How to Pack Effectively for a Trip
Anyone who has ever taken a trip knows that packing can be the most daunting part of your travel preparations. You never know what to take or you cram your cases with things you won't wear or use. Or even worse, you forget something essential - a toothbrush, comb, your passport!
If packing fills your heart with dread, here is how to make it a more pleasant aspect of your trip:
1) Buy good baggage: There is nothing worse than having a strap break or a bag burst while you are lugging it around your trip. Save your arms and back grief by investing in light weight, yet durable luggage with strong handles and sturdy wheels, so that you can roll it instead of carrying it.
2) Make a checklist: Writing down what you need for your trips keeps you from carting unnecessary stuff and reduces your chances of forgetting vital items. And take the checklist with you so that you can use it when you pack for the trip back.
3) Be Spartan: Plan your wardrobe around activities, and pack a few simple pieces in dark colors (black, brown, navy), which complement almost everything. One midsize suitcase or garment bag of clothes and a small bag for toiletries and valuables are really all you need for most average length trips. Really!
4) Pack double-duty items: Pick pieces that work in multiple occasions. A basic black dress or a black shirt and slacks can shift from day to night with the right accessories. Team a skirt or a pair of slacks with different tops for a slew of outfits. Jersey shorts and shirts make great casual wear, exercise wear and sleepwear, and a piece of lengthy fabric can be worn as a sarong style skirt, draped like a shawl or wrapped into a headdress.
5) Accessorize: Colorful or funky accents like scarves, belts, jewelry and trendy pin-on flowers give plain pieces a formal or playful edge and lend a fresh look to outfits you've worn before.
6) Follow the two pair shoe rule:
The fewer shoes you tote, the lighter your load. Pack one pair of ultra-comfy shoes for sightseeing and a second dressier pair for special events. If you pack light and tight, you can sneak in a third pair to go with your favorite accessory, but that is the limit.
7) Bring laundry detergent and a travel iron:
This reduces the need to carry extra clothes and spend extra money on cleaning services.
8) Think small:
Travel size toiletries save space and can be tossed at trip's end. Buy them or make your own. Find compact plastic bottles and jars and fill them with your favorite products. And don't forget to pack a small sewing kit and a basic first aid kit.
9) Check for some extra space:
What better excuse to take a shopping spree on the road than to leave things you need at home - just don't forget to bring an empty case to hold your new finds on the return trip.
If packing fills your heart with dread, here is how to make it a more pleasant aspect of your trip:
1) Buy good baggage: There is nothing worse than having a strap break or a bag burst while you are lugging it around your trip. Save your arms and back grief by investing in light weight, yet durable luggage with strong handles and sturdy wheels, so that you can roll it instead of carrying it.
2) Make a checklist: Writing down what you need for your trips keeps you from carting unnecessary stuff and reduces your chances of forgetting vital items. And take the checklist with you so that you can use it when you pack for the trip back.
3) Be Spartan: Plan your wardrobe around activities, and pack a few simple pieces in dark colors (black, brown, navy), which complement almost everything. One midsize suitcase or garment bag of clothes and a small bag for toiletries and valuables are really all you need for most average length trips. Really!
4) Pack double-duty items: Pick pieces that work in multiple occasions. A basic black dress or a black shirt and slacks can shift from day to night with the right accessories. Team a skirt or a pair of slacks with different tops for a slew of outfits. Jersey shorts and shirts make great casual wear, exercise wear and sleepwear, and a piece of lengthy fabric can be worn as a sarong style skirt, draped like a shawl or wrapped into a headdress.
5) Accessorize: Colorful or funky accents like scarves, belts, jewelry and trendy pin-on flowers give plain pieces a formal or playful edge and lend a fresh look to outfits you've worn before.
6) Follow the two pair shoe rule:
The fewer shoes you tote, the lighter your load. Pack one pair of ultra-comfy shoes for sightseeing and a second dressier pair for special events. If you pack light and tight, you can sneak in a third pair to go with your favorite accessory, but that is the limit.
7) Bring laundry detergent and a travel iron:
This reduces the need to carry extra clothes and spend extra money on cleaning services.
8) Think small:
Travel size toiletries save space and can be tossed at trip's end. Buy them or make your own. Find compact plastic bottles and jars and fill them with your favorite products. And don't forget to pack a small sewing kit and a basic first aid kit.
9) Check for some extra space:
What better excuse to take a shopping spree on the road than to leave things you need at home - just don't forget to bring an empty case to hold your new finds on the return trip.
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