5 Packing Tips for Struggle Free Travel

Traveling is a fun adventure and getting away from it all.  Don’t bring it all with you and you will enjoy you travel that much more.

Here are 5 packing tips to keep you skipping along instead of being weighed down with unnecessary items while you travel.

1.  Make a list.  Make a list.  Make a list.  If you do nothing else, make a list of everything you need to take.  Check it twice.  Narrow it down and scratch off things you can pick up where you are going whenever you can.  Imagine each day of your vacation, what you will need that day, write it down.  If you want to be successful at this, make the list a week before you intend to pack.  How much fun is it to decide you want to wear a particular dress to that formal event and then as you pack realize it needs to be dry cleaned?
2. Roll clothing, don’t fold it.  Rolled clothing will pack more tightly in your luggage and is less likely to crease badly while in transit. 
3. Shoes are heavy.  You only think you need that many pairs of shoes.  If you want to incur extra charges for being overweight at luggage check-in, by all means, take every pair of shoes in your closet.  In most cases, you need walking shoes that can pass as dress in a pinch, formal shoes if you are going somewhere really nice, and maybe a pair of flip flops for the beach.  If you are going to be doing hiking on your trip, ditch the walking shoes, bring your hiking boots, and wear them on the plane.  They are the heaviest pair you’ll bring.  Don’t put them in your bag.
4. Bring dual purpose clothing, things that cross over.  I actually love reversible clothing, one piece, two days.  Don’t be afraid to plan to rinse things out in the sink while you are traveling.  Just about anything will dry while you sleep, and lack of muscle strain or overweight charges are well worth the 5 minutes you take to freshen your wardrobe.
5. Make sure that the things you cannot replace or live without stay with you.  Never check medications, jewelry, identification, expensive electronics, money, credit cards, glasses or contacts, etc.  Toothpaste you can buy anywhere, prescription sunglasses are hard to replace while traveling.  Make sure your carry-on contains what you need, not commodities you can get on the fly.

Surprise yourself by sizing down what you bring.  You may even have to take a smaller suitcase than you originally planned.  Travel is supposed to be a freeing experience, don’t weigh yourself down with unnecessary things and add one more smile to your trip, or a few, when you see other travelers struggling with overstuffed bags or multiple bags with stuff they might not even see during the trip.