Seeing that I just returned from a short 4 day trip I thought I would share with you some of my packing secrets. When we travel we are usually flying on standby (praying for an open seat) since my hubby works for an airline. Since we travel on standby we don’t like to check our luggage in the event that we don’t make it to our destination (we don’t want our bags to vacation without us). I have become a pro at packing a small bag with lots of clothes, accessories, shoes, and cosmetics. Do you want to know my secret?
I ROLL!
You may have heard about the technique that including rolling your clothes but have you ever tried it? I’ve been doing it for several years now and it’s a great space saver and it helps keeps your clothes from getting wrinkled. Here’s how I roll:
- Start with the bulky or heavy items like denim since they take up the most space and don’t wrinkly easily. I fold them in half and roll tightly.
- Next I’ll add in the khaki or medium weight fabrics.
- For the tshirts or fabrics that wrinkle easily I’ll fold in half and then roll around the medium weight fabrics.
- Pajamas and other items that I don’t mind wrinkling will get rolled and stuffed down into any holes or small spots that are left.
- If your bag has an inside pocket that’s where I would place your under garments so they don’t go flying when security starts searching through your bag.
- If I’m carrying my luggage on I’ll wrap some of my accessories inside the clothes (belts, bulky jewelry, etc). I keep my valuable jewelry in my purse or tote.
- Pick just a few pair of versatile shoes and fit them on top – around the edge works well. You can stuff your shoes with socks or other small items (just with things that can’t soak up the odors that your shoes may have).
- Other items that normally end up in my carry on luggage includes my hair straightener, toiletries (optional), and a lightweight jacket or sweater.
I almost always pack a small tote or large purse also. Inside this tote I’ll toss my baggie full of liquids, gels, and aerosols that security wants to examine (one quart sized bag per person). I also place any medicine and valuables I might have in the tote also. Don’t forget some reading material, your ID and travel documents, a snack, and a pair of headphones.
That’s it! Pretty simple and I unpack as soon as I get to my destination. I hang up as much as possible so that I don’t get any more wrinkles. Another tip is to tuck in an old dry cleaning bag or trash bag around your clothes. This will help keep your clothes dry if you’re traveling on a rainy day. I can’t tell you how many times my bag has been checked and returned to me soaking wet!
Packing all of your items in a small bag will also save you money (no checked baggage fees) and reduce the environmental impact on the airline. Remember that they need to adjust their fuel based on the weight of the plane, passengers, and luggage so packing light helps to keep their costs and impact at a minimal.
For additional tips on packing:
Real Simple, How to Pack a Suitcase (with video)
Extra Space, Pack It! Pinterest Board
The Extra Space Storage company also has a great blog with lots of storage (and packing) tips for moving and travel. From now through July 8th they are holding a What’s in Store? contest for a chance to win an iPad and other great prizes. Just pick the right door and you could be the next winner!
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