Suitcases & Coffee | Senior Travel Tips for Europe

If you have ever traveled with your mom, you know there are two types of packers in this world: the minimalist, and…the “just in case” packer. My mom falls firmly in the second category.

Our first river cruise together was supposed to be all about the magic of Christmas markets, twinkling lights, and warm mugs of glühwein. Instead, the drama began before we even boarded the plane, when Mom rolled out a 28-inch suitcase that looked like it had been packed for a six-month expedition instead of a weeklong cruise.

She had pajamas for every night, outfits for every day plus extras “just in case”, four small flashlights, and enough travel-size toiletries to supply our entire ship deck. Her oversized purse could have doubled as carry-on luggage, and her backpack was so stuffed with flying essentials and medications that I was surprised she managed to carry it at all. The suitcase was so heavy that I honestly thought we might have to pay for an extra seat just to get it on the plane.

Of course, by the end of the trip, we had to buy an additional suitcase to haul back all the ornaments, chocolates, and souvenir Christmas market mugs she had collected along the way. If the original giant suitcase had been overstuffed, the new one was practically bursting at the seams before we even made it home.

That first cruise was our true learning trip. We discovered that cruise cabins do not have room for a 28-inch suitcase (let alone two of them), that packing for “every possible situation” just creates more problems than it solves, and that comfort and flexibility matter far more than matching pajama sets. Looking back, we laugh about the chaos, but at the time, I seriously wondered if we would ever master the art of packing light.

The truth is, traveling with Mom taught me that packing is as much about personality as practicality. She is always going to want more options, more back-ups, more “just in case.” And while I might roll my eyes, it also means we are never without a flashlight, a baby wipe, or an extra sweater when someone needs one.

💡 Tips from Mom’s Purse

• Leave the 28-inch suitcase at home — opt for a 25" rolling bag that is cobblestone ready

• Pack mix-and-match outfits instead of one for every day

• Skip the hair rollers — no one needs them after walking through a Christmas market drizzle

• Keep medications organized in a weekly pill case instead of scattered through a backpack