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10 EXPERT PACKING TIPS FOR GLOBETROTTERS

It is challenging to pack for an international vacation such as a luxury cruise, when you require formal and informal wear, resort casual outfits, beach attire, and workout clothes, especially if you will be traveling in different climate zones.  How can you devise a packing strategy to fit everything needed into your stipulated luggage allowance and still arrive with wrinkle-free clothes?

Here are recommendations for packing that I have used successfully,while traveling around the world.

1.     Picking the right luggage is key.   Look for a light, well constructed rolling garment bag (25”x 20”x 7” – much larger when fully packed!) with 2 top hanging hooks to allow more hangars to be used and the clothes to be better balanced horizontally inside the bag.

2.    Use sturdy, all metal hangars and attach pants clips (found at the Container Store or Target) to the bottom, to layer 1 to 2 pairs of slacks and 5 or 6 tops and sweaters on each hangar.  Start with the light pullover sweaters or tops and add blouses that will fit over what is underneath without crushing anything.  You may be able to add a jacket or cardigan sweater as the outer layer.  Formal clothes are best given their own  hangar, although a light shawl wrap might also be added without a problem.

3.    Cover the layered clothes on the hangar with a long plastic bag to prevent wrinkles.  When putting the hangars in the bag, place the heaviest ones on the bottom.  Carefully spread out the clothes inside each plastic bag, so wrinkles will not form and fold up the plastic bag when there are long dresses and slacks that hang down below the packing compartment.  You can pack a complete wardrobe into this garment bag and not exceed your 50 pound weight limit!

4.    If limited to one checked bag, a pair of dress shoes that can be worn with both the formal and informal clothes, sandals for warm climates where shoes must be frequently removed to enter temples (Asia), comfortable walking shoes (can use workout tennis shoes), and flip flops for the pool and beach can be packed at the bottom of the bag under the clothes.  You can wear the shoes meant for resort casual evenings when traveling to the destination.  Any oversize toiletries, scissors, etc. can be placed in the bag’s exterior pocket.  Use a colorful luggage strap to identify a black bag and provide extra support for the contents.

5.    Your carry-on suitcase should be the maximum size allowed, but you want it to appear smaller so the size is not challenged on flights outside the U.S.  A black or small neutral print bag usually works the best, but avoid filling external expandable pockets that make it appear larger.  Pack your small toiletries, camera, an extra change of clothes, medications, electronics, evening purse, sleepwear, bathing suit, and workout clothes in this bag.

6.    Your personal carry-on bag can be a lightweight canvas bag with a shoulder strap that will hold your purse (Bagallini size), travel slippers, laptop computer or iPad, flight documents, passport, jewelry, and a book or Kindle.  You can either carry your money and credit cards in a money belt, which you wear, or zip the money belt into the inside bag pocket with the jewelry.  This bag never gets weighed, so you can carry quite a bit in it.  However, it is important to have it on your shoulder when checking in, so that it appears light.

7.    A second suitcase or a collapsible souvenir bag makes packing much easier, because the shoes, extra evening purses, larger toiletry items, and workout clothes can go into the second large suitcase, thus allowing more room tor the hanging clothes in the rolling garment bag.  It also gives you room for souvenirs on your return and allows you to take more shoes on the trip.  Another option, however, is a heavy duty Totes canvas bag that zips into its own 6”x 8” flat pouch.  It can be used on the return trip as a second checked bag to hold the shoes, other heavy items, and dirty clothes, thus freeing up space for vacation purchases.

8.    Selecting the right clothes allows you to take a varied wardrobe for every occasion without overpacking.  Choose 2 main colors, one of which is black, to combine for different looks.  If all your formal and informal clothes can be worn with the same dress shoes, you will save critical space.  Tan or gold sandals will go with any casual outfit.  Dark slacks can be worn repeatedly with different blouses, and scarves can be added to change the outfit.

9.    Formal clothes occupy a disproportionate amount of luggage space for the time they are used.  However, when you are packing for 3 formal dinners, you can take a long, light weight elegant black skirt and 2 separate, light weight beaded tops plus a long, light weight dress to cover the occasions.  However, to save more space you can eliminate the long dress and either dine with different people or reserve a table for two in the alternative restaurant, so that only your companion will know you wore one formal ensemble twice.

10.    To avoid unexpected passport or money problems while traveling, carry a copy of the first two pages of your passport with you apart from your passport.  This greatly facilitates applying for a replacement passport if yours is stolen.  For the best foreign exchange rates in most countries, you can use your ATM card with a 4-number PIN and your credit cards.  I would recommend taking two credit cards and not carrying them together.  One could be kept in the money belt you wear or in a locked safe, so you would have it as a back-up should anything happen to your main one.

It is a pleasure to share our Expert Packing Tips with you, and we hope they will help you on your next trip! We look forward to hearing from you again, when you are ready to plan a special vacation.  Why not schedule your 20 minute complimentary phone consultation with Judy today?