Whether for business or pleasure, travelling begins before the trip even starts. The most essential preparation for travelling is packing a suitcase. Packing is mandatory unless you want to buy everything you need once you get to your destination. Who does that? While you’ve probably packed hundreds of suitcases, it probably is not your favorite thing to do. Packing efficiently is a skill that you need to master, especially if you travel often. You want to pack as light as possible while at the same time having everything you need. Not only do the airlines have weight restrictions, but carrying heavy suitcases makes travelling a pain. Here are a few tips to help pack that suitcase in the most efficient way possible.
Efficient Suitcase Packing
The most important part of packing a suitcase is time. Don’t leave your packing until the night before (or the morning of if you are really crazy)! The more time you have to pack, the less stressful it will be and the less likely you will forget important items.
The step-by-step guide below will help you to pack your suitcase so efficiently that nothing will get in the way of your relaxing trip!
Organize First
- Choose proper luggage. The last thing you want to do is bring a huge bulky suitcase on a weekend trip. Ask yourself two questions before you start packing. How long will your trip be? Is it a business trip or a personal vacation? Answering these two questions will help determine the size and type of luggage you’ll need. A weekend trip might only need a duffel bag whereas a two-week cruise will require a much larger suitcase on wheels.
- Check the weather. You need to have a general idea of the weather conditions to help you know what type of clothes to pack. You won’t need a coat if it is sunny and 80 degrees, but a cold front blowing through might warrant bringing one along. Check the weather several days beforehand, but also remember to check again the night before in case something changes.
- Go over your itinerary. What activities will be on the itinerary for your trip? A trip full of hiking will require quite a bit different gear than a business trip full of meetings.
- Create an itemized checklist. Include all of your personal necessities. As a bonus, keep the list with you to check that you don’t leave anything behind on the return trip.
- Invest in travel sizes of your toiletries. Ideas include a mini comb or brush, toothbrush and toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and moisturizer etc. Pack these items in an outside pocket or at the top of your case so no pressure is put on them, and they can easily be accessed at airport security. Don’t panic if you forget a toiletry item. The hotel maid service will be able to bring you whatever you need.
Now Get to Packing
- Pack outside your suitcase. Collect everything on your itemized list and place the items around your suitcase. Don’t forget to include a list of ways to remove stains from clothing, just in case. Choose versatile clothing made of a type of fabric that doesn’t wrinkle easy. Choose eight versatile pieces that blend well together and you can create up to twenty-four different outfits! Try to incorporate as many basic neutral colors as you can. These will be easier to mix and match so you won’t have to pack as much. You can always use the hotel maid service to do your laundry for you while you are there. Use jewelry or scarves to change up the looks as they hardly take up any room in your suitcase. Wear your heaviest or bulkiest shoes and pack your light ones.
- Pack awkward or bulky items first. Shoes, blow driers, and other bulky items should be packed along the outer perimeter of the suitcase. Work your way in towards the center of the bag. You can shove odd shaped items in the cracks between the bulky items.
- Master folding techniques. Organize your clothes into bundles of similar clothes. Put shirts in one, shorts in another etc. until all of your clothes are bundled. Roll each bundle. Rolling will save space and decrease the chance of getting wrinkles. Place each bundle side-by-side in your suitcase. Consider using the hotel maid service to launder your clothes so that you can pack in clean bundles for your return trip.
Now that we have taken the stress out of packing, you can focus your energy on having a great trip! Safe travels!
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