At home, we don’t need packing tips. We have the luxury of closets, dresser drawers full of options, shoe racks, baskets of caps and hats… out there… on the road, we have no such luxuries.
Packing for a trip requires a certain degree of forethought and planning. What will the weather be like? What does our itinerary look like? What are some of the comforts of home we might really miss? For me, that’s an easy one… SLIPPERS.
Let’s pack for this trip!
I used to subscribe to the thought “If it doesn’t fit, sit on it!”… that just doesn’t make sense to me anymore. I’ve learned that often, less IS more.
First of all, what sort of trip is it? Once you get to your destination, are you shuttling straight to a hotel or resort where you can unpack and stay for the whole time? Are you arriving at your destination only to truly begin the journey and will be constantly changing locations, hotels, modes of transportation? These are two very different types of trips that support very different packing methods. Also… fees are forever changing at the airport for luggage. Recently we realized it was going to be cheaper to pay for ONE checked bag between the two of us that TWO carry-on bags. Look at all options. Now that some airlines are charging for carry-ons, it may be better to share and check! For
If you are a suitcase kinda traveler… that’s great! You have your comfort zone and I’m not here to talk you out of it! The luxury of having the room to bring pretty well whatever you want takes the pressure off preparing for your trip! I still like keeping a little room in that case for souvenirs and treasures you might find along the way (I once bought a SINK on a trip to Mexico…. Not even kidding.
My sweet boyfriend carried it home on his lap on the plane! I tell you this because I am a souvenir-
—I like compression sacs. I like them for a few reasons…
1- They pack down tightly, shriveling your clothes into tight, compact bundles, saving a ton of space.
2- They keep my clothes separated into categories for easy sorting (shirts, skirts, shorts, undergarments, etc). Nothing wrong with being organized!
3- Once at your destination, they keep your dirty stuff away from your clean stuff!
—Subscribe to rolling. Rolling clothes saves a ton of space. You can easily put a rolled up swimsuit into a shoe that is otherwise just sitting empty taking up valuable
—Shoes take up the most room and often cause us our biggest headaches when packing. There’s no magic answer, except to pack as few as your itinerary will allow! Wear your bulky boots on the plane so your suitcase is home to the flattened out flip flops and low profile tennis shoes. Remember to look ahead at your itinerary. There may be an excursion you’ll be taking part in that may require closed toe shoes. Need to dress up on occasion but have no room for heels? Silky Toes shoes are folding flats that can be dressed up or down and run you about 10 bucks on Amazon.
—Plan to do laundry while away if you need to. Even if just an item or two in the sink! You may find you won’t need to, but the option is always there!
—Make a list or lay it all out first. Sometimes a certain top requires a certain undergarment… you don’t want to show up with one but not the other!
— Look for dual purpose garments. Maybe that shirt you’re going hiking in can actually be the collared button-down shirt required for dinner. Try packing a pair of pants that turn into shorts, a belt that holds money and documents or a jacket that doubles as a travel pillow. Speaking of jackets, if you’re wearing one on the plane choose one that has a lot of pockets, that alone sort of doubles as a carry-on.
—Layer. Wear them, pack in them. You will be able to jet-set through multiple climates if you layer your clothing. Also, TSA requests layering shoes, clothes, electronics, one layer at a time in order to quickly screen your luggage at a glance. Happy TSA agents, happy Travellers!
—If you have your items laid out in from of you before you pack them, you can see how many garments you can mix and match to make different outfits. Stick to solid colors as much as you can. A plaid shirt with striped shorts screams “I am working with a limited wardrobe here folks… I’m sorry!” Ladies, use that wrap you packed for the beach to wear with that sundress to dinner. Also, I like to pack a pair of leggings to sleep in but to also to have if the urge to work out on vacation strikes me. They are a must for lounging, just like my slippers (
Let’s unpack this:
There are two types of travelers in this world, ones who pack light… and ones who wished they did. The best trips start long before you actually hit the road! If you wait until last
Regardless if you are a suitcase traveler or an engineer striving to fit it all into a carry-on, leaving a bit of room is essential. Be it for last minute items you think of or items you will pick up along the way, you won’t ever regret saving some space (and your back will thank you too!)
Make use of that allowable “personal item” on the plane. Even if you have a carryon bag, you are allowed a personal item. Men and women. Don’t waste that opportunity on a tiny purse! Toss that tiny purse into a bigger tote or backpack that still fits under the seat in front of you. Or use a soft-sided cooler bag to pack full of items you want with you (iPad, snacks, earphones, neck pillow, medications)… then once at your destination, you have a cooler bag for the beach or road trips! Whatever you do, make use of that personal item allotment. It just has to fit under the seat in from of you. Check your airline’s guidelines and go ahead and push it to that limit!
You will want to buy some items along the way. T-shirts, sweatshirts, hats… something to remember your trip by. Remember this important packing tip. Less is more. Less is more. Less is more. Say it with me. For tips on carry-on packing check out the link below.
