One thing I'm known for, whether it's for holidays or for business, is being great at packing very lightly and very tidily (think: carefully folded outfits and matching toiletry and makeup cases). Sure, this is usually prefixed by “For a girl…”, but we’ll ignore that little comment for now! When you travel as regularly as I do, it’s hard not to pick up a trick or two. But the thing that I’m most proud of is that I can pack in less than 30 (probably around 20) minutes regardless of whether I’m going away for work or pleasure, a week or a weekend.
Given that majority of my friends find packing a pain (I agree with this sentiment, but my handy little list does make the process significantly easier), I decided I would write a post sharing my tricks of the trade, all in the hope of making packing a little easier for everyone involved (significant others usually bear the brunt of the grumblings / end up doing it for you!).
I’m typically a roller bag kinda girl: I have a small roller bag (by Samsonite) that was given to me by my parents, and has pretty much seen all the countries that I have. It has even proven to be even more reliable than my passport, so I think that’s saying something!
Before you start putting stuff in your bag…
Living in the present
Obviously packing involves personal decisions, but to a certain extent you have to remove this ‘emotion’ from the process. I’m sure 99 times out of 100 when you’re on holiday, you’ve looked through your bag and thought ‘I really didn’t need to bring this’. Aside from the fact that it’s extra load and it makes your bag heavier, it also wastes precious space that you could fill with knick knacks from your travels (I know, spoken like a true girl and all the blokes reading this are probably hating me right now)!
But seriously, if there was ever a time to live in the present, now is the time. Stop thinking in 'what if' scenarios i.e. I need 10 pairs of knickers for a week-long trip, on the off chance I pee my pants. I mean really, when is the last time you did that?! If you’re a nervous traveller, at most pack 1-2 small personal items. Obviously remembering that you shouldn’t be too attached to them that if they got lost, you would be distraught.
Fold, fold, fold some more, and then roll
It may seem obvious, but it’s unbelievable how many times I’ve seen a suitcase with clothes just thrown in. As in, no thought given to folding or anything at all to make items take up less space. Quite similar in fact to some of the drawers in my house (ahem, not naming any names!). I'll let you in on to a secret: if you fold, your clothes will take up significantly less room. Just try it, and you’ll see. Folded and then rolled into a sausage type shape takes up even less room! If you needed an incentive to do this, just think about all the extra knick knacks you can pack in with all that extra room!
Bag it up
So I’m a bit of a neat freak, I get it from my Dad. Shoes have to be put in plastic bags before they are put in my suitcase. To some people, this will be a ‘duh’ moment, but to others, I know I seem like a weirdo right now. But truthfully, this idea is twofold, because the bags not only protect my clothes from dirty shoes (duh!), but also, you never know when a spare plastic bag could come in handy. Truthfully.
I also often use laundry bags from hotels (if I haven’t packed a spare or large enough plastic bag) where I put all my worn clothes. This means my clean clothes stay exactly that, clean, I don’t get muddled between what’s clean and dirty and then when I come home, unpacking is done in a flash. I just whip out the laundry bag of worn, dirty clothes and it goes straight in to the washing machine!
What to pack
The List
Below is THE list that I have had over the last 4 years, and it’s the only list I use for all travelling occasions. It won’t tell you how much of anything to pack, but it will tell you what, leaving it to you to sensibly decide the amount. Obviously you may have bits to add / remove, but this is the bare bones of it:
Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Make up
Any must have hair tools e.g. straighteners / curling tongs
Phone / tablet charger (bonus points if you can use the same charger for both!)
Clothes
Underwear
Glasses / Contact lenses (if you wear them)
Hair clip
Passport
Money
Cosmetics including shampoo / conditioner
Gloves
Shower gel (only really needed if you don’t suspect your hotel will provide)
Shoes
Trainers / gym gear (be realistic though, will you actually use it? Otherwise it’s a waste of space!)
Sunglasses
Pyjamas / Nightwear
Swim gear (takes up minimal space so just pack it anyway)
Ear plugs
Face wipes
Goggles
Headphones
Plug converter
In preparing for this post, I also asked some other seasoned travel bloggers for their ‘must haves’ when it comes to travelling. Their responses are below:
@mattgdavidson: “for me, a little torch. Alwaaaays comes in handy.”
@JustaPack: “I bring a Leatherman tool everywhere, unless all I have is a carry on… Ultimately, think the only think you should ALWAYS pack are earplugs.” (Earplugs are on my list!)
@passport_plates: “all in one plug converters hands down! And memory cards for electronics”
@peanutspretzels: "Good walking shoes, because we are always on the go!"
Remember the golden rule: you only need your passport and money, everything else you can buy!