Packing For A Trip

On of the hardest, and most annoying parts of traveling is packing for the trip.  Who really wants to spend time deciding what things need to be brought along, then finding all necessary items and fitting them into the amount of luggage that you want to take along?  Here are some tips that I have learned:

1. Save Your Packing List: Since my husband and I travel a lot, you would think that this one would have been obvious to us from the beginning.  But no, I had to learn the hard way! After rewriting packing list, after packing list, it finally dawned on me to keep my packing list saved on a computer file so that I could easily find it, modify it for our upcoming trip, and begin the actual hassle of packing.

2. Have A Packing Area: Designate a certain area in your home to be the place to leave your suitcase to gather the items you are taking with you on your trip.  I usually get out my suitcase a few days up to a couple of weeks before my trip depending on the length of the trip.  I find a spot where it won't bother me or my husband and leave it open to toss items into it as I find them.

3.  Research Weight Limits and Baggage Restrictions: Every airline had different weight limits and baggage requirements, so take the time to double check them online before you start packing.  Some airlines in Europe, and probably other places in the world, have limits on the weight of your carry-on bags too.  We had to have our carry-on bags weighed in France last summer.  It is best to know in advance how much extra you would have to pay for too many or too heavy of bags so that you can budget wisely.

4. Roll Your Clothes: People are astounded when they look at our travel pictures and see that we have different outfits on for the many days that we are gone.  How are we able to take along so many clothes?  Well, we spend the time rolling up all of our clothes and making every precious space of our bag count.  Roll the clothes! It is magical how much space you will save!

5. Check Off Items As They Are Placed In Your Bags: I print off my packing list and spend the evening before a trip placing each item into my bags.  After each item is rolled and placed, I check it off of the list.  Then I go back through the list and circle any items that I missed, usually my toiletries.  I will add those items the next day before I go making sure I take the time to check them off so I am not worried on the plane about forgetting anything.

I hope you find this list helpful! Happy traveling!