Whether you’re the type of person who likes making lists or makes use of those yellow sticky notes, packing for a trip can be a real challenge. Aside from making sure that all the things you need to bring are packed and well-organized, you also have to make sure that the things you need to bring are actually packed along with the rest of your stuff.
Whenever I travel either alone or with my kids, I follow some tricks and ideas that I learned from my mom. They’ve served me well over the years and I hope that they’ll be useful to you, too! Some packing ideas you might want to try are:
The Bag
This is one of my mom’s packing ideas and I attest to this one. About a month before you travel, write down items you think you need to bring. Write one item per piece of paper, and drop them in the travel bag. (My kid helps out by drawing a picture of what she thinks she needs on the trip). Then, the nearer you get to your travel day, and when you get to sorting the actual items, you can replace the paper slips with the actual items in the bag. I find this really effective since the slips of paper give me the chance to review the items before packing them in travel bags, only to realize that I don’t need them at all.
Must-Haves
Money, credit cards, passports, plane tickets, etc. – your travel won’t be complete (or you won’t be able to travel at all) without these necessities. What I normally do is to put all of these stuff in a transparent container - such as a Ziploc bag - so I can easily see what’s inside and what I haven’t put inside yet. You might want to add some medicines too, particularly if you have an existing condition like allergies or asthma. I also add toiletries to the must-haves, so that I can still brush my teeth on the day I leave without having to worry about packing the toothbrush I brushed with.
The Clothes
The clothes you take while travelling usually occupy the most space and constitute more than 3/4 of your luggage. Remember that unless you plan on putting your heavy luggage in your car’s trunk, pack light. The same goes for trips by air or other modes of travel.
- Do carry clothes that you can easily mix-and-match, which will give others the impression that you’re traveling with a large wardrobe, even if you’re not.
- If you’re taking an outdoor trip like mountain climbing, opt for dark clothes like blue, black and deep brown. (Most people won’t notice your clothes are soiled until they’re really dirty.)
- I normally bring two pairs of shoes when I travel – one that’s not hard on my feet and I’m comfortable walking long distances with, and another one for formal evenings, depending on my purpose of travel. Try picking the shoes you can easily pair with the clothes you already packed for the trip.
For some people, making a list and crossing things out as they pack them works best. But if you can afford to pay for extra luggage in airports, packing is really not a big deal. Just remember that for whatever you do pack or bring on a trip, make sure it’s something you actually need or will be useful.