As per the U.S. Travel Association, in 2019, travel spending averaged around USD 3.1 billion per day in the United States. To give you a better idea, it signifies that people spent USD 128 million an hour and USD 35,700 every second! Traveling is an essential part of everyone’s lives. When we travel, we make precious memories with friends and families.
But traveling also inculcates packing a colossal number of things into tiny little boxes and carrying them around with you. By packing smart – from installing the best roof box on your car to folding your clothes correctly – you can minimize any untoward inconveniences during trips.
Make a packing list
Procrastinating the packing process is a common complaint among travelers, especially people who tend to forget small essential items like an electric charger, toothpaste, trimmer, etc. A clever psychological hack to start packing days earlier is by creating a list containing all the things you will need for the trip.
Creating a list of required items acts as a failsafe from over or under-packing. Another upside of doing this is that if you start early, you will be aware of all the things that you need to buy and have ample time on your hands to procure them.
Airline Baggage Policy
Speaking of over-packing, you should be aware of your airline’s baggage fee policy. You must do this before beginning the actual packing; otherwise, you may have to unpack everything at the last moment to adjust the weight and chuck out any prohibited items.
Most American airlines allow passengers to check-in at least one bag for international flights. But some air carriers charge a hefty sum for the same on domestic flights, which can cost you up to 100 bucks for a carry-on bag. The same rule applies if you are planning on flying with an air carrier in a foreign country. Make sure you learn their baggage policies as well.
Tip – To save space and reduce the weight of your baggage, you can consider wearing your heaviest clothes on the plane.
TSA
The Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) 3-1-1 rule prevents passengers from carrying several types of liquid or viscous substances. If you take a bottle of shampoo, chances are you will be stopped and searched and the item confiscated.
If you carry any liquid substance on the plane, ensure it is stored inside 3.4-ounce bottles or smaller. Also, make yourself familiar with which items are allowed and which aren’t. For instance, peanut butter, pudding, mashed potatoes, aerosol items are classified as gels.
Medicines
Always carry the requisite medication prescribed by your physician. If you suffer from an affliction like chronic cough that requires specific drugs or inhalers, make sure to pack them first. While writing down the packing list, you can create a subsection that itemizes all the elementary and essential medicines for everybody going on the trip.
Carry all the medications in a separate partitioned box, so that it is easily retrievable in case of emergencies.
Tip – It is wise to ascertain any limitations to the type and amount of medication you can carry to your destination.
Roof Boxes
If you are traveling via car or planning on taking a car trip, the manner and in what you pack will vary. One of the most efficient ways of packing your luggage when traveling long distances in a car is by putting them inside roof boxes. Doing so will provide you with much-needed space to unwind and stretch your body, which is essential on long road trips if you have a family.
You can also easily pack items like camping gear, surfboards, kayaks, etc., on roof boxes. But to ensure safety and durability, you should always go for the best roof box available.
Folding Clothes
It may sound surprising, but rolling clothes instead of folding them saves a lot of space. It’s a well-known secret among backpackers who habitually must cram month’s worth of clothing into tiny bags. Another advantage of rolling them is that your clothes will be safe from developing deep wrinkles from fold creases.
