Have you ever found yourself not having the most minimal ideal on how to put all your stuff inside the only suitcase you have? Well, we, lovers of new adventures and explorers by nature, have been in that situation at least more than a few times in our life. In moments like that we just need a quick solution to fit all we’ll be needing in our, probably, most waited vacation.

Now, let’s get into business. Here, we bring you ten of the most helpful tips to pack. For an intended traveler, packing is not only putting this and that in a luggage, packing is not being in that place you’re heading and remembering those few things you forgot because organizing was not on the list of priorities. Packing is strategically organize, fold, roll and distribute all items you’ll require for your trip in your luggage. As simple as that. This is why as a traveler, packing requires dedication and practicity. Let’s start with the most important step of all:

1. Select a durable luggage (in case you don’t have one already)

Whether it may be a suitcase, a camping backpack, a roll-on case, just invest wisely in this item. From experience, I tell you there’s nothing worst than the only object you’re carrying  all your belongings, apart from you handbag, breaks or damages in the middle of a trip.

1. Buy a lightweight suitcase

We cannot say enough times this. The lightness of your packing device is important from the moment you pack to the moment you’re at the airport weighing it. Do not think that upgrading comes with buying the most expensive designer suitcase – it will instead attract thieves on and off the airport. Being unconscious and selecting a lightweight alternative is safer. You can add up to four kilograms of weight if you use a tough suitcase before you start packing, so that it is not always best to be heavy or luxurious. Plus, you have an unbelievable wide variety of options when it comes to luggage, weigh, color, practicity and compartments for compartment lovers.

1. Lay on the bed or floor every piece you want to carry with you

Once you have set everything on the floor or bed, eliminate a third part of it. We do this because we always end up packing those clothes that will only be our trip partner and we won’t use at all. Avoid these few items we won’t really need even though you really want to take them with you. Here’s when you have to separate your comfortable and useful clothes from possible clothes you’ll be needing. Pack this way keeping in mind that you’re leaving space for more important items. Simply pick your favorite clothes, those you feel most relaxed and secure and those you don’t care about wearing again.

• Take Easily Hand Wash Clothes

In a trip you may face this issue: having to hand wash your clothes in your hotel bathroom and that’s completely normal. Even I have done it multiple times -because when it’s the only option it’s better to be safe than sorry. I promise you that it will not take a lot of your time to wash some clothes on a week plus long journey! Use very gentle Woolite – in stores you fine small packs and they can fit comfortably into your Ziplock carry-on. If available, you should use the hotel’s laundry facilities, as in holiday resorts, and not drycleaning service. In other cases, like in some hotels in Hawaii still have them and your detergent and a few pennies on the machine is the only expense.

• Make an item checking list

Taking 5 or 10 minutes to sit down and think about what you really need to take to your destination can save you a really bad moment on the other side of the world or in that place you’re going to spent and amazing time. If there’s the possibility bod doing it even few days before it will be great, if not few minute will work too. You can have it ready on your phone or in piece of paper. Here, I give you an example of a job trip I had to do a few months ago, it was meant for me to stay 2 months where I was going. 

As you can see, I like to write down even the most obvious things because I know myself and I probably will forget them and also because in a hurry anything can be forgotten.

• Fill absolutely any empty space 

Use any few inches of your suitcase space when it comes to packing. Roll up and fill in your shoes with pants, socks and other small things to ensure that every space is filled. Belts can go of the edges of the suitcase and not rolled in the middle. Remember to pack liquids like shampoo, shaving cream, liquid soap, toothpaste, etc. in double zip plastic bags. This avoids spills and having all your clothes become a real mess. 

• Don’t dump your sun tan or lip balm containers after used, they can be life savers.

In order to avoid the worst scenario of theft, it is best not to flash cash or expensive gems on any trip. In a empty sun tan container, hide if you’re concerned about valuable things in your hotel room, on a visit to the beach or on a walk to the boulevard. You can also take anywhere undercover rolled notes in an empty lip balm tube.

• Know airline boundaries

This comes on any of these two topics: luggage weighing and items allowance because from airline to airline luggage charges differ. Way before arriving at the airport, make sure that you know the boundaries. Some of them, but not all, will test the weight allowance in two bags, normal and hand one. Make sure you understand the hand luggage allowance and avoid high charges right at the last moment.

• Do a trial packing day

Once you know each of the permissions or prohibitions mentioned before, do a trial pack and really pack it just as if you were to travel that same day, check the item list you previously prepared to make sure you don’t forget anything at all and last but not least, weigh your luggage at home after you put everything in there. 

• Fold that thing up, and roll them too

If there’s one smart advice a really smart person gave me once was rolling some clothes and fold others. This can allow you to put twice as much as you were going to pack for your trip, and believe me, on a trip like the one I mention before I had only one suitcase and I had to stay 2 months in that place. This advice was the most useful of all. Here, I’ll leave an amazing good video of ______ (YouTube Channel) that sums up these proper ways of folding and rolling.

There are a whole bunch of ways of packing, but when we set our standards on doing our luggage on a practical way, everything becomes easier to manage and forgetting anything doesn’t show up in our list of priorities. The most important part here is that you grab the recommendations that fit you the best and help you the best too.