Should You Pack the Kitchen Sink?

7 Travel Pro Packing Tips and Tricks

You’re so excited to go on this trip for a little R&R that you just can’t decide what to take. After all, you want to be prepared for everything right?

Not really. Seriously – you don’t want to exhaust yourself hauling unnecessary weight in your luggage. Not to mention, airlines keep getting stricter (and fee crazy) with their baggage policies.

Here are 7 travel pro tips for making the most of the room in your suitcase.

1. Check the weather forecast for your destination.

Being aware of what weather you can anticipate (as much as you can anticipate weather…) can help get you in the right mind-set for planning what to take on your trip.

2. Make a list.

It’s ok if you’re not a list person – it can be a pain to make lists. In this case, though, a list can be your best friend. If you really want to make the most of your list, plan your outfits by day based on the weather forecast. Have a separate column for toiletries, and another for carryon items.

It could look something like this:

Pajamas and Robe (Pack these last so they’re easy to find when you’re ready for bed.)	Toiletries:	Carry On:   Most airlines allow you one carry on and one personal item such as a purse. (Stick your handbag in a larger tote bag to give you more flexibility.)
Friday – Travel Day:	Never pack a blow dryer – most hotels and resorts have them.	Electronic devices – make sure you’ve downloaded any books or movies you’re interested in spending time with.
… detail comfortable travel outfit	Toothbrush, deodorant, etc. – what is that one item you almost always forget?	Charger cords and sometimes even an extension cord. Will you need power converters in a different country?
Saturday – Sunny 83/58:   Plan your outfits in terms of layers so you can add or take away as the temperature changes throughout the day.	Invest in travel-sized toothpaste, shampoo, etc. (many hotels are cutting costs – with the excuse of reducing the plastic footprint – and are no longer providing these basic toiletries.)	Always, always, always pack a change of clothes in your carryon. Also make sure you keep any critical medications and valuables (jewelry) with you.
… Do you need a swimming suit? Do you need a change of clothes for dinner?	Bandaids – hey… blisters happen.	Copy of your passport and driver’s license.

You get the idea.

3. When you have your clothes out, fold them as compactly as possible.

This woman’s You Tube video is a master class in folding clothes. Her method keeps your clothes from wrinkling and uses space more effectively than rolling clothes ever could. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WDthjFw-ms

4. Use packing cubes.

These bags that go in your suitcase are designed to help you make the most of your space. They’re also amazing helps for organizing your clothes. Whether your want to pack an outfit together or want to pack like-types of clothes together, life gets much simpler at your destination when you’ve taken time to use these gems.

5. Make copies of your passport identification page and your driver’s license.

If you’re traveling domestically, make a copy of your driver’s license. If you’re traveling internationally, also make a copy of your passport identification page. Keep one copy for yourself, one for one other member of your travel party, and give one to your emergency contact at home.

Pick pocketing happens and driver’s licenses and passports get stolen or lost. By keeping a copy of your photo identification with you, getting a new one at your destination’s local law enforcement agency or embassy becomes easier.

6. Don’t take books.

Books get very heavy. The longer your day, and the more airplane changes you have to make, the heavier they seem to get.

Download anything you can to your phone and/or tablet. Do you have a guidebook with pages marked? Take photos of those pages so you can keep electronic versions with you.

7. Put a bright identifier on the outside of your suitcase.

Even if you have what you think is a very distinctive suitcase, chances are someone else had the same thought. To be able to quickly find your suitcase in the mass of your fellow traveler’s luggage, place a bright, personal identifier on your suitcase – whether it is stuck to your luggage or affixed to the handle. This makes things much easier at baggage claim.

Even if you hate packing, taking these steps will give you the peace of mind to get your vacation started on the right foot – without the kitchen sink.