Efficient Ways to Pack For Carefree Travel

Best Ways to Pack Efficiently When Travelling

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For most people, packing is the most stressful part about traveling. It doesn’t matter if you’re going away for a few days or for a whole month; it seems like you’re forever including stuff you don’t need, which makes your travel bag bulky and heavy. People tend to overpack because of the fear of running out of clothes or having something to wear in case of an unforeseen event.

Overpacking is never a good thing, and it can be quite costly because packing a free carry-on bag may suddenly become a checked bag. There’s going to be a Laundromat where you can wash your clothes if you’re ever in a pinch, unless you’re going to some remote area with an isolated civilization. Furthermore, you can just buy clothes in your destination if you don’t feel like spending your precious vacation time doing laundry.

There’s a lot to consider when packing a traveling bag, so make sure you give yourself plenty of time to pack for your trip. The more time you have, you are more unlikely to overpack.

If you’re required to travel at a moment’s notice, don’t panic. There are plenty of tips and tricks you can take note of to make sure that you have everything you need on your holiday or impromptu business trip.

Start with a Checklist

There’s a reason this step is always included in lists for efficient packing tips—it works. Planning ahead can really pay off in the long run. Go digital, and put your checklist on your phone because that way you can update it however or as frequently as you can. Checklists can help you see if you’ve brought the essentials and what personal items you need to bring just in case.

Image: Unsplash by Andrew Neel

The important thing is to travel light, so if you end up with too many items on your checklist, you will have to eliminate some of them, especially those you won’t use frequently where you’re going. If you really need to carry a lot of things but you’re only travelling for a short amount of time, buy a durable duffle bag whose handles and straps are stitched well.

Use the Roll Method

Now that you are sure what to bring, the real challenge begins. If you’re going away for a very long time and have limited baggage space to work with, use the roll method for packing clothes. A lot of packing enthusiasts swear by this method because it helps save space.

Compared to folding, rolling takes up only a fraction of the area, but remember to properly store them to prevent wrinkles and creases. Softer garments such as those made with knits, cottons, and wools can be rolled tightly together with stiffer fabric like starched shirts, skirts, blazers, and more. To optimize free space, you can use vacuum compression bags or do it manually by placing clothes inside a bag and then squeezing the air out.

Use Ziplock Bags for Gadgets, Toiletries, Makeup

If your travel bag does not have a lot of space, it can be difficult to designate a space for loose accessories like gadgets, toiletries, and makeup. There’s a big chance that these items may mix or come undone, which will result in a soggy backpack or luggage with barely usable things. Ziplock bags are great organizational tools that you can use to pack stuff separately.

The great thing about using ziplocks is that they are easy to find anywhere and they are transparent, so you always know which stash contains what. It is better to store gadgets together with chargers, adaptors, and headphones and then separate bags for things with liquids, makeup, medication, and more. If you have transparent plastic containers for travel onhand, you can opt to use those, but for those without, Ziplock bags are an acceptable alternative.

Keep a Separate Pouch for In-flight Items

It can be a hassle to open carry-on bags once you’re on board the airplane, so it is good to pack a separate pouch for items you may need on a flight. Items like wallet, phones, headphones, earplugs, e-readers, and more can be stored in a separate pouch so you can pull them out quickly from your bag, totes, small backpack, or whatever you have.

Before Your Trip

Do a double take and quick run-through of your checklist to make doubly sure that you have everything you need. If you have bulky items like heavy coats and sweaters, wear them going to your destination instead of packing them. If you’re going on a holiday vacation, leave room for souvenirs for family and friends if possible.

Do you have efficient packing tips for traveling that weren’t mentioned in the article? Write them down on the comments section.