Essential Packing Tips For Travel

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Traveling is one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences you can have in life. However, packing for travel can seem to be a daunting task that can make the most enthusiastic traveler feel stressed and overwhelmed. Whether you are a seasoned traveler or a first-timer, packing can be a challenge, but it doesn’t have to be. With the right approach, packing for a trip can be a breeze. With a bit of planning and organization in place, you can have all the fun you want on your holiday without scrambling for space or getting into an awkward situation with the airline attendant.

Our goal at Wander Smartly is to make you travel smarter and help you focus on building memories. From our own experience of visiting and traveling extensively across the globe and learning from our mistakes, we share our tried and tested packing tips that will make your travel experience more comfortable and enjoyable.

Let me elaborate on these tips for a better understanding:

14 Easy Packing Tips

1. Make a Packing List

One of the most efficient ways to pack for your upcoming trip is to create a packing list. This may sound nerdy, but you would want to ensure you have everything you will need with you when you’re away. Start by thinking about the activities you will be doing on your trip and the climate you will be traveling to.

Make a list of the essentials, such as toiletries, clothes and shoes, and electronics. Get as detailed as possible. If you need to carry cotton swabs to remove makeup then add that to the list as well. A packing list will help you stay organized and ensure you don’t have to run helter-skelter in a new country for your needed personal items. I’d suggest making the list a week before you depart.

2. Order items in advance

Once you’ve made a list of things to go in your suitcase, categorize the items you will need to purchase before you leave. Order the items with enough notice to arrive in time before you start packing. I remember ordering some sweaters for the hills that arrived two days after I started on my trip. This left me so bummed! I had spent money on something that I wouldn’t even get to use on my trip.

3. Lay out items before packing

Now that you have everything that you will need to pack, don’t start to put it all inside your suitcase yet.

Put it all on a bed to really analyze how many pieces of luggage you would need to take. You need to strike the right balance between taking everything you will need and not carrying more luggage than you can manage.

There are times when I personally avoid carrying cabin luggage when I am able to fit my stuff in the check-in suitcase. Remember, the lesser number of bags on you, the smarter your travel is.

4. Pack by Outfit

I remember packing a skirt I really liked to wear on a trip only to realize I didn’t carry a matching top. You’d want to match your outfits before you throw any piece of clothing in. We normally tend to carry more clothes than what we need. Avoid over-packing and keep your luggage as lightweight as possible.

We want to look good in our travel clicks and we carry our best outfits with us. Traveling can get a bit tedious and it’s prudent to carry clothes you feel most comfortable in. Avoid clothes that are tight on the waist or are not your best fit. When it comes to travel, comfort beats fashion.

5. Choose and Drop

The last step before you actually start packing would be to give a hard look at each item on its utility on your trip. Each item needs to prove its real estate worth in the small confines of your luggage. Avoid items that you will use only once or twice. For example, I had once packed in a pair of heels just in case I’d need to wear them to a fancy dinner of sorts. I ended up going in my comfortable shoes instead and those heels were never used on the trip.

Being efficient in your packing is key. Do not pack stuff that your hotel can provide easily – soap, hairdryer, shower cap, etc. Pack clothes that you can wear multiple times.

6. Use Packing Cubes or Compression Sacks

Packing cubes are a great way to organize your belongings and make packing and unpacking a breeze. These small, lightweight bags come in various sizes and are perfect for keeping your clothes, shoes, and other items separated and organized.

Packing Cubes are easily available online and can be used to group similar items together and save space at the same time. All t-shirts can go in one cube, jeans and shorts in another cube, and so on. That way, you would not have to overturn your suitcase searching for that one item you wish to find.

Compression Sacks will compress items and help you fit more stuff in your bags. Best used for winter trips when multiple sweaters can be compressed together to save space.

7. Roll some, Fold some

Unlike the popularly held opinion that rolling is always better than folding, I’d recommend rolling the clothes instead of folding them to prevent wrinkles. Rolling can also save space in your packing cube/suitcase, but not to a great extent. To roll your clothes, start by laying the item flat on a surface, then fold in the sleeves (if applicable). Next, roll the item tightly from the bottom up, then place it in.

packing tips

Not all clothing items are recommended for rolling. Roll the lighter, softer items of clothing and fold the rest.

8. Wear your heaviest items

If you’re pressed for space or weight, carry your heaviest jacket, shoes, and accessories on you when you take a flight. This will save space for multiple other items and shed kilos from your luggage.

9. Pack a Travel First Aid Kit

It’s always a good idea to pack a travel first aid kit when traveling. This kit should include essential items such as bandages, antiseptic, pain relief medication, paracetamol, sore throat lozenges, anti-allergy and cold/flu tablets, antacids, oral rehydration sachets for dehydration or food poisoning, and any prescription medication you require.

10. Be smart with packing toiletries

As a woman, I can understand the need to carry many kinds of cosmetics when you’re on the go. You need your face cleansers, moisturizers, and lotions, to say the least. The trick is to carry all of the items you need but in small quantities. Transfer the liquids from their original packs into travel-sized bottles. These too are easily available online.

Cover the bottle with a piece of plastic before you close the top. This will prevent any spillage of your favorite products and keep the rest of your items clean. Pack all the bottles in a plastic-lined bag for additional protection against spillage.

11. Keep space for souvenirs

Always keep some space in your luggage for any shopping that you will do on your travels. Even if you do not plan to shop a lot, it is likely you will get lured towards the exotic artifacts, clothing, and food items in a foreign country that you want to carry back home. Not to forget, the ceremonial packs of chocolates for the co-workers you need to bring back.

The way I see it, every piece of item you take with you is a trade-off for lighter luggage or more souvenirs to bring back home. Your clothes and shoes at home will be waiting for you when you get back. Get the exotic stuff!

12. Extra in the Expandable

If you’re someone who likes to bring back a lot of souvenirs, carry a lightweight expandable bag in your luggage. You may have to pay for extra luggage but you will be saved from the cost of buying a new bag.

13. Essentials in your carry-on

If you are taking carry-on luggage with a check-in bag, keep some essentials in your carry-on that will save the day if your luggage is delayed or lost.

A full set of clothes, your medicine kit, toiletries, phone charger, valuables like jewelry or cash, and any important documents should always be with you when you travel internationally.

14. Weigh before you go

Lastly, weigh all the pieces of luggage before you leave to ensure you are compliant with the airline guidelines and rules. Remember to check the rules for all the airlines you’d be flying, especially any domestic flights you would be taking. You wouldn’t want to start your trip on a sour note by haggling for extra luggage allowance.

A bit of planning and patience in your packing goes a long way in ensuring a smooth travel experience. Packed and done? See our curated travel checklist to ensure you’ve packed in everything you need.

FAQs

What is the best way to pack for a trip?

1. Make a Packing List
2. Order items in advance
3. Lay out items before packing
4. Pack by outfit
5. Choose and Drop
6. Use Packing Cubes or Compression Sacks
7. Roll some, Fold some
8. Wear your heaviest items
9. Pack a Travel First Aid Kit
10. Be smart with packing toiletries
11. Keep space for souvenirs
12. Extra in the Expandable
13. Essentials in your carry-on
14. Weigh before you go

Is it better to roll or fold clothes in a suitcase?

Unlike the popularly held opinion that rolling is always better than folding, I’d recommend rolling the clothes instead of folding them to prevent wrinkles. Rolling can also save space in your packing cube/suitcase, but not to a great extent. To roll your clothes, start by laying the item flat on a surface, then fold in the sleeves (if applicable). Next, roll the item tightly from the bottom up, then place it in.

How do I save room while packing?

1. Use compression sacks
2. Carry an expandable bag
3. Wear your heaviest items
4. Transfer cosmetics into travel-sized bottles
5. Pack clothes that cross match

Photo of author

AUTHOR

Shreya Kejriwal
Shreya Kejriwal is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief at WanderSmartly.com. She is an avid traveler and her passion has led her to vividly explore the world while maintaining a regular life and career.

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