My top 10 tips for packing
Now I love traveling; but I hate packing. The two things kind of go hand in hand, so I thought I would write this post to help anyone else who may be in my situation. I think I inherited my hate of packing from my Mother who hates packing more than myself and sees the holiday as an escape from packing.
I have tried to figure out a process for when I pack and I think I may be getting better at it as I have traveled more. There are a few things that I have to pack on every trip, these are marked with *. The rest are more ideas, but in reality if you have a credit card and cash then you can simply buy an item that may be needed. Please don’t think of me as a spoilt brat who puts everything on the credit card; in fact it is quite the opposite, I only tell myself this so I am able to leave the house without worrying that I have forgotten something!
1. Passport *
I simply cannot leave the country without my passport. I don’t even need my plane ticket anymore as they only seem to check my passport at checkin. I always keep it in a place close to me that is easy for me to check. I don’t know about you but I tend to check this about 100 times until I’ve reached my destination.
2. Money*
Money makes the world go round and I simply couldn’t go round the world without it (a challenge for another day). I never change money up vefore traveling, I instead just take my card and retrieve cash from an ATM at the destination, saving time and also large exchange fees. I have recently obtained a Monzo and Revolut card that are prepaid cards and free to use when I am abroad. Both have lovely apps and have a card freezing facility which comes in hand if you lose your cards. You can also chat to someone on the app 24/7 when abroad keeping the cost of calls down. I got both to be safe, Monzo is better known but it does have a 3 month wait list and is currently only available for iPhone users. I have also just paid an annual fee of £24 for my Lloyds duo Avios credit card. This enables me to use it abroad for free and get 5 x more airmiles #winwin. One day I even may have enough points for an upgrade; I dream of one day being the smug person sitting in their comfortable seat with a glass of champagne on their layout bed.
3. iPhone + charger *
I went traveling when I was 18 which was pre smartphone; now I simply can’t imagine traveling without it. The best thing about a smart phone is it is like packing multiole items in one; camera, computer, calendar, notepad, maps and phone (plus other gadgets). I always download the maps of where I am going and any apps that will help me get around for where I am based
4. Laptop and laptop charger
As I will be working whilst traveling this is essential to my travel. I actually normally try not to travel with my laptop when on vacation, because I am on holiday : ). Must remember the adaptor too, I often forget to pack my adaptor so have a drawer full of them at home that I don’t want to add to.
5. Cosmetics
As this is a longer trip I can pack my larger cosmetic bag. I bought a clear bag that fits squarely in the corner of my suitcase and ensures everything is kept neat and orderly. In there will go moisturiser, shower gel (I’m staying at friends and Airbnb’s), Sun tan lotion (I hope the sun is shining in Costa rica and Miami), exfoliator gloves, hairbrush, tweezers and all my makeup minus my maskara, lipstick and eyeliner that travel in hand luggage.
6. Bikini + Underwear+Socks (aka your smalls)
When I was traveling through South East Asia I used to have lots of bikinis that doubled up as underwear (I basically lived in my bikini). Sadly my days aren’t spent on beaches but I still categories these together. I find it is best to keep these in their own small bag so you don’t lose them in the rest of your clothes.
7. Shoes
I will wear my comfy/running shoes flying. This means my feet are at their ultimate comfort and can sustain my swelling feet. In the suitcase will go a pair of smart shoes and a pair that I can laze around in like flip flops. If I have room I will pack a pair of heels too, as you never know : )
8. Clothes
As I am going to be in Autumn and Summer over the next month I have to think carefully about what clothes I will bring. There are a few things that will crossover to both climates, like skirts that can be worn with tights in Winter and bare legs in Summer. I do love to pack a good scarf that doubles up as a Sarong and even a towel if you find yourself caught without one. I will pack 2 pairs of smart casual trousers suitable for both climates. Tps is my weakness as I always pack too many, this is something I am working on. Try and stick with darker coloured clothes as this will save on the amount of washing you need to do.
9. Laundry bag
I used to use plastic bags but it is so much nicer to invest in a material small laundry bag that you can travel with. This stops old clothes getting mixed with new clean ones, and when you get home you simply just chuck it into the washing machine.
10. The travel Outfit
Now this is my most valued outfit. It is the one that wears all the things I need for all conditions and can add to incase I forget to pack anything. A few things that I always travel in is; comfy shoes, comfy trousers, a hoody that doubles up as a pillow, (One day I want this Koala hoodie, which covers all my sleeping and travel needs), a scarf (the saroong and towel one); and as I am traveling in Autumn where the weather may be mild I have worn a light blazer that can also double up for business meetings and going out to cool bars.
So there we have it, my top 10 things to think about when packing. Now I am certainly not the lightest packer, unlike one bearded guy that I know (@lukeseq), but I am certainly getting better. The most important thing to think about when packing items is does this have more than one use or outfit, if the answer is no then leave it out!
