How to Pack

The best way to pack is a balance between maximizing your space and keeping things light.  I don’t care who you are- no one enjoys lifting or dragging around heavy bags and suitcases.  But if you’re like me, you do get a kick out of fitting everything you need perfectly into the space you have.  Here’s what I do:

Clothing:

-Consider your trip itinerary and lay out one outfit for every situation you will be in.  They could be: swimming, hiking, going to a nice restaurant, exercising, and normal daily activities like walking around outside.  

-Pack up to 7 pairs of underwear and socks.  Since these are small they will pack well. If your trip is longer, you’ll do laundry.

-When folding clothing, roll them.  This will help them compress better and take up less space.

-Put all clothing into packing cubes.  I prefer small and medium sized cubes because they force you to reduce the amount of clothing items.  They also are easier to move around in the suitcase if you need to rearrange things. I try to keep tops in one, bottoms in another.

-Bring one extra packing cube or bag to use as a laundry bag.  Mine is a different color so it’s easy for me to visualize what’s clean and what’s dirty.

Toiletries:

-Use 1-2 fluid ounce bottles for toiletries, if you pack any at all.  It’s easy to get these on the road, so if you need to refill them, do so while on the road.  There’s no need to carry a month’s worth of shampoo and conditioner with you.

-Use one toiletry bag for all items in your suitcase.  You can use another, small one, as a carry-on bag for the airplane.  This is useful for long flights or lost/delayed luggage.

Shoes:

-Wrap all shoes in a bag.  This will protect other things in your suitcase, and the suitcase itself, from getting dirty.

-Stuff shoes with socks or other small items that would otherwise take up space somewhere else.

Technology

-All chords, chargers, and other equipment can be kept in a small packing cube or ziploc bag.

-Keep expensive and important items in your carry on bag, like laptops, smartphones, and tablets.

Miscellaneous Items:

-Small ones can usually be stored together in a packing cube.

-Large ones can be fitted around packing cubes in the suitcase.

Extra Worthwhile Items:

-Ziploc bags.  They’re very handy and take up almost no room.  Pack a few.

-Small umbrella. The size of your forearm is enough.

-Small first aid kit. This can be band aids, medicine you may need, and alcohol swabs.

-Healthy Snacks.  Otherwise, you might end up eating Dairy Queen at the airport waiting for a delayed flight...

If something doesn’t fit, consider whether you really need it.  If you do need it, consider what else you don’t need and remove it.

Try your best to fit everything into your suitcase without expanding it.  Expanding should be a last resort to keep your bag light and manageable.