Does anyone really like to pack?
You would think that after all these years of weekly travel for work and vacations; I should say that I love to pack? Truth is, I don’t.
Well…sometimes I do and sometimes I don’t. It really depends on what kind of trip it is.
I don’t mind packing for work when it’s a three day trip. Three day trips have a 24 hour layover, so a couple of outfits do the trick (an extra in case a volcano decides to explode again). And, I don’t mind when it’s a summer destination because summer destinations require clothes that are lighter and take up less space. Let’s face it…you can squeeze in about 6 pair of sandals in the space that a pair of boots takes up.
Now, four day and five day trips for work, take a bit of planning. And, it’s those winter trips with the sweaters and boots and longer trips that require a lot more effort and a bit of strategy.
Personal vacation trips, both summer and winter, require a lot of thought as well because generally, you are going for fun, want to bring things that you really look good in (thinking about those vacation photos) and you are probably going for a longer period of time.
Two days from now, I am leaving for Thailand and Cambodia. I will be gone for 13 nights. What shall I bring?
I have a confession…
I started packing about a month ago. Actually, I probably started packing in my head long before that.
We will be traveling in Thailand and then on to Cambodia on three regional Asian carriers. The planes tend to be smaller so there are a few travel restrictions on the size and weight of carryon luggage.
Presently, I have picked out my clothes and shoes and everything else I feel that I will need and piled it up on the floor of my room. I am currently trying to figure out how to please Air Asia, Nok Air and Cambodia Angkor Air and their very different luggage policies without incurring additional charges.
First, I took a measuring tape and measured my Travelpro bag…the one I use for work that I took last year to Thailand. Hmmm…it’s on the larger side of what it allowed. So, I headed upstairs and found a slightly smaller suitcase. This one meets the correct dimensions. Could be a contender!
I also have another one that was more of a soft-side duffel style. I thought “Surely, Air Asia cannot find fault with this one! “ Everything is able to fit, but it does not expand in the event that I need it to. If I do a bit of shopping in Koh Samui and Siem Reap (a given), I could be pushing the envelope.
So now the jury is out…I will let you know Wednesday morning which is the winner!
This is what it’s looking like right now!
When packing, I usually roll my clothes and use every bit of space in my suitcase. This summer when we vacationed on a sailboat, I didn’t need very much, so I packed in my large Longchamp bag and my backpack. To protect my clothes from the damp air, I used gallon Ziploc bags, rolled and separated my clothes into them…then I squeezed the air out. This really helped with saving space (and helped with separating dirty clothes) I tried out the gallon bags again for the clothes that I am taking on this trip, but after running into the Ziploc storage travel bag aisle at Walmart, I decided to try the medium travel style ones. My dresses, shirts and shorts went in one. Bathing suits and underwear in another. The jury is still out on this too…I am not sure if this is helping me. I feel like there are little pockets of space not being used in the suitcase. I think I might be making a run to Walmart for a pack of the gallon bags again.
On to my tote… I am thinking seriously of taking my large Longchamp bag again instead of my backpack, this year, since it seemed to work so well on our sailboat adventure. Air Asia will allow a suitcase on board in the dimensions of 22″x14″x9″ and an additional bag, such as a laptop bag or handbag (as long as the handbag is operating as such). Well, my Longchamp may be on the large side, but I think it will be operating as my handbag!
The one thing I have acquired to help alleviate the space in the Longchamp bag is a Scottevest.
If you have never seen or heard of SCOTTeVEST, check them out at
SCOTTeVest.com. The one I ordered has 18 pockets…for your sunglasses, kindle, ipad, ipod, passport, water bottle, pen and more.
I had seen advertisements for these before and thought, “Wow, if you are wearing your things, then they don’t take up space in your carryon bag!” I can’t wait to utilize all 18 pockets and laugh all the way to my seat!
So, now I think I am down to my Longchamp bag and my smaller rollaboard. That’s for now…we still have a couple of days to go…I am sure I will change my mind 50 times over.
Here’s some other helpful hints that I use when packing:
Try to pack in a color scheme. I like to wear black, so everything will have some black in it and can go with the same black sandals.
If you are lucky enough to wear a bikini, congratulations! They don’t take up much room! If you wear tankinis, though, pack a couple of tops with one bottom. I am packing three tops and two bottoms. One top goes with the black, one with grey and the other goes with both. That should get me through two weeks. Guys, try for the shorter style trunks that are out now. They will defnitely help on space.
When packing your suitcase. Unzip the liner in the suitcase. This will help you to utilize every nook and cranny in the bottom of the bag.
Iron your clothes, then roll them carefully. Rolling helps you to fit more clothes in the suitcase and to fit them a little better in the bottom of the suitcase, between the handle supports. When you unroll them, There may be a few hard creases, but nothing that shouldn’t release itself.
If those hard creases don’t release themselves, hang your outfit in the bathroom while you are taking a hot shower or better yet, spray the hard creases with Downy Wrinkle Releaser. Pull the fabric around the crease then shake the garment. Voila! Comes right out!
Save space in your 3-1-1 TSA liquids bag. Buy shampoo and conditioner bars…these are concentrated and do the job of two or three bottles of liquid shampoo. LUSH Cosmetics makes some that lather well and smell great. They also make small tins to keep your shampoo and conditioner bars in and the best part is that you don’t have to put them into your liquids bag.
When you think you may do a bit of shopping on your trip, pack a foldable duffle. You can find them in lightweight materials and they hardly take up any room in your suitcase. When you need the space, unzip the bag, fill and check it to your final destination.
If you feel that you may work out or will need athletic shoes for any adventure you may have planned, invest in a pair of the lower profile athletic shoes. You know, the kind that tend to fold flat.
I own Asics Gel Sanas but Nike, Addidas and other companies make similar options. I place the soles against the outside wall of the suitcase and then flatten the top and pack against them. They hardly take up any space, yet I’ll be ready to conquer the steps of Angkor Wat!