Hey Nerds,
You didn’t think I’d leave you with just that tiny start of packing tips, did you? Certainly not! I have so many more tips and tricks up my sleeve.
So last time I focused mostly on things you could buy/utilize to pack for travel. You may have found some of those items, or something like them, helpful, or maybe you’re sitting there going, “Nah, Head Nerd. I have my luggage and I’m sticking with it!” Cool. You do you! As long as you feel confident and comfortable with what you have to travel, then work with what you’ve got.
There are some pretty great packing tips that my NP4L and I use every time we travel that don’t require spending money.
Tip 1: Pack light – You don’t need all the things
When traveling, space is at a premium. Do you need 7 pairs of shoes for a 5 night trip? Probably not. I mean, maybe you do…and if you do, again you do you. But more often than not, you don’t need several pairs of shoes. Our rule of thumb? Wear one pair of shoes on the plane and pack a pair. That’s it. Of course if you need a pair of flip flops for the pool or a fold up pair of flats to wear around the hotel room, pack ’em. But at the end of the day, we only need two pairs to switch up for the sake of your feet.
As for clothing, layers are your best friend and think about items you could wear multiple of times with layers to make multiple outfits. Likewise, think about what pairs with your two pairs of shoes you picked first. We pick comfortable shoes and then pack outfits to match. Try to avoid anything that wrinkles easily, stains easily, doesn’t breathe, etc. You can also find some creative clothing options out there. I own reversible items that I can flip inside out and become a second outfit! Likewise, we are huge fans of quick dry socks and underwear from ExOfficio that allow us to wash garments in a hotel sink and hang to dry in the bathroom. They dry overnight and we can pack a fraction of these essentials.
As your deciding what to pack, lay everything out on a bed. Once you have everything laid out, cut at least 25% of it! You always think you NEED more than you actually will wear. Honestly, I’d aim to cut 50% of what you think you need, but 25% is easier to stomach. Go big! Worst case if you need something you can buy it at your destination and then have a functional souvenir.
Tip 2: Use every available space and avoid bulk
Remember that one pair of shoes you’re packing per person? Those shoes have plenty of empty space for you to pack socks and underwear! When you’re returning with fragile souvenirs, wrap them up in a pair of socks and place them in your shoes for added protection.
You must dump the bulk. Take the time to fill small travel-sized bottles of your toiletries. Full sized bottles of shampoo/conditioner/lotion/body wash take up SO much space and that’s ridiculous. Added bonus, you can always audible to flying only carry on if needed. You can also save space by taking only the doses you need of medication/vitamins/supplements. Place them in either a pill organizer or a plastic baggy. If you don’t want to roll with disposable, you can get reusable bags! Just remember to take the prescription label for your prescription medications, just in case. Also, consider traveling with samples of toiletries. If you have Ipsy or Birchbox, those little samples are perfect for traveling! Especially perfume samples so you don’t have to take the full bottle and risk having it leak all over your suitcase.
Tip 3: Skip the drip, but organize with simple tricks
That antique watch or necklace from your grandparents? Hell, even just expensive earrings? Leave expensive jewelry at home, if you can bear the distance. You’re opening yourself up for an increased risk of theft and you 100% decrease the possibility of you accidentally leaving a family heirloom or memorable token on a bathroom counter. It happened to a friend of mine with a family cross and she was devastated. With rubber wedding bands, you could even opt to leave your band at home and wear a rubber version while out seeing the world.
For the jewelry to do bring, there are a few simple tricks you can use to keep your jewelry untangled and collected. To keep necklaces from getting tangled, and saving you from hours of advanced untying, use bendy straws to string your necklaces through and secure. They are light and effective. You can also connect two studded earrings together by putting one through the back of the other, so you never lose a single earring. Another option is using buttons. There are ample jewelry cases you could purchase, but you can just as easily use a small sandwich bag or an empty prescription bottle.
And I cannot stress this enough, keep your jewelry and other accessories to a minimum and take only what you wouldn’t mind losing. It’s better to play it safe and not experience the heartache.
Tip 4: Pack snacks
I’m serious. When you’re out traveling, sometimes it’s difficult to find a place to eat. You don’t know where is good. You might not proficiently speak the language. Heck, you may just get a little hangry while out trekking. We make it a point to pack snacks (most often granola or protein bars) in our bags. And you might think, isn’t that a waste of space? Au contraire! Here’s the brilliant part of this plan, you free up space in your suitcase as you consume these tasty snacks for souvenirs! So no empty, unused space on your way there and plenty of empty space for the trip back. You need to make sure that you are packing snacks that are approved to bring into another country. Nuts and seeds are often an issue, hence why protein bars are a good option. Definitely do your research.
Tip 5: Plan for mishaps
Ship happens. You never know when a stain will strike or you walk the entire length of the coast from your hotel in Tel Aviv to the town of Jaffa and you smell TERRIBLE. Make sure you pack a few essentials for the various mishaps that can happen while out traveling.
It’s simple, you need a Tide To Go Stick or something similar. Stains happen. Like a lot. You get mustard all down the front of your shirt after enjoying delicious sausages in Munich. Tide stick that ship. A full size Tide To Go Stick is small, but they do also sell a travel sized version if your space is at a premium.
Dryer sheets are an excellent and light way to keep your clothes staying fresh. Pack a few between your clothes to keep things fresh. Added bonus, you can rub dryer sheets on items that are static clingy or your hair if it’s all static-y.
Stains and smells happen, but so do rips.
Fun Fact: I most definitely ripped my pants in Dallas Love Field while sitting in the waiting area of a gate. Full crotch. SO embarrassing. (I have since lost like 15 pounds.)
That’s why I highly recommend carrying a small sewing kit. I carry one that we got at a hotel. It gives you the bare essentials you need (needle, 4 or 5 thread options, and sometimes a button or threader). When traveling, you don’t need perfection when sewing, you just need it to get the job done.
For all your other issues, I recommend carrying a small roll of duct tape. Something breaks, duct tape it. Cracks? Rips? Tears? Duct tape it. In an absolute worst case scenario, duct tape a wound. You can go the traditional route and get standard grey tape, but Gorilla now makes a really cool clear duct tape that works with everything…if you want to keep your fixes more incognito.
And there you go, 5 more helpful tips when it comes to packing. Come back this Friday, July 3, for our another round of packing tips.
Until then, Cheers!
Head Nerd