It’s time to go on a trip! You’ve booked your flight, paid for accommodations, and have an entire itinerary mapped out. But first you have to do the dreaded packing a suitcase chore. You can’t hop in the car and head to the airport without cute outfits and all the away-from-home necessities, right?
That’s right! So in this quick article, we’re going to give you some solid packing tips to consider before breaking out the duffel bag or carry-on case. We hope it makes the process easier for you. That way you don’t procrastinate the anxiety-provoking job of packing in the future.
Sprawl Clothes Out, Then Solidify Your Choices (Edit DOWN)
Open up your closet and think about all the outfit combinations you’ll want to have handy while on vacation. Questions like:
- Are you going to be active on the trip?
- Do you need comfy clothes?
- Anything fancy for a 5-star restaurant?
- Something warm to throw on if the temps get cool?
- Rain gear if you’re going to a spot that gets wet?
There are a million questions you could ask. Generally speaking, you just want to make sure you’re prepared for whatever is thrown your way. Activities, fancy outings, and weather forecasts alike.
That’s why we suggest thinking big at first. Take out 10-20 outfits and look at them on your bed. Pick and choose the options that suit your trip the best by the classic game of pro and con. For example, if you’re going to London (where it often rains and has cloudy skies), you’ll want to bring loose-fitting, comfy pants and a T-shirt. Best to avoid shorts and a crop top because the weather will rarely be in the 80s.
Make a List of Necessities
Whatever you do, do not leave it to chance. If you forget something that’s important, you may not have access to re-purchase it where you’re going. Or, it may be an item that can’t be bought (like a teddy bear that you sleep with at night, specific to when you were younger). Rare, but still possible.
That’s why we push making a list so that you don’t forget important items. Type it up on your phone or computer, or go old school and handwrite the thing.
Things to consider adding to the traveling inventory outside of clothes? Medications, chargers, sunscreen, makeup, sneakers, shower essentials, hot tools, jewelry, glasses and snacks, just to name a few. You can find a more extensive example here.
Wear Bulky Clothes on the Plane
You know those items that you don’t want to leave home without, but that take up a ton of room in your suitcase? A good example is a pillow that you can’t sleep without. Well, you can actually bring those directly on the plane as small carry-on items.
Additional examples include a sun hat, an umbrella, a winter jacket, layers of clothing, hiking boots, reading material, duty-free purchased items in the airport, and a camera bag.
The idea behind this suggestion is to pack lighter items in the actual checked luggage, like sandals. That’s where the swap of the flip flops for the hiking boots comes in.
Bundle Clothes Instead of Folding or Rolling
If you’ve never heard of it, go look it up right now. Bundling is the *new* and *improved* way to efficiently pack.
It requires you to stack shirts and pants on top of one another. Then, once all of your fabrics and linens are selected, you fold inward. That way when you reopen your suitcase, all you have to do is remove the bundle from the interior and set outfits out/hang them in the hotel closet. A great way to minimize major wrinkles and conserve space.
Stick to One Color Palette
Going all over the rainbow for outfits can pose a problem – whereas, if you stick to one color palette, you’re more apt to conserve space in the luggage. Why? Because now you have a bunch of mix-and-match pieces that can create various outfits.
A neutral palette is our favorite, but if you have a favorite color, you can always take a deep dive into “close” colors. An example? If you’re into greens, pack blues, too. The two colors generally mesh well together.
- Bring three pairs of shoes on the trip: 1 casual sandal, 1 sneaker, and 1 dress up shoe.
- Make your shoes house smaller items, like chargers, socks and sunglasses
- Purchase travel-size multitaskers like a tinted moisturizer (acts as lotion AND makeup)
- Use clothing as padding if you’re carrying anything fragile with you