Congratulations! You’ve made plans for a getaway. Whether it’s out with your friends for a weekend, a 7-day cruise or some time back at home – you’re going to need to pack. It’s only a long and annoying process if you don’t know what you’re doing, especially if you decide to pack the night before you leave. Here are some tips to help you pack more efficiently.
Divide and conquer.
If you’re traveling with a friend, don’t be shy about sharing. You’ll just be taking up extra space if both of you bring things like shampoo, sunscreen, and a hairdryer. The best thing to do beforehand is to get together and create a list of what each of you need to pack. If you have items that coincide, decide who should bring what. Not only do you save space, but you save weight too.
Know the weather and plan your outfits.
Don’t make packing a guessing game. Look up the weather and you’ll know whether you’re packing sweaters or tank tops. You’ll also know ahead of time if you’ll need a raincoat, boots, mittens, or a hat.
With this information, you can also plan out each of your outfits in advance. If you know what you’re going to wear ahead of time, you avoid bringing more or less clothing than you need.
If you’re still unsure about what you’re going to wear, in any situation it’s best to invest in a lot of light layers – you can take some off if you’re hot, or put more on if you’re cool. You can also mix and match them for more outfit possibilities.
Packing list
As much as I want to help you with general packing here, let’s be real – packing for the Himalayas and packing for Jamaica would result in two lengthy and completely different articles. If you’re going on an “out-there” trip, or if you just want to double check that you’ve got everything, it’s a good idea to check out a packing list – you can easily find them online.
You can search for a list specific to where you’re going, or you can consult a universal packing list like this one.
Here, you enter specific information, like the temperature of your location, what activities you plan on doing and the transportation you will be using. The site will then generate a list of things you will need to pack based on your choices.
Know how to organize your suitcase
The inside of your suitcase can hold a lot more than you expect if you utilize it correctly. For starters, keep the heavy stuff on the bottom and place your nice clothes on top. It would also help to separate your clothes as you pack, like putting shirts in one pile and jeans in another.
Pack your shoes in the sides of the suitcase, but put them in plastic bags so nothing gets dirty (you can also put small items or even socks inside your shoes if necessary).
If your suitcase has separate pockets on the inside, keep your underwear and socks there –you need them to be easily accessible. This way they’re all in one place and you’re not digging through all of your clothes to reach them.
As far as non-clothing items go, place delicate objects near the middle, and wrap them in a shirt if necessary. If you’re planning on shopping, don’t forget to save a little space for anything you buy – this includes more clothes or souvenir items for friends and family.
Invest in travel-size
Lastly, don’t forget your toiletries, and keep them small. Travel-sized toothpaste, mouthwash and deodorant will get the job done and take up way less space than normal-sized toiletries.
