Traveling is always an exciting endeavor for a lot of people.
In this age where traveling is closely seen as something essential in one’s life, there are some skills that you need to learn to be better at. That way, traveling can be a more fun experience for you. One of the skills that you need to learn is packing.
Although you don’t have to travel light all the time, it is ideal. However, if you have the skill of packing, then your luggage will be less of an issue for you when you’re traveling.
With that in mind, below you’ll see some packing tips that every traveler should know. Knowing these packing tips will make the tedious task of packing less egregious.
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1. Choose the right luggage
One of the first things you need to do when packing for a trip is making sure that you have the right kind of luggage. Otherwise, you may encounter a lot of struggles along your trip, like not enough space or your bag is too huge as a carry-on.
Restrict yourself to carrying only one suitcase and one carry-on bag. That way, you don’t have to carry too much bags, especially if you’re traveling by yourself. A large suitcase tends to be heavy by itself so make sure that you go with small or even a medium-sized suitcase when you’re traveling.
Aside from that, make sure that you leave enough space for souvenirs in your bag. Preferably you should get a suitcase or a bag that can expand so the extra space can be for souvenirs you want to bring back with you. Plus, a hard-shell bag is great for stopping yourself from carrying too many things with you.
2. Pack early
The more common mistake that people make when they’re traveling is that they tend to procrastinate their packing.
This is something that you should avoid doing because there are a lot of things to keep in mind when packing. Plus, if you’re traveling as a group or with kids, packing early will give you even more conveniences before the day of the trip.
You wouldn’t want to overpack because you might you have to pay extra fees which you could use for the trip. Also, if you don’t pack early, you might forget to bring important things with you, like your phone charger or a camera. You can easily circumvent these issues from cropping up simply by making sure that you pack your stuff early on.
Even before you start packing, make sure that you buy your luggage even earlier. When to buy a luggage should be as soon as possible because of the numerous factors that you have to consider when you’re traveling.
3. Roll, don’t fold
When traveling, you wouldn’t want to have to iron out your clothes because it can take a bit of your time which you would rather spend on traveling.
This is the reason a lot of people are looking into folding techniques or other ways to keep their clothes fresh when they’re traveling. However, there is no need to look for other fancy packing techniques.
All you need to do is to roll your clothes into cylindrical shapes instead of folding them. This type of packing technique occupies less space than folded clothes. Aside from that, keeping your clothes properly tucked and rolled will give them fewer wrinkles. That way, you don’t have to spend a lot of your time ironing out your clothes for your trip.
There are plenty of tutorials on the Internet that you can use as a reference for the right rolling technique for each type of garment. This is the reason you should always pack early so that you can pack better.
4. Use a packing list
A big regret that people have when travelling is that they forgot something while they were packing. This is a normal phenomenon. After all, we’re not infallible and are only humans.
However, if you know that you tend to be forgetful, then you need to take proactive steps to counter that. One way to do this with packing is by creating a list of all the things you need.
You first need to list all of your essentials. This should be the things you pack first. Some of the items that should be on your list of essentials are your clothes (of course), the right amount of undergarment (again, of course), your gadgets and chargers, passport, travel itinerary, cash, and a variety of toiletries.
Next, you list all of your optional items to carry if you still have some space. Maybe a pillow or an extra blanket. If you are a bookworm, then maybe a book to carry along with you during lulls in the trip. Some shades to protect your eyes is also a good non-essential to pack.
5. Pack no more than three pair of shoes
Whether you’re traveling for leisure or for business, you should make sure that you pack light.
It can be tempting to pack all of your best clothes and accessories for that perfect Instagram shot but you should really tone down as much as you can.
You can start restricting yourself by making sure that you pack no more than three pairs of shoes. You, of course, need to choose the appropriate type of shoe based on what the trip is for and what the activities are in store for you there.
If you’re doing a lot of backpacking then you can make do with a pair of sneakers, some flip-flops, and flats for a dressier look. For business, you need a comfortable but professional shoes and maybe even some sneakers.
It’s not recommended to bring in shoes that you haven’t even tried for a vacation because these might not be the most comfortable pair that you have. Pack only shoes you’ve worn before and that you know are comfortable so your feet don’t suffer during the trip.
6. Pack dual purpose clothes
Wearing something new for every day of your trip can be alluring, especially if you’re conscious about posting your vacation photos on social media platforms. However, if you don’t have the money to pay for the extra baggage fee, the number of clothes that you carry can be an issue for your budgeting.
With that said, all you need to do is pack clothes that have multiple or even just dual purposes. Nowadays, there are made for travel clothes that have the ability to transform from a jacket to a pair of pants all with clever tailoring. There are many of them online for you to choose from so you can have a lot of options.
Not only will it be a space-saver in your luggage, but it can help you save money on costs both from having to buy a new outfit and having to pay for excess baggage. Plus, it helps save time because you don’t have to go rummaging around for a different set of clothes to wear.
7. Know your airline’s baggage-fee policy
Before you start packing your things for a trip, do check your airline’s policy on baggage because this can change from flight to flight.
Depending on your flight provider, the required weight of your luggage may change. Some can allow you to have heavier bags while some don’t, which is why it’s important that you know their policies first.
Otherwise, you might arrive at the airport and be greeted with extra charges that you don’t want to have to deal with. Plus, you might find that some airlines can even allow you to pack more than the average and you might regret not packing enough.
8. Buy wrinkle-free clothing
If you have to attend to an event immediately upon arrival and want to change clothes quickly, this simple act can prove to be a challenge.
Clothes tend to get a lot of wrinkles while they’re in the suitcase and so having a quick change isn’t as simple as it may seem.
However, there are many tricks and tools that can help you circumvent that problem. One way to do that is by buying pieces of clothing that are designed to be wrinkle-free. A lot of synthetic fabrics tend to be more resistant to wrinkles. Plus, they dry faster too.
Aside from that, wool clothes also don’t wrinkle as fast. Cashmere and jerseys are also an option for wrinkle-free clothing.
9. Use packing cubes
It can be difficult to retain the sanctity of order inside a suitcase, especially if you are taking things out of it. It is also extra challenging if you have kids that are sharing one suitcase together between the two of them.
To keep your suitcase organized, try using packing cubes that help separate various items from one another. If your kids are having territorial issues, then packing cubes are a great solution.
Aside from easy organizing, it also helps make it easy for you to pack your things, as well as finding the things that you packed because they all have their designated areas.
10. Think minimal
If you can, try and pack only the most essential items for your trip. This will ensure that you don’t have to worry about how heavy your bag might be at the airport. Plus, it leaves more space for souvenirs. Packing light is also important if you’re going to be on foot constantly.
