Packing Do’s and Don’ts

The trip is booked. The flight is purchased. Now it’s time to pack your suitcase.

Regardless of where your destination is and how you are going to get there, you need to pack a bag of some sort. Through personal experience and searching for helpful hints online, I came up with a few tips that might help you.

Do’s

Start by finding the best suitcase, duffle bag, purse or what you have it for where you are traveling to. Making sure you are up to date on airline luggage restrictions and what you can and cannot bring on a plane will alleviate embarrassment at the terminal (this goes for trains and ships as well).

• Think ahead: check out the weather, where you are going and how you are going to get there.
• Make a list: writing down what I need to bring helps me stay organized and makes packing a little less stressful.
• Plan for the unexpected: make sure you have a few spares of socks, underwear, shirts, etc.. because you never know what will happen.
• Roll your clothes: surprisingly, I never rolled my clothes when packing. But- it does make a lot of sense and seems to save some space in your suitcase.
• Helpful things to bring along: foot insoles for your shoes, portable charger, rain poncho, first aid kit, lip balm, passport/ credit card theft protection wallet, hand sanitizer, spare cash or credit card and a reusable water bottle.

Don’ts

• Entire set of keys: it would be wise to not bring your entire set of keys, just bring the ones you need to get home with.
• Guidebooks: these books will weigh you down, instead read up on your destination before you leave.
• Uncomfortable shoes: more likely than not you will be doing a huge amount of walking. Find a comfortable pair of shoes or use insoles.
• Don’t pack things you can buy there: some things you may or may not need on a trip, why waste space when you can buy it where you are going- examples: razors, nail polish remover, lint roller…
• Overpack: this seems like an obvious “rule” but trust me, I am the type to pack everything I own. Just pack the basics and essentials!

Most of these tips should be common sense by now, but we often fall into the “must pack everything” trap all too often. Just remember, all of those things are dispensable but you are not. If you lose, leave or have something get stolen you can always replace that item.

For example: After I was coming back from Europe, my bag was on a flight to New Jersey and not to Wisconsin like we were. Everyone else on the trip found their bag at pick up location but me. I was freaking out! All the souvenirs, my best clothes and memories were in that bag. After a week, the airline company found my bag and shipped it to my house. That experience made me reflect on my own privilege and how material we all can be sometimes. Everything will work out in the end.. so don’t panic.

Feel free to comment on your own personal experiences packing or other helpful tips!