Throughout the years, I have had so many traveling opportunities with choirs, and the occasional family vacations. With destinations including Hawaii, California, Sweden, and South Africa, all very different places, I have had to learn how to pack well, and how to pack smart. Depending on the length of a trip, and the destination, my needs would change, so I learned how to pack everything I needed, plus a few extras, with room for souvenirs, under the 50 lb domestic weight limit, and the 45 lb weight limit in South Africa. Here are some of my tips for packing smart, packing light, and packing well, so you can get jet set!
Luggage
The process should start with your luggage itself. Most domestic airlines allow patrons to check a bag for a fee, and to have one carry-on bag and personal item. Most airlines have a 50 lb limit on checked baggage, and size and dimension limits for carry-on luggage. Check with your airline or carrier to see what these limits are. If you know that you are planning on checking a bag, you can pre-pay for it when you check in for your flight, which is usually up to 24 hours in advance. Then, when you arrive at the airport, you can just print your boarding pass and bag tag at a self-serve kiosk and walk up to the bag drop, instead of having to wait in the long service lines.
Keep in mind that there are more rules and regulations when it comes to carry-on luggage, including liquid restrictions. If you plan on packing full sized bottles of toiletries, you will need to check the bag.
Personally, my favorite brand of luggage is the Travelpro brand. The cases are very lightweight to begin with, and also have expanders. The cases are flexible, shock absorbent, and are very durable. I’ve had my large one for almost five years, and it still looks new. I also use a set of reusable silicone cosmetic bottles, TSA approved. We’ll come back to those later.
What to Actually Bring
You should have an outfit for every day on the trip. Plus, consider bringing clothing that can be mixed and matched, and can be worn several times, in case you have to rewear items. Also, consider what kind of activities you will be doing. For my last trip, which was to California for a choir trip, I knew that I was going to be going to two shows, and on a hiking trip. So, I made sure my outfits could be flexible for hiking and being outdoors, and I brought two simple dresses that could be made fancier with accessories.
It is my experience that bringing more than one pair of shoes is a really good idea, because you never know when it might rain and soak a pair. In California, there was an unexpected rainstorm and my regular shoes were soaked. Luckily, I had an extra pair of walking shoes with me, so I didn’t have to walk around in gross soggy shoes for the rest of the trip.
If there is one thing that you should bring extras of, it’s underwear and socks. My general rule is one pair a day, plus three extras. This way, if you go swimming, or get super sweaty, or start your period unexpectedly, you have extra pairs. For longer trips, so two weeks or more, I would also consider bringing a laundry bar with you so you can wash your socks and intimates in the sink in case you run low. Underwear and socks are usually quick drying as well.
Cosmetics
TSA officers often have to stop people in security for having too many liquids, too much of a liquid volume, or liquids not in an approved container (ziplock bag or cosmetic case). This slows down the line at security, and also means that you have to leave your liquids in security.
I recommend that everyone gets reusable containers for their cosmetics, and to also buy travel sized cosmetics in general. You can usually find these items at the dollar store. However, entire kits of empty silicone containers are available on Amazon, and usually come with a TSA approved case. With reusable containers, you can fill them with your own products, and reuse them when you are done. I also recommend bringing bars of soap, as they are not considered liquids, and are easy to travel with.
If you choose to pack makeup, remember that any liquid products, such as foundation, concealer, and lip-glosses, are all subject to the liquid regulations, and also have to be at or under 3 oz, and fit into a quart sized bag.
Little Extras
One thing I definitely learned on my last trip is that you should never rely on a hotel to have toiletries and towels for you. I would recommend that everyone have their own soaps, and also, I would recommend that you bring your own quick dry travel towels. These towels, that are available online, are super absorbent and dry quickly. They also roll up very small. I would bring an entire set, because some hotels do not have hand towels or washcloths.
Try to bring a bathing suit! Even if you aren’t sure if you are going to go swimming, lots of hotels have pools, and the opportunity might arise. It’s better to have a swimsuit with you and end up not using it, than needing one and not having one.
I like to have both a lightweight hoodie that I keep in my backpack, and a slightly heavier one, just in case it rains. It also isn’t a bad idea to have a small umbrella with you. Bring a trash bag for your dirty clothing, or for any clothing that gets wet, so you can keep it separate from the clean clothing.
Consider purchasing packing cubes or suitcase organizers to better pack your belongings.
Loading the Suitcase
Now that you have everything you need, here comes the hard part. Actually putting stuff into the suitcase to ensure extra space, and that everything fits, is the challenging bit. I like putting shoes in first, on the button up against the sides.
I like to roll up my jeans into small rolls, and stack them in the suitcase. I don’t lay them across the entire bottom, but rather lean the case up at an angle and fill the suitcase vertically, like I’m making a stack. It fits more that way.
I also roll my shirts and dresses. For my socks and underwear, I put them in little suitcase organizer bags, and use them to fill any gaps in the case, or put them in the inner zipper pocket. I like to put any non-liquid cosmetics in a bag, and stick those in between rolls of clothing, so they are protected in case the suitcase gets hit with something heavy.
If you are bringing liquids in your carry on, have them in a separate baggie in an easy to get to place, as you will have to remove them from the main bag in security. If you bring a laptop, I would not recommend putting it in your checked luggage. It should come with you on the plane, and also needs to be accessible from your carry-on luggage, as electronics larger than a cell phone have to be separated from the main bag in security.
Now you’re ready! Go out there and take on the world!