Travel Packing Tips
by Lori Havrilla
Love to travel but hate to pack? Was that a resounding YES? Of course it was. Here are a few travel packing tips to make the process a little less daunting.
ü Plan ahead. Check the weather at your destination for the dates of your travel. Check with your travel companion if you have one to see what they’re packing (yes, it’s kind of like asking someone else what their ordering from the menu before you decide on your order). Make a list of essential items to pack.
ü Check please. You’ll feel very accomplished if you check off the items on your list as you get them out and place them on your bed. Be sure you’ve included clothing, toiletries, emergency sewing kit, medications, travel documents and hair accessories. (Don’t forget the hairbrushes, flat irons, hair clips, mousses and gels ladies. You don’t want a dream vacation with a bad case of the frizzies!)
ü Paper or plastic? To keep your clothes from getting dirty, put your shoes in plastic grocery bags (a good way to recycle and reuse them, right?) and your toiletries or any other liquid or creamy item in plastic bags with zipper closures. Freezer bags and sandwich baggies work just fine. Cabin pressure in airplanes tends to make things explode (I’m speaking from previous experience with a suitcase full of clothes that were well-conditioned with my bottle of hair conditioner).
ü Look before you leap. Take a thoughtful look at all you’ve put out on your bed and now try to downsize. Simply ask yourself a few questions. Do you really need all those outfits or could you do a little more mixing and matching to trim down the wardrobe? Are there some articles of clothing that you can wear more than once? Will anyone care if you wear the same pajamas for a week? Will there be free toiletries at your hotel that you don’t mind using? (I’m very picky about my shampoo and hair conditioner, but not so much about soap, body wash and moisturizing lotions). Will the hotel have a hair dryer and iron?
ü Rock and roll. You will fit more in your suitcase and have fewer wrinkles if you roll your clothes instead of folding them. Do this will all your items except underwear and formal wear (which you’ll want to put in a garment bag.
ü One layer at a time. Now it’s time to load up the suitcase. Put shoes in first. Fill in the gaps with underwear and other small items (bathing suits, etc.). Add layers of rolled clothing so that you can fit as much as possible in one bag. Put bags of toiletries and other items in the cracks and crevices. Pack tight. Books can be packed in the outer compartments to create a shell-like protection.
ü Be safe and smart. Check with your airline carrier prior to packing for updates on carry-on items (there’s not much you can carry on these days). Do not, I repeat, do not put any valuables in your checked luggage. Just assume that they will be damaged or stolen. Better safe than sorry on this one. Also, imagine King Kong tossing your luggage off the Empire State Building. The baggage handling processes has similar effects on your luggage. Pack like your luggage is going to be kicked all the way to your destination.
ü Carry on as normal. Take an extra set of clothes, underwear and a toothbrush in your carry-on bag. No one wants to arrive at their travel destination without their bags having made the same trip, but it happens. Being able to freshen up and change clothes will make this more bearable.
ü Get it when you get there. If there are any items you’ve forgotten, you most likely can purchase them when you get there. So what if they’re a little pricier. You didn’t go on vacation to stress out.
I hope these few tips help you get ready for your next adventure. I’ve been on many adventures and can tell you from experience that I never really used half the stuff I packed. My happiest trips were ones that I took with no more than a big backpack and some sunscreen. (Okay, I didn’t really use sunscreen back then, but I would today.)
Happy packing and happy travels!