Let’s face it, packing for a vacation is never easy. And with so many factors at play—from the length of your trip to your changing itinerary—it’s easy to over pack or under pack, especially if you leave it to the last minute.
1 – Use packing cubes.. These durable and lightweight bags allow you to group similar items (think: underwear, accessories, beachwear) and pack them together in one cube. This makes for easy unpacking and repacking. This is especially so when changing several hotels.
2- Roll, don’t fold.. Rolled-up clothes take up less space and help prevent wrinkling. However, for heavier clothing like winter jackets, you’ll save more space by folding them or laying them flat at the bottom of your suitcase.
3- Place the heaviest item at the bottom.. Always pack your heaviest items at the bottom of the suitcase. A top-heavy suitcase runs the risk of toppling over. The best way to shrink your luggage is to wear your bulkiest clothing on the plane.
4- Pack an extra set of clothes in your carry-on.. While lost luggage is rare these days, baggage delays are still common, even if your flight is short and direct. Pack an extra set of clothes (especially a change of socks and underwear)—this is also useful during a layover if you want to freshen up.
5- Share suitcases if you’re traveling as a family.. Another approach is to make sure you have each person’s essentials in every suitcase, in case some bags get delayed or go missing.
6- Bring a socket extension.. If you’re traveling with someone, or with family, the last thing you’ll want is to fight over the limited number of charging points in the hotel room. Bring along a socket extension so that you can juice up multiple devices in one go. And of course proper plugs!
There are so many other things to consider; seasons, weather and type of vacation; beach, city, mountains or cruise. Great packing can make a big difference! The old adage is take out half and double the money. In most cases you can purchase what you need along the way. I like to pack an empty soft bag for the shopping!
TripAdvisor
AlwaysHarriet 