The way you pack plays an important role in the success of a trip (if you've ever arrived at your destination and found your baggage smeared with toothpaste due to the tube explosion, then you know it's true). This guide contains useful tips to help you become an expert in packing, with special sections dedicated to those traveling by plane or train.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Packing Your Suitcase
Step 1. Make a list of everything you intend to take with you
That list will include clothes, shoes, toiletries, documents, and possibly maps, guides, reading stuff, and information about hotels and car rental companies.
- The most commonly forgotten items are toothbrush / toothpaste, socks, sunglasses, sunscreen, hat, pajamas, razor, and deodorant.
- Never underestimate how quickly the space in your suitcase will take to fill up. Do you really think you need five pairs of shoes for three nights? And four overcoats? Think about the climate and the type of activity you will engage in.
Step 2. Plan what you will wear in advance to avoid packing more than necessary
If you are knowledgeable enough about the weather conditions you will find, you can be quite accurate. If not, bring versatile clothes (a cardigan or light jacket that goes well with many of your tops, a few long-sleeved shirts, jeans that you can roll up to the ankle) that will allow you to adapt in the event of climate change. Make an effort to carry things that you can wear over and over again. Dressing in layers is not only a good way to recycle the clothes you have already worn, but it is also good, if necessary, to adapt to changes in the weather.
- Narrow your wardrobe based on color pairing. If you make each piece fit well with many of the others you pack, you will be able to achieve a variety of combinations.
- Bring empty plastic bags for dirty laundry. If you don't have the ability to wash your clothes, storing them in separate bags will save you from mixing clean with dirt and rummaging through your stuff every time you need a change.
Step 3. Buy travel containers for your toiletries, regardless of the length of your journey
Unless you've been going somewhere isolated for weeks, you can always stop by a local store to stock up on soap or toothpaste. Also, if you are taking a plane, there may be restrictions on the amount of liquids or gels you can take on board, which means you may be forced to choose between shampoo and toothpaste at security. Go to the airline's website to check its guidelines.
- Put all your toiletries in a secure bag. You certainly don't want them to explode or leak into your luggage. Again, don't forget that they must comply with the allowable measures for travel.
- If you are staying in a hotel, you can avoid bringing shampoo and conditioner and use those provided by the hotel (you can buy other necessities, such as toothpaste, once you arrive at your destination).
Step 4. If you have to go through customs, please check your suitcase before putting your belongings in it
Make sure it's completely empty (especially if it's not yours) as, once you get to the control area, you are solely responsible for its content. Suitcases usually have hidden zippers along the sides or in the center. April and check it out. Better to be safe than sorry later.
If you have to cross the border, consider using one of those tamper evident products to make sure your baggage hasn't been breached before it gets to customs
Step 5. Put the heavier things on the bottom of the luggage, especially if it is a standing model
Having to deal with a wheeled suitcase that twists and turns at every turn and falls when you let it go is not the best way to get around.
While packing, check the items on your list. Proceed with accuracy; better not to have to dismantle the entire bag in a panic because you do not remember if you have put a certain thing or not
Step 6. Put your clothes inside using the proven "rolling" technique
Spread one or two things on top of each other, flatten them well, then roll them up, as you would with a sleeping bag, to conserve space and prevent them from creasing. For added protection against creasing, place a piece of heavy fabric or cardboard between the clothes before rolling them. Don't worry about clothes that tend to wrinkle easily; many hotels / motels often have an iron available in the closet, not to mention the laundry service.
Step 7. Put sweatshirts, jackets and underwear in reusable vacuum bags, which can create up to 75% more space in your suitcase
Since they block odors, they can also come in handy for dirty laundry. What you have to do is put things inside, close the bag, connect the special pump to the small valve and suck the air. It really is that easy.
Step 8. Wrap fragile things (such as jewelry or glass objects) with socks and then put them inside the shoes inside the luggage
This guarantees maximum safety.
Step 9. Purchase large loop clips
You can find them in hardware stores or even in large shopping centers; they look like the rings of the shower curtain, they can be opened and then locked on something to connect it. You can use them to hold important items like your document holder on your bag or to tow your suitcase. Large, bulky bags that you have to leave unattended while doing other things are an obvious call to thieves. Keep documents, money and valuables in a fanny pack or hidden somewhere in what you wear (you can buy secret pockets for small items). Either way, don't hide items you might need right away.
Step 10. Bring snacks in case you get hungry
Light if the trip is short or if you go to places where you can buy a meal, more abundant for longer trips. If you have allergies, food intolerances or particular conditions where you can only eat certain foods (for example gluten or nut free) and you think you don't have much choice during the trip (usually airlines offer special meals for these needs), bring some extra snacks.
Step 11. Bring distractions with you to avoid getting bored (travel games, pen and paper, books, mobile electronic devices are great for long journeys)
Step 12. Remember that travel is for fun and relaxation, it doesn't have to be stressful
Do not get too caught up in the organization and planning. If it's too stressful for you, let a travel agency do all the work for you.
Method 2 of 3: Packing for an Airplane Trip
Step 1. Find out what things you can't take on the plane
This applies to safety, size, weight and even food, since there are restrictions on each of these things.
- Safety restrictions may vary by country, but the most obvious risks (knives, flammable liquids), others not too obvious (nail clippers and nail files in the handbag) and some somewhat unexplained (for example, in the United States It is not allowed to bring an unopened bottle of water on board, unless you bought it after going through security.)
- The weight and size limitations depend on the airlines, so check their website in advance for more information. Most of the bags and medium-sized hand luggage can be taken on board.
- Avoid bringing nuts on board. They can cause allergic reactions to other passengers.
- If you are crossing international borders, do not bring agricultural products (seeds, fruits and vegetables), meat or dairy products. Although it may suit you in some countries, many others have strict rules on the matter, in order to avoid the introduction and spread of non-native species and diseases.
Step 2. Separate liquids from the rest of your hand luggage
Liquids should be easily accessible so that you can remove them for inspection as you go through security checks. If you are traveling to the United States, there are strict and very specific regulations on the amount of liquid / gel that you are allowed to carry:
- It is allowed to carry a maximum of about 100 ml per container (not total) of liquid / gel.
- All individual liquid containers must be put together in a resealable plastic bag. Before going through the scanner with your luggage, you will need to place the envelope separately on the walking belt so that it can be examined.
- To avoid the stress of packing and storing liquids separately, it is advisable to bring solid bath products (deodorant stick, make-up powder, etc.). You can put liquids in your hand luggage.
- As a rule, fluid restrictions do not apply to medicines (you must have a prescription with you), breast milk or baby milk. However, they must be kept separately and agents must be informed of their presence.
Step 3. Avoid checking baggage whenever possible
Many airlines charge for baggage check-in. Even if you don't mind paying more, waiting for check in and collection can add half an hour, even more, to your stay at the airport; Sometimes it also happens that the suitcases that cannot be boarded are delivered to you long after your arrival. If you are traveling as a family, make sure that everyone carries as much carry-on baggage as possible, so that you can take as many things into the cabin as possible. Wear your heavier clothes for the trip to save space. Consider replacing jeans with lightweight travel pants that take up little space and dry faster.
Step 4. If you are traveling to the US, try to get a Travel Security Agency (TSA) approved bag for your laptop
In fact, at security checkpoints they will ask you to X-ray your laptop separately, which can slow down the procedure and complicate it if you are not well organized. Special laptop bags usually have a flap that opens and allows the computer to be scanned without being removed.
Step 5. Keep the most important items in the smaller suitcase
Many airlines allow you to carry a small and a medium bag in the cabin, whether it is women's bags or containing the essentials for a baby. Since it is very likely that you will have to put the larger bag in the glove compartment of the cabin, avoid keeping things in it you may want during the trip (for example a jacket, a book, a snack) or you will have to stand in the middle of the aisle to dig in mid-flight.
Method 3 of 3: Packing for a Train Trip
Step 1. Distribute heavy items equally between bags
Many trains are rather permissive in relation to large baggage, to the point of being a valid alternative to planes in certain situations. As in aircraft, suitcases are usually placed in storage compartments above seating, but since these can be large suitcases, it can be difficult to lift and carry them down each time. Make sure you don't have any suitcase that looks full of bricks or you'll find yourself stuck in the hallway with shaky knees with a duffel bag over your head asking a stranger to rescue you.
Step 2. Keep the valuables on you
Unlike planes, there are no assistants constantly checking the aisles, plus many people are constantly getting on and off the train. Always carry your valuables with you, especially if you fall asleep or go away for any reason.
Step 3. Make sure you can find snacks on the train before you decide not to bring any
Many trains provide this type of service or maybe they stop in places where a vendor gets on or you can get off to buy them. However, if you are traveling to a country where you are unfamiliar with customs or train rules, make sure you do not have to go on a long journey without having anything to drink or eat.
Advice
- When you pack, leave it open on the bed and try on the clothes you intend to bring, to make sure they fit.
- If you go abroad, make a photocopy of your passport and keep it separately from the original. If you lose your original passport, having a copy would facilitate the replacement procedure.
- Try to be tidy. When packing your suitcase, don't just throw your clothes in, but fold them wisely. Try to save space; being tidy helps. Also, try to use every part of your suitcase, filling the spaces with a pair of socks whenever you can.
Warnings
- Be careful they don't tamper with your baggage. Check it before crossing the border to make sure it is intact.
- Learn about all safety regulations and what is legal and what not to bring on planes.
- Make sure you pack your medications and other important items in your carry-on bag, not the one you will be boarding. If your baggage takes a different route, at least you will have what you need with you.
