Traveling is one of the most thrilling experiences that allows you to learn awe-inspiring things about other cultures, allows you to meet new people, explore the hidden beauty of this planet and taste the delectable local cuisines.
It is a hobby of adventurous souls who always have a curiosity about the places they haven’t visited yet. As tripping makes you very excited and you might forget to pack some of the very useful things required on your trip.
And if it’s your first trip, the anxiety of figuring out what to pack and what not to pack damps your tour excitement. Besides what to pack for the trip you are going to take, you need to learn how to pack faster, smarter, and sans stress. For your convenience, we have figured out some of the savvy packing tips and listed down in this article.
Make a list of what to pack, then edit ruthlessly:
First of all, choose the right travel bag that best suits your trip. You might not need any extra bag if you are going on a motorcycle road trip because there would be a saddlebag attached to it. You can get a good quality saddlebag from Viking Bags. Coming to the things to pack, most of us are procrastinators and we need some time to find what we need for our trip.
Start making a list for your trip, don’t enlist those things that fall in the category we might need them. List only those things that you need to pack light. The best tip is; start your packing days or even weeks before your trip and slowly start buying those things that you don’t have. Before a day of flight revisit and edit the list of packing essentials and pack or unpack them from your bag or suitcase you are going to take with you.
Here is the list of our most recommended things for your packing
- Passport
- Phone charger / portable phone charger
- Euros/Dollars
- Flip flops (for the hostel bathrooms)
- Water bottle
- Sun cream
- Medicines/painkillers
- Any paperwork you may need
- Clothes according to weather
- Camera
- Extra pair of shoes
- Sunglasses
- Binoculars
- Make-up
Bring a lightweight suitcase
When going on a trip, always try to bring the lightest bag your luggage could fit in. If you carry a hardshell suitcase, it will add up to four-kilo grams of weight to your already heavy luggage.
Place heavy items at the base:
Keep heavier things like shoes(placed in shoe bags or shower caps) and books at the bottom near the wheeled side of your suitcase. It will distribute the weight evenly and will help you move the bag more easily while saving other items from getting smushed.
Roll clothes and pack them first:
To avoid the headache of ironing the pile of your clothes when you reach your destination, you should roll them instead of folding them. Folding your clothes results in deep wrinkles especially when you have traveled a long distance. Additionally, it also saves a lot of space in your bag. Roll your shirts and trousers and place them in your bag before placing the odd-shaped items like hairdryer or shoes etc.
Fill the dead space:
Packing your luggage efficiently is a great skill. Inefficient packing will give you lots of trouble on your trip. Always try to use every inch of your bag for packing more items in less space. You can roll tops, underwear, socks, and other small items and stuff into your shoes to make sure every possible space is filled.
Carry a reusable water bottle:
It’s better to bring your reusable water bottle because you can carry it anywhere you go. As on trips, there are great chances of experiencing dehydration, this water bottle will always help you keep hydrated. They’ll keep your hot drinks hot and your cold drinks cold without spilling.
Bring some laundry bags:
You will need some laundry bags to keep the unwashed clothes in them. This way dirty clothes will not damage your clean clothes and they could also be saved from the smell of sweat or dirt. When you arrive at home, throw these clothes in the wash.
Keep the important medication in your purse:
It’s better to keep your medicine in your purse, otherwise, you may lose them or you may need them on the way, so, if they are in your purse you can readily check them or take them.
Layer plastic dry cleaning bags between clothes:
There is a possibility that your clothes could start smelling especially when remained in a bag for a long time, to avoid this you need to use some dryer or fabric conditioner sheets in the bottom and top of your bag. Alternatively, you can also use scented drawer liners to serve the purpose.
Organize your liquids bags:
You should better place your toiletries in a separate bag, it will save you from the problem of clothes stained by some liquid because you never know when a liquid bottle starts leaking or explode on the way. Moreover, they should be placed in a transparent bag and on the top of your suitcase because at any time TSA might be interested in looking at them.
Put breakables in socks:
All the breakable items including your perfumes should be placed in your socks for they will be safe there. Your bag might drop or handled carelessly by the airport security; this is not good for fragile items you are carrying.
Conclusion:
Tripping for exploring culture, tasting various cuisines, and watching the beauteous nature in the form of mountains and valleys have a great thrill for every free soul. But your trip experience could become a miserable one if not prepared properly according to your destination. There are some common packing tips, about what to pack and how to pack, we learned after doing lots of traveling. You can follow them to make your trip a memorable one.
Kim Marks 
Nina Smith