My first trip to Europe I packed a change of clothes for every day, plus an extra just in case. My bag didn’t exceed the weight limit for the airline but it exceeded the limit I wanted to lug around. As the trip wore on and I had to drag it up several flights of stairs I decided then …. Maybe I didn’t need all this stuff. Turns out I didn’t. I brought home clean clothes. Next time I got by with less.
1) Know the airline size and weight limit. I have seen people at the airport re-arranging clothing, or paying fees they weren’t expecting because they exceeded the limit. Go online to the airline website and check it out!
2) My first thought is to pack an outfit for every day plus some extra. But then I remember long walks to hotels, flights of stairs in tube station and I get realistic. I pack about 4 days worth of clothes. Underclothes, socks etc…I pack enough to cover every day and a few extra. They are small and don’t take up much room. You can hunt down a laundry mat and do some laundry but I’m on vacation and that just isn’t happening. Or you can have the hotel wash some clothes for you. Again not happening…I’m cheap. I pack a spray bottle of fabric refresher. At the end of the day I spray the clothes and hang them to dry. Rotate. Clothes smell fresh and I’m good for another day.
3) To keep clothes from becoming wrinkled I roll them instead of folding. Plus it doesn’t take up as much room when rolled and they stack like wood.
4) Put all liquids (yes, you can take liquids on checked luggage) in zip lock bags. Just in case your toothpaste or shampoo explodes on the flight at least your clothes aren’t covered in it.
5) Tuck in some plastic bags. I just grab a hand full and tuck them all sorts of places. I use them to put my worn under wear and socks in because I don’t want to toss used in with my clothes. Ew. I also use them to wrap souvenirs protecting them from getting damaged. You’ll find all sorts of use for plastic bags.
6) Ladies, I know we want to take our whole makeup drawer, all our hair products and tools. Limit yourself to the ones you’ll really use. If you haven’t used the bronzer all year, chances are you won’t on vacation either. I try to limit myself to 1 zip lock bag of makeup and hair products. I check out the hotel website to find out if there will be a blow dryer in the room and I leave mine at home! I know we each prefer our own cause we’re used to it but it’s only a week or two. Besides the space I save by using the hotel blow dryer gives me more room for another souvenir!
7) Speaking of which…. have you kept in mind when packing if there’s room for all the items you’ll buy? I’ve known some people to shop, then find the post office and ship it all home. Or some have paid a small fee and used the proprietors offer to ship. Or some will pay the fee for a second piece of checked luggage. My husband and I have worked out a neat little system. Most of our trips which require flying are international. Most (not all) airlines offer the 1st piece of checked luggage free. We could very easily share a big bag and still keep it at the weight limit but instead we each take a big piece of luggage. Both are usually only half full but it’s free, so why wouldn’t we. Then when its time to come home…we have plenty of room for all our purchases.
8) Carry on. The most important piece of luggage. This is the piece you are in charge of the whole time! I never put anything important in my checked luggage. Ever. It’s all in my carry on. My passport, my money, my tickets, maps, ink pen and paper, my camera, my medicine, cell phone and charger it’s all in there. To save any hassle I put all my medicines in a zip lock bag in their original containers. Pack a change of clothes in the carry on in case your checked luggage goes on a different vacation.
9) Instead of packing a jacket, wear one. Planes are usually cold so you’ll have something to wrap up in. Pack lace up shoes in the checked luggage. Wear something easy to slip on & off because you’ll be doing it at every check point. Be prepared to remove jacket, hat, shoes, belt, etc when approaching a check point. They have signs everywhere informing you what to remove. Yet time and time again I see people get up there and then start removing it. We all want to arrive on time. Be prepared.
10) Finally ask if you can live without it for “x” amount of days or is it something you can buy if needed? If the answer is yes, then leave it at home. Tie a big bow on the checked luggage handle. Put something on it that makes it stand out from all the other black or blue bags. For my last trip I bought a new piece of luggage which was bright red! I loved it. I could spot my bag right off!
If traveling internationally do your research and learn some of the customs or phrases before you arrive. I wish I had done this on my first trip. Remember I had the giant bag with my whole wardrobe plus one extra, a carry on, and a purse. I just assumed we’d leave the airport, ride the train, ride the tube and be at our hotel. I didn’t realize I would collect the luggage and drag it to the train, lug it on the train and back off the train, then drag it to the tube station, on the tube, we switched a couple of times to get to the area where the hotel was located. Then it was up a couple flights of stairs to get street level and a jog for several blocks before we’re finally at our hotel! Whew. I was exhausted! Got my room key and looking around I didn’t see an elevator anywhere. So I ask. They look at me strange and say “no elevator”. I’m thinking you’ve got to be kidding me! My room was on the top floor. Yay. Not. I’d gone up 2 flights of stairs and have 2 more to go when I have got to stop and catch my wind. A young man comes by who was an employee of the hotel, takes my bag and sprints up the stairs. (show off) Then asks me why I didn’t use the “lift”. Ok. Wow. Nice little tidbit of information to have know. So do your homework! But most of all don’t sweat the little stuff. Just go with the flow and relax. It is a vacation after all!