For experienced travelers, the obvious fold versus roll clothes packing debate is old news. But for those new to longer trips or further distances, here are a few tips to make your next vacation easy and stress-free.
What to Pack
Plan out what you pack in advance of the actual packing so you don’t accidentally wear something you want to pack the day before you leave and have to do an emergency load of laundry.
Bring only clothing you can wear with every other piece. It’s called a capsule wardrobe and you can apply those same principles to your trip fashion. You can do this by style or by color. I like packing this way so I can mix and match based on how I’m feeling that morning or what our activities will be.
For longer trips, don’t forget that you can wash your clothing so you can bring less. If I plan to do laundry while I’m away, I make sure that the lodging about half way through the trip offers a machine or services. If you’re in Europe though, double check if they offer a dryer (most don’t). Even then, plan do wash your clothes a few days before you leave that destination because the dryers really just wring out your clothes instead of actually dry them. You’ll most likely need to let them hang dry before you pack in your suitcase to avoid mildew and wrinkles. Another side note: be sure to check the machine settings before hitting start. Been there, ruined that entire backpack of my favorite clothing…
And on that note, don’t bring your favorite clothing. I know we all want to take vacation photos in our favorite outfits, but it’s not always worth the risk of ruining your favorite new shirt. Red skirt washed with my favorite new white shirt means I now have a pink stained shirt hanging in my closet because I can’t bring myself to toss it. Any tips for this situation?
Choose fabrics that are wrinkle resistant. Spending time ironing in the morning before heading out to explore San Francisco eats into your vacation time.
Even if you’re skiing in Colorado, it’s a good idea to coordinate your outfits in layers. Weather can be unpredictable outside, but who knows if you’ll be too cold or too hot indoors as well. Packing that bulky sweater may be cute, but sitting by the fire at the ski lodge after sweating down the mountains won’t be.
Bring fewer shoes. I know this is a hard one and one most people struggle with it. Unless you have an insanely comfortable pair of heels and have a dinner reservation or plan to go clubbing, leave the pumps at home. For most urban exploring trips you can get away with a pair of comfy flats and a pair of tennis shoes, one of which you can wear, the other you pack. Obviously, if you’re adventuring outdoors, prioritize your Tevas and hiking boots. If you’re going to the beach, bring sandals. Almost anywhere you go, you can probably get away with wearing one pair and packing the other. If you don’t believe me, try it for a short weekend trip and see how truly not painful it is to pack fewer shoes.
Opposite of my shoes advice, always bring more underwear than you need. Do I have to explain why?
If you’re traveling internationally, you should still bring a blue or black pen for filling out your customs forms. The flight attendants will have a few spares, but it’s best to bring your own.
Another item on your list for international travel is an electrical outlet converter for your destination. I like this one on Amazon because it has almost everything you could need and you won’t need to buy or bring more than one. My husband and I actually share just one and coordinate when we each get to charge our electronics.
An empty water bottle will help you avoid purchasing disposable water bottles saving you money and the planet. Make sure it fits inside your day bag, whatever that is. My husband liked to keep his water bottle in the mesh pocket on the outside of his backpack until one time when it fell out on a Parisian train station escalator and it hit three people. PARDON!
Speaking of your day bag, my recommendation is a crossbody bag. I know this mostly works for women, but it’s truly the best way to protect your belongings while having easy access to them. With a backpack, you have to take it off to pay for your croissant and it protrudes from your back so you can’t have eyes on it at all times. Plus you’ll need to take it off and set it on the floor between your legs on crowded subway cars. Your bag should also have a zipper. When you’re in crowded touristy locations you should keep it zipped with your hand over the zipper too. But safety tips are a whole other post.
A little advance research can help you determine if you need to bring toiletries. Does your hotel provide a hair dryer? Don’t bring your own. Do they have a supply of high quality shampoo and conditioner? Don’t bring your own. Even if they don’t, you can usually find a cheap, small bottle of local products to use while you’re there, then you don’t have to carry it with you. I can usually get away with the basics and I don’t wear a ton of makeup to begin with, but pare it down to just the essentials. I also have a mini combo hair straightener and curling iron for trips I where I need to look my best.
One last thing not to bring: books, magazines and entertainment. I’m a huge reader and my husband and I love games, but I’m not about to bring all that with me on vacation. Instead, I download books to my Kindle and Audible accounts, and loads of music on my Spotify account. He usually brings his Nintendo Switch so there is plenty of entertainment for us. And then if it’s a long trip with lots of down time, I may bring a very small game like a deck of cards or SET. Bananagrams was a big hit on our cruise a few years ago because I was nervous about wind blowing the cards around on the pool deck.
How to Pack
Roll your clothes instead of folding them. I can’t prove anything, but I feel like it enables me to fit more stuff and helps prevent wrinkles.
The real MVP here is packing cubes. You can get a set of 6 for $20 on Amazon. Yes, it sounds like you are fitting more stuff in your suitcase in an effort to fit more, but it’s not about fitting more stuff. It’s about organization. Unless you are going to one location and are planning to unpack your belongings into the dresser or wardrobe, your luggage is going to be a mess. There are three ways you can use packing cubes to keep yourself neat: organize by clean and dirty, sort by clothing type (undergarments, shirts, pants, etc.), or pack by full outfits or days. The latter is my preferred for trips where you’ll be changing destinations every couple days because you can pack everything you’ll need for Barcelona in one cube, and everything for London in another without having to unpack and repack your whole backpack. Yes, rolling still works in the packing cubes.
The placement of your items in your bag matters too. Regardless of if you’re using a hard-sided rolling suitcase or a hiking backpack, you should pack your heaviest items toward the bottom and closest to your back or the handle side of the suitcase. Lighter stuff goes in the opposite corner. Even if you’re using packing cubes, you can pack smaller items like socks inside shoes and other crannies to fill the otherwise unused space.
All of this can help you fit more stuff in a smaller bag, enabling you to be more nimble and quick when moving through the airport or European train stations. I once traveled to Arizona for three nights with just a personal item. We camped, hiked, and rode horses. It’s possible!
Do. Not. Check. Your. Bag. (on the way to your destination). I cannot stress this enough. The risk of losing your bag or it not arriving on time, plus the hassle of having to wait for it at baggage claim and then wait in lines for transportation upon arrival is not worth being able to bring more stuff (read: lug more stuff around). Fit it into your carry on and personal item or leave it at home and buy it when you get there. This rule is, however, null and void on your very last flight. I usually load up on alcohol from my destination as my souvenir and pack it inside giant Ziploc bags, then rolled in my thickest clothing. On my first trip to Europe, my husband and I brought home a serious stash of nine bottles, some of which we’re still saving for a special occasion. Not bringing home alcohol? It’s still nice to not carry your bag on your flight home after being exhausted from adventuring.
What you bring with you on your trip can surprisingly impact how much fun you have. Do you have any other tips to share?