Whether you’re heading on a vacation, or a business trip, packing can be a real pain. Are you taking too much? Is the luggage to heavy? Have I got everything I need? Where did I put my passport? And that’s all before you’ve even left the house!
I’m sure we’ve all got stories to tell about the nightmare that can be ‘packing’. But let’s try and help each other out.
Please share with us any tips or advice you have about packing.
Use the comments box below to share your packing techniques. We’d all be very grateful…
The best tip we can give is to be sure all the clothes you pack are mix and match. In other words every top you pack you should be able to wear it with every skirt, jacket and pants that is in your suit case.
Ladies be sure to pack a few of those large scarfs they can be used to dress up an outfit and also add warmth should the weather turn cold.
I use a 22″ carry on with spinner wheels and one small tote. I fold clothes in packets. See Packing Lite website Folded in clothes take much less space than rolling and less wrinkles. I traveled for 10 days in the UK with no trouble. Three pairs of shoes, two dresses, 10 pairs of slacks, 10 or more tops, wool sweater, rain coat, jacket, non disposable underwear and bras, sleep wear and robe, toiletry items. I carried laundry soap in packets but didn’t need it. Folding in the clothes in the suitcase is the answer, just view the video.
Lots of good suggestions! I just returned from our 25th anniversary cruise on the small Wind Surf ship (but the largest sailing vessel in the world) from Greece up the Dalmation coast (Croatia) ending in Venecia. I’ve traveled for years all over the world and there are three things I seem to keep coming back to: rolling clothes definitely helps decrease the wrinkles, but if you are bringing something a little delicate or fancy for a special evening, roll it in a used dry cleaning bag! Something about the static electricity from that bag and it being in constant motion, really eliminates the wrinkles.
Second: plan to buy a cheap duffel in one of the last ports of call or days on your itinerary. Make room to carefully pack all those special purchases into your fortified strong luggage, by tossing all your shoes and dirty clothes in the duffel. Your allowed to check two bags at most airlines. So, one going, two returning. Lastly, You ladies out there! Look into purchasing the Lay ‘n Go by Cosmo makeup bag. It is unbelievable! the pouch, when the drawstring is pulled loose, lays out like a big dinner plate … revealing all the products at a glance. When your done, instead of all that “stuff” getting spread out all over every bathroom countertop each time you check into to a new room, you just draw the pouch up tight and store it out of site!
I went on a photo safari to the Serengeti. Obviously, lots of things that needed charging, but very few plugs. Worse, many times the generators went off at 9 PM, so have to get everything charged as quickly as possible.
Suggestion- pack extension cords and AC adapters.
Just got back from a 3 week trip to Cabo San Lucas and La Paz Mexico. Nothing but carry on. Got a great roll on with wheels that is weather resistant and lot’s of pouches for scuba fins and stuff. All fit well in the overhead as one piece. West Marine in the US sells these bags. Additionally, got a waterproof backpack that went swimming with me a few times. No problems. Clothes – with all this new light weight fabric, easy to take all you need including some night on the town stuff for Cabo! ISAT which worked flawlessly in very remote parts of the Sea of Cortez and the Pacific ocean. GoPRO!! amazing camera. two sets of flip flops. Passport in a waterproof holder around my neck worked great, also West Marine and a pair of Sperry boat shoes, and don’t forget a Buff headware. Hope this helps. Happy trails!!
Packing cubes are the best! I like separating shirts, pants, socks, underwear into separate cubes, and if TSA ever opens your suitcase, at least things won’t fall out. I also roll everything (shirts, shorts, pants, etc.) to reduce wrinkling and then I can see each item rather than having a stack of things to dig through. I always bring a large (very large) zip lock bag to hold wet or very dirty clothes if necessary. I also bring a large waterproof tote that compacts and zips into it’s own pocket, about 5″x4″x1″. It doesn’t take up much room, but if I need a bag for carrying souvenirs or whatnot, it’s there. Also makes a good beach bag. I also love my battery powered travel toothbrush with it’s own cover, and it’s the kind that won’t accidentally turn on in your bag. One last thing I love is the Schick razor I have that has shaving gel already on the razor head, which eliminates the need for a can of shaving gel, and it comes with its own travel cover.
I generally use lots of micro fiber dryfit clothing, great for moisture wicking …. no cotton if you’re going to be especially active. They’re light weight, don’t wrinkle and dry in hours. Convertible hiking pants are also handy. I once spent 16 days in China with two pairs of dryfit underwear, wash it out at day’s end and it’s ready next morning.
Many years ago,1997,I had the great fortune of purchasing an expandable backpack w/wheels made of soft leather for $14.99. I had been traveling with this backpack eversince along with my other backpack for misc things. In my pack I put 1 underwear, 1 sock, 1 bra, a very lightweight slippers, lightweight robe,1 pair of jeans, 3 lightweight permanent press blouses, 1 black stockings, 1 basic light black dress, multi-purpose accessories: jewelry, scarf, etc.,1 pair of evening wear shoes, sets of small makeup, travel toiletries,& a portable clothes line. 1 power strip converter,iphone w/mobal int’l sim,camera,ipad,kindle & cords,& 2 SD cards 16 or 32GB. I wash clothes everyday. I buy small souvenirs that can easily fit into my backpack.The clothes are rolled for more space. Since my back packs are small,I don’t check in any luggage. For traveling, I wear lightweight pants and shirt and my schetcher. I have gone on a cruise in big ships or river cruises w/my two backpacks. It’s lightweight, and it reminds me not to go crazy when shopping. For big items, I have them shipped: DHL or FedEx, but very rarely. Most of all I enjoy my mobal sim card–it is so convenient.
I’m somewhere between minimal and excess packing, When I’m flying, I meeti the maximum weight allowied for checked baggage. I usually pack some basic clothing and an extra pair of shoes with small objects packed in the shoes. I pack rechargeable batteries and a charger, and chargers for my iPhone and/or iPad and/or computer. I pack interface cables and electrical adapters as necessary. Then I pack my battery powered toothbrush and my oral irrigator. Slippers and b-robe are often needed. Disposable underwear don’t add much weight or take up much space. Then I pack clothes until I reach the weight limits.
I buy a couple of outfits in a Thrift Store and then if I end up with too many purchases, I drop off the clothes at a UK thrift store. I usually go for a 2 week trip and never take more than one small suitcase as I am 82 and can’t carry any more.
Pack a sturdy piece of kitchen plastic ware in your luggage. You can fill it with liquids, etc for the trip to wherever you are going and have it to pack breakable souvenirs on the way back if needed.
ZipLok Bags, and shower caps: Shower caps for my shoes. I buy cheap ones and cover my shoes in the cap. They usually last one or two trips, but are cheap, light weight and protect my clothing. Zip lok bags, I prefer Hefty zips. All sizes, Quarts for TSA inspections, other sizes for that sweater or blouse with sequins so it does not catch on anything else. Snack size for medications, packaging creams in checked luggage. Sure beats taking bottles which take up too much space.
My wife, daughter and I went to Spain and Portugal for 10 days in June. We each had a fit under the seat or in the overhead. One bag each. Plenty of clothes if packed properly. Take only one no more than two (for the girls) pair of shoes. They take too much room. We still had some room to bring back the few items we purchased.
I use ziplock bags to pack everything. Like items go together; I always know where to find something. Also, TSA can search my bag without taking everything apart. Take a few extras with you, they come in very handy.
Put everything into zip loc bags. Leaving a little air in the bag helps keep wrinkles to a minimum. things like under ware can be crammed into smaller zip locs. This is particularly handy when you are traveling from place to place and may be living out of a suitcase. Just toss the bags out when you arrive and back into the suit case when you are packing up to leave. Leaving the dirty clothes out of the zip locs makes it easy to tell what is what. The “little air” that was left in each bag will give you some extra space to bring home all those souvenirs you purchase!
It’s Ed BTW not Es
This is probably in insight into the obvious but I recently bought a carry-on bag with four wheels. It really makes getting thought the airport or train station easier and you will be amazed at how much you can put in to a bag. I also don’t take a lot of outfits with me. Nobody cares if you wear the same pair of slacks three days in a row. Also one pair of walking shoes and one air of dress shoes… pack one. Think of staying away from the carousel I wish I had those hours back. And of course get a Mobal phone so you don’t have to waste time when you get tot y our destination trying to rent a phone or a SIM card.
Right now I’m preparing for my month long trip in the US – the golden rule – pack clothes for a week, as I can do laundry wherever I go…and if I don’t pack something, I’ll just buy it 🙂