Tips for Organized Packing

“I’ll Be Home for Christmas” is a song many will be singing in the next few weeks. Others will head for a destination holiday that includes sunny climes or fun winter activities. No matter where you are going, travel these days poses a host of problems. Carefully thinking about what you really need and organizing clothing and personal items for convenience, easy portability and access can minimize many of them.

It starts with planning and takes into consideration where you are going, how long you will be gone and what activities are planned while you are at your destination. Once you have those particulars in mind, gather the clothes you will take with you. Some of the best advice I have been given is that once you have decided what to take, put a third of it back in your closet. Cull out those items that don’t fit a selected color palette (usually neutral tans and browns or black or blue). Retain a few accessories to add pizzazz and splashes of color to to your basic wardrobe. Make sure you have comfortable shoes, serviceable undergarments and necessary toiletries, emergency products and prescription drugs. Many packing lists for travel by different modes of transportation and different destinations can be found on the web. Some of them are:
www.onebag.com
www.traveltime.org
www.backpackeurope.com

Once you have gathered the items you are taking with you, it is time to pack your bags. Make sure the bags are sturdy and close securely and they are a weight you can lift from the car, the airport carousel or haul upstairs at your relatives house. Fewer bags are better. There is limited space no matter where you are going and, unless you have personal porters, it is a hassle to lug around multiple bags.

You now have another decision to make. How will you store your clothes in the bag? Will you roll, fold or bundle? Rolling works well for t-shirts and flexible fabrics. Jeans, on the other hand, may take up more room rolled than they do folded. As a general rule, minimize wrinkling in soft-sided luggage by rolling and packing tightly. In rigid frame luggage, fold or use the bundle method. The bundle method minimizes the number of folds, thus potential creases, and has some of the cushioning value of the roll method. Bundling involves laying clothes across the suitcase with larger items on the bottom and then folding them tightly around a core bundle of clothing and accessories. A thorough illustrated explanation of packing using the bundle method can be found in The Packing Book by Judith Gilford available at www.amazon.,com.

Check off the items on your list as you pack and tuck a copy in an easily accessible place in case luggage is lost. It also will serve as a handy reference when you evaluate the usefulness of the items you chose to take with you and refine your list for future excursions.

Remember to keep prescription medications and travel documents, and other absolutely essential items with you at all time. If luggage is lost or delayed you do not want to be without these necessities.

Make travel easier by:

• Consulting expert sites for lists and travel tips
• Taking as few bags as you can
• Making a packing list and checking off items as you pack them
• Using a packing method that helps maximize space and minimize wrinkles
• Keeping the packed weight of bags to a level you can comfortably lift and tote
• Refining your packing list after each trip to eliminate things you did not need and add things you wished you had included.
• Rolling with the punches when the unexpected happens

Happy wanderings!

Beverly & Kristen
www.KeyTransitions.net