A packing list for a family of six is not a packing list for two people multiplied by three. You have overlapping items (sunscreen, first aid), per-person items that scale linearly (clothes), and shared gear that only one person carries (portable charger, travel umbrella). Treating them the same is where most large-family lists fall apart.
The Master List Structure
Divide your list into three sections: Shared Family Items (one per family, packed by a parent), Per-Person Clothing (with columns for each child), and Per-Person Essentials (medications, comfort items, documents). Using a spreadsheet with one column per family member makes it easy to check each person off independently rather than trying to remember five children's needs in sequence.
Shared: first aid kit, sunscreen, portable charger, travel adapter, snacks
Per-person clothing: listed by day, not item count
Per-person essentials: prescription medications, comfort items, ID/passport
The Pack-4-Days, Do-Laundry Rule
For any trip longer than four days, pack four days of clothes per person and plan one laundry day. This rule cuts luggage weight nearly in half on a ten-day trip compared to packing for every day. Laundromats in Europe and most US destinations are easy to find. Many vacation rentals have washers. Even a hotel sink wash works for underwear and socks.
The rule requires choosing clothes that dry overnight and do not wrinkle badly. Synthetic fabrics (merino wool, nylon blend) work better than cotton for this reason. Each child gets four outfits plus one "nice" outfit for restaurants or events.
Items Large Families Consistently Forget
After surveying families of five or more in our community, these are the most commonly forgotten items: power strips with USB ports (one strip serves six devices), a small portable scale to weigh bags at the destination before the return flight, a family-size pill organizer to separate each child's vitamins and medications by day, and a lightweight mesh laundry bag per person so dirty clothes stay separated in shared suitcases.
Scaling the List to 7 or 8 People
For families of seven or eight, the shared items do not change significantly but the per-person columns grow. The more important adjustment is the bag math: confirm you have enough hands to carry your bags through a long connection before you leave home. A family of eight with six carry-ons and two checked bags needs at least four adults or older teens who can manage bags independently.
