We always feel quite lazy when it comes to packing things before traveling. In our dreams, we imagine that we are already lying on the beach sipping a cool cocktail! Anyway, this packing ritual cannot be avoided, and we should have the right skills to pack a suitcase or backpack to fit all the necessary things.
We all know that an overloaded bag on vacation is a complete mess! It is hard to lift, the zipper can break, and if you want to change a T-shirt during the journey, you will have to dig in a ton of clothes. In addition, at the airports, you risk paying an extra fee for excess weight.
The best way is to take everything you need on your trip without extra “special day” outfits. At first glance, this mission seems impossible, but hold on, everyone has been through it. Just follow my advice and gather the optimal set of things on a trip; the list of tips will help you pack the things even if it looks like there is nothing to reduce.
How to Choose Things for Your Trip?
Make a list. The complete list should ideally contain all things from passport to underwear. If it’s too complicated, write an exemplary list of things you will need during your trip.
Revise the list. Take a break, drink some tea, then go back to the list and scratch out the things you can do without during the trip. You’ll probably need only two pairs of shoes instead of four, and you can also leave an extra T-shirt at home that you can buy on arrival. It will be great if you get rid of a third of the original list of things at this stage.
Gather all the things on the bed or the floor. Just look at this! Think about whether you want to drag all this stuff. Perhaps you should leave something else at home. Consider that the most challenging part of the case is behind you.
Put away the things that you will put on right for the journey. If you are going on an airplane, it is better to wear the bulkiest things: a sweatshirt, jeans with a belt, boots and a jacket. This will allow you not to pay for extra weight. But if you have small luggage, it is better to fly with hand luggage.
Separate your main luggage from the hand baggage. Make two piles of stuff, take all valuable things in your hand baggage. Don’t forget to take money, documents, gadgets and charging for them, a pack of wet wipes, and a sweater to keep you warm. Everything else can be packed in the main luggage.
Pack a Suitcase or Backpack
Choosing the things for the trip is half the story; they still need to be taken undamaged to the place of your vacation. And the fewer things you have, the more essential it is. Imagine how all these things will be used during the trip.
Here are 5 simple steps, after which you will have perfectly packed luggage lying at your feet.
1.Lay things as if you were building a wall. The “bricks” should lay tightly together.
Pack heavy, bulky things, such as shoes, at the bottom of a suitcase or on the back of a backpack. To use every inch of space, put rolled-up socks inside your shoes, and you can hide fragile items in the same place. Put the shoes together so that one sock is at the other’s heel, and the soles look in opposite directions. Fill the gaps between the shoes with underwear and other wrinkle-free items.
- Pack your clothes in rolls or bundles. Better combine it, depending on what you fold.
Rolls. T-shirts, pullovers, jeans, shirts, and almost any stuff take up less space and doesn’t wrinkle when rolled up. Fold the things with the sleeves inside, leg to leg, spread the folds, and then roll each item in a tight roll. If you fold things as you do for your home closet, they will turn into chaos in your luggage.
Bundle. Put dresses, pants, jackets, and other big things in a tight bundle. To do this, lay them on the bed stack overlapping and put the dense in the center—for example, a travel cosmetic bag. Then one by one, fold each item to the center of the pack and wrap it around the base.
- Distribute the folded clothes in layers: at the bottom put the rollers, and on the second layer – bundles.
- Lay out the small items in the corners. Put the belts and wires along the suitcase’s sides, while socks and swimsuits can be put at any free place. Remember that the thicker the items, the less likely they are to be wrinkled or broken.
- Make sure you don’t bring any prohibited items in your hand baggage or main luggage. Read the Baggage Guide! Learn the rules of transportation of equipment, liquids, allowed weight with the handle baggage and main luggage.
How to Organize Space in Your Suitcase Much Better?
If you need to put many things in a small suitcase, press your knee on top of it. Less radical methods are also available. Let’s highlight three useful things for packing your luggage: vacuum storage bags, packing organizers, and packing cubes.
Vacuum Storage Bags
Many people use vacuum bags to save space in their home closet. They put winter clothes inside, suck the air out with a vacuum cleaner and get a bag three times smaller. I recommend doing the same for travel. A twist can quickly pump out the air from the bag.
Packing Organizers
You can pack all the contents of a suitcase in such organizers of different sizes. If you have a large family, divide the suitcases among all and sign them to avoid clutter. You can choose lightweight and simple models.
Compression Sacks
If you plan an active holiday, take the compression travel bags, which are usually tightened with slings. Such bags can be filled not only with sleeping bags but also with clothes. They are more comfortable than thin bags because they are not so easy to tear, which means you can lay them out as much as you want on the prickly grass and rocks. They will also be useful in a trip to cities and landmarks, wildly if you will disassemble and collect a backpack several times.
