Travel Packing Hacks Every Traveler Should Know
While the prospect of an upcoming travel episode can bubble up your enthusiasm, the associated packing is bound to render sleepless nights. It isn’t uncommon for travelers to feel intimidated by the very thought of packing as they roll, fold and cram items into the corners of suitcases but never seem to get it all right. If you have been feeling hapless about travel packing, then we can have your back with our list of carefully collated packing hacks.
• Prepare a packing list – The worst thing for a traveler is getting charged a fortune for exceeding the burden limit by a few additional kilos. Having a packing list can help you act accordingly without forgetting to bring something important.
• Get a bigger backpack – If you think that a small backpack will force you to only carry the essentials, then you are completely mistaken. It can be very difficult to body slam your minimalist backpack shut time and again while hoping your zipper doesn’t snap. Packing becomes a breeze with a spacious bag but you need to resist the urge of filling up the extra space with redundant knick-knacks. Once you have decided on the size of the backpack, it is equally important to consider its design. The top-loading ones are better suited for hiking rather than traveling. The last thing you would want on a vacation is to dump everything out of your bag because the thing you require falls to the bottom.
• Pack double-duty shoes – Save room in your luggage by downsizing your footwear collection. This can be done by investing in premium insoles that can be slipped into your flats or formal loafers for making them adequately comfortable for everyday wear.
• Use shower caps to pack footwear – If you want to prevent the dirty soles of your shoes from touching your clothes, then you can pack them inside shower caps. To further utilize your luggage space, you can stuff other things like dollar bills, perfumes, and socks into your shoes. You can also utilize the hotel shower caps sitting beside the complimentary soap and shampoo to toss in the wet bathing suit so that your remaining luggage doesn’t get wet.
• Stick to a 2:1 shirts-to-pants ratio – If you are feeling lost about how many clothes to bring, then you can follow the 2:1 shirts-to-pants ratio. This will help with overpacking as you wear different tops with the same pair of jeans.
• Keep your luggage smelling fresh – We all want our clothes to smell like they are fresh out of laundry while traveling. This can be achieved by placing dryer sheets in your luggage so that your clothes stay smelling clean and fresh. You can also place dryer sheets inside your shoes to prevent your suitcase from smelling like feet. These ingenious sheets can help remove sand from your body and deodorize stinky trash cans once you reach your destination.
• Roll vs fold debate – Rolling your clothes rather than folding them can help maximize your suitcase space and prevent your clothes from wrinkling. Travelers can either roll each item individually or roll an entire outfit together to grab and go while getting ready for the day’s adventure. Rolling your clothes in compressible plastic bags help squeeze out the extra air to save you more space. You can reserve the classic layer fold for the delicate items on your packing list.
• Plan your outfits– If you are deciding which clothes to bring to your vacation, then it’s best to stick to a particular color scheme. Dark shades like black are always preferred as they don’t show dirt like their lighter-colored peers and are versatile enough for being worn with anything. The shoes you pack needs to be such that you can wear them with both your jeans and a skirt.
• Repurpose smaller containers for toiletries – If you are going away for a week, it is meaningless to pack toiletries worth three months. Rather, you can get small containers that do not take up a lot of space. But make sure to put plastic wraps under toiletry lids as opening a bottle of lotion after a flight can be a liquid mess. Placing plastic wrap will prevent the material from moving and keep your clothes and other travel gear stain-free.
• Slip your belt in your collar – If you are traveling somewhere fancy, then you can keep your shirt collars looking stiff by packing your belt inside. This space-saving hack is extremely beneficial if you want to prevent your formal wear from getting wrinkled under heavier items.
• Packing cubes are a must – If you want to pack your items without leaving a messy mountain of garments on the floor, then packing cubes can come to your rescue. It can be easier to arrange your bag to resemble the game of Tetris but in reality, the flawlessly tucked items won’t last more than three seconds once you start searching for something your need. Herein lies the importance of a packing cube so that you can store all your items categorically. Since the packing cubes come in different sizes, you can get them separately for your tops, bottoms, swimwear, and more. You can also use different colored cubes for different types of clothes. If you need a dress, grab the blue one and maybe for undergarments get the pink cube. The packing cubes can prevent your clothes from touching the floor while unpacking.
• Ziploc an extra pair of clothes – If you are traveling with kids, then it’s obvious to face spillage and similar issues. This is why it is advisable to carry an extra change of clothes.
• Contact lens cases or pill organizers for storing smaller items – You can store your fragile jewelry items including dainty earrings, bracelets, and brooches in these small cases.
• Carry binder caps for your headphones – Headphones are infamous for becoming a knot of wires when you slip them inside your pocket. You can spare yourself the trouble by wrapping them around your office binder clips so that they stay tangle free.
• Get a universal charging station – If you are carrying multiple gadgets, then a universal charging station can help minimize your packing space.
Last-minute confusion often causes travelers to jam two weeks’ worth of gear for a weekend trip. Others might pack a bit too lightly thus forgetting important items like documents and medicines. It is imperative here to strike the right balance between all the things you require without going overboard and we can help you with our packing tips.
