Genius Packing Tips For Every Traveler
“Pack light” is the most apt mantra to follow while packing. This is much easier said than done. Some travelers end up packing two weeks’ worth of luggage for a weekend trip and others travel too lightly and forget taking important things like passports, debit and credit cards, medicines, etc.
Smart travelers are able to strike the right balance between what to carry and what to leave behind with help from past traveling experiences and also a multitude of packing tips found online. Here, we have compiled a list of the best packing tips to keep in mind while you start packing for your upcoming holiday.
1. Start packing with a small bag. Limited space will ensure you will pack necessary items only. We all have a tendency to fill up any available space and hence more space often leads to packing additional unnecessary items that are most likely not going to be used on your holiday.
2. Mix and match your outfits. Let go of the notion of wearing a different outfit each day. Carry interchangeable clothes that can be worn more than once and in different styles and combinations.
3. Select items that are smaller to pack. For example, consider carrying a cashmere or thin woolen sweater instead of a sweatshirt. Similarly, slacks instead of jeans and loafers instead of boots will be smaller and easier to pack.
4. Stick to a thumb rule of taking no more than 3 pairs of shoes for your holiday. You can wear one pair and pack two. Like your clothes, carry shoes that can be worn on different occasions and with a variety of outfits.
5. Carry your toiletries in smaller sized bottles and containers sufficient for your holiday instead of the large and bulky containers they come in.
6. Use plastic bags to store different items separately. You can store clothes, accessories, toiletries and medicines separately. An organized bag will make it easier for you to find any particular item and also be simpler and quicker to repack. Plastic bags also come in handy to store dirty and used clothing and protect your things from any damage due to unforeseen leakages from toiletries or medicines.
7. Carry clothes made of materials that are lightweight, easy to wash and quick to dry.
8. Instead of simply folding your clothes and packing them, you can consider rolling them in tissue paper. This rolling technique takes up less space and also keeps your clothes wrinkle free.
9. Invest in a lightweight suitcase. Don’t assume more money is better quality. Expensive designer suitcases attract more attention and are more likely to be stolen. Also, keep in a mind, a hardshell suitcase can weigh up to 4 kilos and that will add to your total baggage weight. Purchasing a lightweight, good quality and plain suitcase is an investment for any traveler. You can always add colorful ribbons, shoelaces, bag tags etc to give your suitcase a personalized and unique look.
10. Always keep scanned copies of your travel documents like passports, photographs, tickets, visas and also emergency and bank contact numbers in a web based email account that can be easily accessed in case of any misplaced or stolen documents, debit and credit cards.
11. Store your cash, debit and credit cards in different pockets, bags and wallet to avoid being cleaned out of all cash in case you are robbed.
12. Stock your carry-on bag with essential toiletries and a spare pair of clothes that will be useful in case of any misplaced or lost luggage.
Before you start packing, think ahead and create a list of all the necessary items you will need to carry to avoid packing extra and adding additional weight to your luggage. Don’t worry about any “what-if” occasions and go overboard with packing, stick to reasonable thinking and carry items that you will require while travelling.
Your passport being your most important travel document should be kept with you at all times. You can also consider keeping it in the safe in your hotel room.
Traveling and holidays are complete experiences in themselves and packing need not be a tedious task that must prelude it. Hope these tips help you as much as they helped me. Happy Packing !!!