Going on holiday can be thrilling. What’s not so exciting? The planning and packing beforehand. Whether you’re a last-minute packer or a precision planner, you won’t want to miss these tips, hacks, and favorite products to make packing and traveling a dream.
Packing 101
A favorite of frequent travelers, rolling your clothing maximizes space and minimizes wrinkles. Lay your tops face down, fold in the sleeves, and then roll from the bottom. Fold your pant legs together and then roll from the waist down. Place all rolled items in your suitcase first, then add your shoes, accessories, and finally add your oddly shaped items such as hair tools.
If you’re a frequent traveler and love organization, you may want to invest in packing cubes to keep items in your suitcase organized and reduce the likelihood of your clothes going topsy-turvy, courtesy of rough baggage handlers.
Leave some room in your suitcase if you know you’ll be shopping or bringing back souvenirs, or better yet – pack a tote or small duffel bag for that explicit purpose.
Outfit Strategies
Know you’ll be meeting friends right off the plane? Traveling to a different climate than what you left behind? Having an outfit accessible in your carry-on bag means you can change on the plane or at the airport upon your arrival and gives you at least one destination-appropriate outfit if your luggage gets lost.
Speaking of outfits, pack by the outfit, not by the piece. Packing a mini capsule wardrobe allows for interchangeable outfits, every piece being worn, and will keep you from accidentally overpacking. Consider the types of activities you’ll be participating in, and whatever you do – bring a pair of comfortable shoes.
Must-Have Items
From keeping your coffee hot on the plane to keeping your water ice cold on a day-long hike, an insulated bottle is a traveler’s best friend. Reusable bottles are allowed to pass through airport security, if they’re empty.
Depending on where you’re traveling, you may not have access to laundry facilities or simply not want to use them. Pack a small laundry bag to keep your soiled items separate from your unworn and fresh-smelling clothing. For quick touch-ups, a mini stain remover works wonders in saving you from spills. When spot-treating simply won’t do the trick, sink packets are small but pack a mighty punch. Just squeeze one into the sink with your dirty laundry, and wash away.
Having minis of your favorite and most-used toiletries will save you space and keep your skin happy, maintaining its routine. You can purchase refillable empties and fill them up or hoard your favorite minis and samples until your next trip.
Software Slipups
If you snap away on your iPhone everywhere you go, make sure you have the photos backed up to the cloud or synced with Google photos. The last thing you want is to lose all your travel memories if your phone gets lost or stolen. With connectivity being a priority of so many travelers, consider getting a decent travel plan that gives you some data for checking emails, texting friends or family, or even going on social media while away. The last thing you want is to return home to a hefty phone bill.
Money Trouble
Be sure to inform your credit card company of any significant impending travel you have if you don’t want your account flagged and frozen for possible fraud charges. While you’ve got them on the phone, it’s worth finding out the foreign currency transaction fees on purchases abroad. If you are going somewhere with a different currency, exchange some money in advance at your local currency exchange services, which often has better rates than the airport or private exchange companies in the tourist zones.
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