our new place in Valencia was picture frames. I went shopping to a few home goods stores (including El Corte Inglés, of course!), and the average picture frame price was 15€. I remember when living in the US going to HomeGoods, Marshalls, TJ Max or Ross, and buying super cute picture frames at an affordable price.
Don’t get me wrong, I love Ikea, but I’m a sucker for unique and eccentric picture frames and I think the ones available at Ikea are too simple and not the best quality.
- Extra winter clothes: I totally underestimated the winter in Valencia. When packing, I never thought I would need heavy winter clothes for some winter days. Valencia could get as cold as 30°F (-1 °C) in a February winter morning. I wish I brought an extra coat.
- Manual kitchen tools: Yes, you can get these at Ikea and bazar stores, but for me quality is key. And since we use these on a daily basis, I rather invest in long-lasting kitchen tools. Given I had these tools already at home (not buying them to bring to Spain), I wish I brought my:
- garlic press
- silicone baking mold
- measuring cups
- pizza cutter
- spatula
- potato peeler
- Command damage-free adhesive picture hanging strips and hooks: Nails are not an option for us since we are renting our place from a very difficult landlord. The adhesive hanging strips we bought here at the bazars don’t really hold up well (we almost lost a sentimental art piece because it fell off, luckily on a chair).
When my father-in-law came to visit over the holidays, we asked him to bring the Command adhesive strips, and so far it has been holding up well.
- Kids toys: One of things we had to leave back home were our son’s toys. That was a tough negotiation with him, but we agreed to give him a small allowance (based on my toy shopping experience in the US) to go toy shopping in Valencia. Jeez!, that allowance was not even close to 3 toys. We learned toys are a bit expensive in Spain. I wish I brought a few at least. You don’t have to bring toys, but hopefully this will help you know what to pack (bringing toys vs buying toys here) as you are making your moving abroad packing list.
- Clothes that I love, but needed repairs: One of the best things Valencia has (and I’m sure the rest of Spain) is affordable tailor shops. Repairing your clothes in the US is quite expensive. If you are not handy in this department, sometimes it may be cheaper to buy new instead of repairing what you already own. Repairing your clothes in Spain is very affordable. For as low as 3€/per fix, I have repaired some pieces and have extended it’s life.
The latter applies for pretty much everything, from electronics to shopping carts. In Spain the culture is all about repairing before replacing.
What Am I Forgetting To Pack For Europe?
When packing for a move abroad to Europe, there are many things to remember. With that being said here are the key items I always put at the top of my list.
Consider bringing extra layers of clothing in case of cold weather, a power adapter for foreign outlets, any prescription medications you might need, and a first aid kit in case of minor accidents or illnesses.
Also make sure to bring your passport and any other identification documents required for your destination country. With these essentials packed securely, you can rest assured that you are ready for your European adventure!
Did You Know You Can Check Plastic Storage Tubs As Luggage?
If you are packing to move to another country for relocation, did you know that you can check plastic storage tubs as luggage?
This is a great option if you are trying to save money on your move, as it is usually cheaper than buying new suitcases or bags.
You can also use the plastic tubs to store items when you arrive at your new country, making them even more useful. Just make sure that the contents of the tubs are packed securely and that any loose items are wrapped so as not to shift during transport.
This was a complete shock to me and when we went back to the United States to grab remaining items, this is exactly what we did. We added a little bit of tape to the storage tubs and it worked like a charm! With this cost-effective solution, moving abroad has never been easier!
I hope this moving (traveling or living) checklist, will help you on your relocation journey. It is very tough to evaluate what things to pack when moving! Once you have decided to move abroad, start making that list, and pack your bags!!!
