Every time my sister and I take a trip we always discuss what clothes we are bringing, luggage, etc. She packs like we are going to be gone for a year and I take enough to fit in a duffle bag. While this isn’t one of our typical articles with the holidays approaching we thought these strategies for travelling light might be helpful. Yes, I shared them with my sister too.
What to Pack:
- Go easy on clothing – 3 tops for every bottom (you can get away with repeating); limit footwear to sneakers and 2 pairs of shoes – 1 casual and 1 dressy.
- Choose wrinkle free repellers – pick blends that contain nylon, Lycra, or polyester. They can be pulled out of a suitcase looking fresh and wrinkle free. Prefer natural fibers? Opt for wool or stretch cotton.
- Pack a Just-in-Case kit – bring Downy Wrinkle Releaser Plus and Tide To Go stain remover.
- Keep Tabs on your Bag – Use a GPS luggage tracker (try LugLoc) so you can locate your suitcase if it gets lost. Also label your bag tag with an email address so that you can be more easily contacted in transit.
- Prep your Carry-On – layers are essential for chilly planes, as well as a toothbrush and any prescriptions you might need should your luggage be delayed.
- Invest in Useful Tech Gear – the compact Fuse Universal Dual USB adaptor has plugs for 150 countries and 2 built in USB ports. You might also want to try some noise cancelling headphones. The Bose’s Quiet Comfort 20i earbuds are awesome.
How to Pack:
- Decide what to Roll and What to Fold – if you’re packing a duffle bag roll everything. Otherwise reserve rolling for knits (T-Shirts) and fold your blazers, trousers, etc.
- Get space efficient – keep clothes sorted and squeeze out all the air for extra compression.
- Use trash bags as wrinkle defenders – line the bottom of your luggage with a garbage bag. After you’ve packed, add another on top. The slippery surface keeps creases from setting.
- Arrange contents with purpose – footwear and heavy items go near the bottom. Then layer in rolled garments, folded clothes and bulky sweaters or jackets. Items that might be easily crushed go last.
- Maximize every nook – snake belts around the perimeter, stuff shoes with socks. Tuck jewelry in a side pocket, store earrings in pill cases and string necklaces through drinking straws, taping the clasps to each end.
info. from RealSimple.com – 10/15