Packing Hacks for Staying Organized While Traveling
There are two kinds of travelers in this world:
1) The people who stay organized and 2) The people who cram as much stuff as possible into their suitcase. To break it down further, let’s delve deeper into the minds of these two different kinds of people.
The Organizers
Whispers about an upcoming trip inspired you to sort through your closet. You know you’re going to do some purging anyway, so why not get ahead of the game?
As soon as it sounds official, you buy a new suitcase.
Flights are booked, hotel rooms are reserved, and you’re already coming up with a packing list for your trip. Color-coded packing cubes or labeled packing cubes? It’s hard to decide!
The organizers come in lots of different forms, so you may be on the planning fanatic side of the spectrum or you may be more relaxed, but still organized, when it comes to your travels. Either way, you can probably empathize with the need to feel organized.
The Non-Organizers
You’re thinking about going on a trip. A vacation sounds like just what you need—relaxation, no stress, and nothing to plan or do.
You booked your flights a little late, but it’s okay. You’ll get there!
The night before you leave you to decide to do some light packing. You’ll handle the rest in the morning.
Morning rolls around and you’re scrambling. You can’t remember if you packed your shorts already or if you just can’t find them. It’s a hectic morning, but once you can get the suitcase shut you’ll be halfway to your destination.
This may be a more extreme depiction of the non-organizers, but you get the picture. These people don’t love to pack, plan, or organize.
Organizers fear not! There are lots of ways to streamline the process so that you’re organized while you travel without fretting about it 24/7. And non-organizers, we can change your unorganized ways without changing you. It doesn’t matter where you fall on the spectrum of organization patterns because there are several simple packing hacks that will keep you organized and stress-free throughout your travels. Here are 5 of those hacks.
1. Don’t Pack Clothes, Pack Outfits
When it comes to packing, half the fun is picking out what you’re going to wear. Take that one step further and plan your outfits in advance. See, the problem with packing clothes at random is you end up wasting space. Let’s say you pack 6 different tops, 4 different skirts, and 2 dresses. At the time, it may seem like you’re packing efficiently. But in reality, you could be saving space (and time!) if you planned out your outfits. You may realize that you can pick 4 tops to match those 4 skirts, which eliminates the unnecessary 2 tops.
2. Unpack with Your Cubes
Throughout your travels, you’ll need to unpack your suitcase from time to time. That doesn’t mean unraveling everything you packed in the first place, though. Instead, unpack by using your packing cubes. When you need a pair of underwear, for example, you’ll know exactly where to go and you won’t have to sift through your entire luggage just to get one article of clothing.
3. Use an App
People, who travel regularly swear by the travel organization apps, so why not join the movement? There are several travel apps, like Kayak and PassBook, that will help you keep track of all the moving parts in your travel plans.
4. Unpack Your Daily Needs
A cluttered hotel room or hostel is enough to scare anyone away, so try to refrain from leaving your suitcase open and messy. Your best bet is to start each day by unpacking only what you need for the day. Set it out on a dresser, close your suitcase, and try your best not to open it again until the next day.
5. Separate Bathroom Items from Clothing
You’ll need your toiletries on a daily basis, so wherever you’re staying, it’s best to unload those from the getgo. Try to limit to occupying a corner of the bathroom counter so that the rest of the counter is clear.
Organizers, non-organizers, and everyone in between—it IS possible to stay organized during your travels! The planning that you do beforehand is well worth the relief of being organized and having all your belongings in one place. Good luck and happy packing!