Have you ever tried to pack your whole life into a 50lb suitcase, an even smaller carry on and one personal bag? Have you packed for four seasons and every kind of social circumstance you may run across in that time? It's tough. But with a few tricks, some ingenuity and a little knowledge of how to work the system it is definitely doable.
From this...
To this... :)
A few tips:
- Start gathering items early. Trust me, I know this is not a process that can be completed weeks in advance. Still, I find miscellaneous items come to mind in the weeks before departure that I make about a million mental notes to pack later. As a solution to this, I recommend pulling out a suitcase and throwing items in as you go that you know you'll need but might forget to bring later. If I know I'll use that item before I leave, I at least write it down so I don't continually beat myself up trying to remember to remind myself to pack it later.
- Make it a multi-step process. A day or two beforehand I pull out everything I think I might need or want from my closets and drawers, not even considering weight or space limits. This step separates my most regularly used items from the masses. From that step, I pile like things together then start pulling out the items from each pile I could most easily live without. Only once I have those smaller piles do I try and fit things into my suitcases, continuing to par them down as necessary.
- ROLL ROLL ROLL. Fold clothes neatly then roll them, hot dog style, and pack them tightly in next to each other. I don't know why I didn't find this one out until recently, but seriously, it makes a huge difference in utilizing all the space available.
- Place all like things together. For example, place chargers and cords or lotions and sprays into large zip lock bags. It will make those things so much easier to keep together and find later.
- Be picky, especially with shoes. When I'm considering which pairs of shoes to take I consider the clothes I'm bringing and which pair will be more useful on a regular basis. When all else fails, I take the lighter pair (and buy the new, more stylish pair that I know I'll have my eye on anyway when I'm abroad ;)
- Use ALL available space. Pack shoes with socks and underwear and fill empty spaces between non-flexible items with scarves and other soft items.
- Take smaller amounts. Anything I know I can buy, and buy generically, in the country I'll be living in won't appear in large amounts in my suitcase. The best examples are shampoos/conditioners, hygiene products, socks and towels. Those things just take up valuable space and are often quite cheap and easy to find abroad.
- Push the limits for carry ons. Okay, so this one may sound a little sketchy but hey, when a girl's desperate... Look up the airlines size and weight limits for carry ons and if necessary, bend the requirements a little. Lots of American airlines are more flexible on carry on restrictions than checked baggage. If it looks borderline size wise, look confident and walk through security with head held high. If you can get it to the gate and they stop you they may make you check it there, but more often than not they'll do it for free ;)
Packing is no easy feat but I hope this helps a little in making sense of the process and managing it effectively. If you have any more tips or tricks please share in the comments section!
You do realize the cartoon you posted is ME lol :)
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