Throwing a whole load of clothes and items into a suitcase in the hope that everything you need will be there is a risky strategy and can lead to a stressful moment when you discover that something you want is missing. If you want to avoid that nightmare scenario the best way to ensure that you have everything you need for your vacation is to have a packing plan and a checklist.
Here are some simple but essential packing tips, including a no-brainer way to ensure you remember everything, a way to get more in your luggage.
You have to make a list
The only failsafe way you can make sure that you pack everything you need for your vacation is to create a packing list.
It is far too easy to forget something when you are working your way through the wardrobe and picking items out that you might like to take. If you work out what sort of clothes you might need based on where you are headed and what other items you are likely to use, these can then go on the list.
Check each item off as you put it in the suitcase and you will be good to go without the nagging doubt that you have left something behind.
Folding is wasting space and time
There are plenty of us who tend to overpack and end up sitting on the suitcase in an attempt to get the lid shut.
The first point to make is that you have probably overpacked, especially if you haven’t used a list to narrow down your options. Secondly, you are wasting valuable luggage space if you are neatly folding each item to go inside.
Rolling your clothes is a much better idea for a couple of really good reasons.
You will soon find that tightly rolled clothes take up noticeably less space than folded ones and the real bonus is that you will find they are less wrinkled when you unpack them at the other end when you arrive on vacation.
Playing by the rules
If you are staying at a hotel they are unlikely to mind how much luggage you check in with but the same can’t be said of many airlines.
It is always a wise idea to check your baggage allowance on the airline’s website or booking documentation so that you don’t fall foul of their limits.
Any savings you might have made on the flight or hotel costs can soon dissolve if you are faced with a charge for exceeding the standard baggage allowance.
Take advantage of your options by fitting what you can into your carry-on and using a bag that is as large as most airlines allow you to bring with you onto the plane.
Follow some of these top packing tips and you should be getting your vacation off to a flying start.
