Anytime is a great time for travel. Whether you’re going on a short weekend trip by bus to a nearby city or on a six-month journey by plane, train and automobile exploring a continent or two – packing right can have a huge positive (or negative) effect on your overall trip. Here are some tips to do it well.
1. Be Space Smart
Everyone from Girl Scouts to travel experts agree: rolling your clothing is better than folding. Rolled clothing takes up less space and tends to wrinkle less. Stuff your shoes with your socks, and stack bras on atop the other – it will help both of them to hold their shape while making the most of your space.
2. Keep Essentials Close
Your passport, cash, credit cards medications, eyeglasses – any must-have that can’t be easily replaced - should stay with you at all times. Keep these items in your purse or carry on. Then, if your bags end up in Iceland while you’re in Aruba, you’ll be set with the basics.
3. Make a List
And check it twice. If you’re serious about having everything you need, there’s no way around it. Stay classic with a pen and paper, or better yet, download one of the many free apps like PackPoint, TravelButler or TripList to help you plan things out based on the weather at your destination and the type of trip you’re taking.
4. Watch that Weight
If you’re flying, be sure to look up the weight and size limit for your bag. Don’t be that person stuck re-packing bags at the check-in gate – or worse, getting slapped with an extra weight charge.
5. Think Multi-Purpose Pieces
A scarf can cover your eyes for a snooze on the plane, and accessorize an outfit. Pants that can zip into shorts. Leggings that can double as tights. These items can save precious space – all the more room for souvenirs.
6. Choose the Right Bag
A bag can be your friend or nemesis. Be sure you choose the right one for your mode of transportation and your physical ability. Quality counts, too. A broken zipper can mean lost items, and an afternoon spent in a luggage store when you should be out seeing the sights. Samsonite, Tumi and Delsey are renowned brands, or browse the selection at Irvs.
7. Carry a Travel Cup
Traveling is thirsty business. Why pay $5 for a plastic bottle of water (or even more in some hotels) when you can refill your own for free? If traveling by air, pour the water out at TSA check and refill it at a water-fountain on the other side.
8. Organize It
During travel, your belongings can get pretty jumbled up. Nobody wants to spend precious vacation time folding and refolding. Use packing cubes or even Ziploc bags to keep things tidy.
9. Carry Plastic
We’re talking bags. Smush several sizes – from a kitchen trash bag to grocery bags to Ziplocs – into your bag. Use them to transport wet items, dirty shoes, or protect your items from downpours.
10. Care for Liquids, Creams and Gels
Keep toiletries well wrapped in separate plastic bags. If they break, pop open or leak, you’ll lessen the damage to surrounding clothing. If you’re traveling by air, be sure to check for the latest carry-on regulations – they change frequently. Check Walmart or Target for travel-sized essentials that you can pop into a leak proof bag.
11. Tame the Tangles
Store power cords and cables in toiletry bags or glasses cases to keep them untangled. This also makes it easy to quickly pull them out of your bag, without your other contents trailing along as well.
12. Wash on the Road
Whether it’s in a hotel room sink or a launderette, laundering while traveling will stretch your wardrobe out considerably. Best bet - bring along a travel-sized pack of detergent.
