Do You Have A Hard Time Packing For A Trip? Try These 5 Great Tips To Make Things Easier For You!

I love to travel and explore new places.  But, the thought of packing can be overwhelming especially if you are going to an unfamiliar place.  I must admit that my history of packing is subpar to say the least.  As a matter of fact, most of the time my family just points and laughs at me when I roll out my rather large (as they would put it, massive and jumbo) suitcase.  Well, I am getting better and I have learned some helpful packing tips that I will share with you… I am a work in progress.

1.) Make a packing list.

a. First check the weather of your destination. (if you are traveling overseas, there are recommended packing lists if you Google them; as an example, Iceland Packing List).  Also, consider the activities you will be participating in.

b. I go through the motions of getting ready in the morning and write down all the toiletries I would use.  Creating a packing list may be considered silly, but it works for me so that I do not forget anything.

c. Pack neutrals or stay within a certain color palette.  This makes it easier to mix and match items.  However, if it’s just a fun weekend in the city, I tend to be a little more creative with my shoes and accessories.

2.) Purchase Cubes!  These have been my saving grace.  At first, I was skeptical but once I used these cubes from Eagle Creek on my trip to Petoskey, I really started to liked them.  These cubes are great for organizing clothing, separating dirty clothes from clean and helping your clothes get less wrinkles.  They are worth the investment and easy to wash.

3.) Ziplock bags are the best. It is easy to keep items like jewelry, phone chargers, camera chargers, headphones, and car keys all in different size ziplock bags.  They have sizes ranging from snack size to gallon size.  Using a ziplock bag is also a great way to travel with liquids, just in case something opens up it will not get all over your suitcase.

4.) Fill the dead space.  Use every inch of  space that you have.  I suggest tucking socks, jewelry, belts etc. inside your shoes.  Any small items will work.  Shoes can smell up an entire suitcase if they are sweaty!  Yuck!  I like to use the cotton bags that my new shoes come packaged in or buy some shoe compartments from Eagle Creek.

5.) Stay fresh.  If I’m on a longer trip, I put a fabric sheet or two in my bag.  Your clothes will smell fresh throughout your travel.  I know Crabtree and Evelyn have some beautifully scented drawer liners that will also keep your clothes smelling fresh.

A couple of last tips:  When packing your carry on luggage pack a change of clothes, your bathing suit and any medications you take.  If your luggage were to get lost, this would prevent you from missing out on valuable vacation time while waiting for your luggage to arrive.  Here is a packing tip on how to avoid being robbed.  Take an empty sun tan lotion container and fill it with money, credit cards or keys.  This is an inconspicuous way to keep your valuables safe and to help you feel comfortable leaving them on the beach or in your hotel room.  I hope these packing tips help and you enjoy your vacation!