As much as I love traveling, packing had never been my favorite thing to do. Even if I have a packing list I’ve referred to since my first solo trip, I could never be done in a few minutes. I would procrastinate and finally end up sleepless the night before my trip. It’s really bad if it’s a scuba trip with early dives scheduled the next day.
The thing is I’m not a very organized person and I struggle to carry minimal items. I used to just pile everything on top of each other when I pack. So needless to say, it was chaos every time I needed to take something out. I was very enlightened a few years ago when a travel mate taught me to organize my stuff using plastic bags. Shirts in one bag, bottoms in another, and so on. Wow, that was definitely a light bulb moment for me.
Packing had become easier since but surely plastic bag has its limitation, specially if one has bad memory and can’t remember which color plastic holds which item. That’s why I didn’t waste time when I first learned of mesh type packing cubes revolutionized by Eagle Creek. It remains one of my best travel companion keeping everything in order and even packing has become easier. So even if I procrastinate and start late, I can do it faster.
How about you? I know there are those people who love packing and do it way ahead of time. Please share your tried and tested solution and have a chance to win one Eagle Creek Organized Traveler Cube Set still courtesy of our favorite store R.O.X. Philippines.
Eagle Creek Organized Traveler Cube Set:
- Pack-It™ Cube
- Pack-It™ Half-Cube
- Pack-It™ Quarter-Cube
THE CONTEST is CLOSED!
Wanderlass Adventure Partners Contest Series, Part 2 is open to ALL CITIZEN OF THE WORLD (terms & conditions apply, please read The Fine Print* below). This is part of a 3 contest series, each of which will run for one week. The mechanics and prizes will be different every time and I can promise you that it gets better every week.
Part 2 – The Packing Solution
Contest Period: March 10 – 16, 2011
Mechanics:
- Participant should be facebook follower of both Wanderlass and R.O.X. pages to be eligible.
- Simply give your personal packing solution by commenting on this post. And there you have an entry.
- A person can comment unlimited number of times, but only one entry will be considered per day.
- A person can have up to 7 entries by the end of the contest period. More comments, more chances.
- Winner will be randomly selected using List Randomizer from www.random.org
Winning:
- The winner will be notified by email and given instructions on how to claim the prize, so be sure to provide a valid one when leaving comments. The winner is then given 7 days to respond to this email.
- Announcement will also be made on this website, wanderlass facebook page, and R.O.X. facebook page the following day.
THE FINE PRINT:
All information detailing how to enter the competition forms part of the terms and conditions. It is a condition of entry that all rules and results are accepted as final and that the participant agrees to abide by the rules. Submission of entries will be taken as acceptance of these terms and conditions.
*In the event that contest winner resides outside of the Philippines, the cost of shipping is to be shouldered by the winner. Depending on the country of residence, it should be about $5-8. If the winner forfeit the prize or failed to respond within 7 days, the prize will carry-over to the next contest.
I pack the night before my trip but i had in mind already of what to wear and bring on the trip. I rolled my clothes to save space and arranged them by section (shirt/bouse, pants/shorts/skirt, undies, towel) so i can easily identify where to get them without making my traveling bag a mess. I pack toiletries, gadgets, shoes/slippers and valuables separately and put it in a small bag if it won’t fit anymore in my traveling bag. I also bring extra plastic bag for dirty clothes. And I always bring extra clothes and undies just in case i extend another day on the trip. :)
I always make a list of what to wear and what to bring ( from head to down ).. from day1 to the last day of my trip.
From sleep wear to the “gala wear” … choose the bestest , cutest and lightest clothes.
I use travel bags with lots of compartment in it.. in that way I can put all those lit things inside.
Let’s travel light! :)
Pack like a Mountaineer.
Pack Light. Pack Smart.
Bring only the things you need.
i do prepare my stuff a week before, as dates grew near i may add or remove from the things i have to put in the bag a day before the travel
I save packing space by minimizing on toiletries. I tend to buy all the mini size of everything consumables for my travel. The smallest bar of soap, bottle/stick of deodorant (sometimes I buy the sachet ones), powder etc. I pack sachets ot toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, lotion and others. If there still leftovers, I can keep them and use for my next travel. If your not cool with this, I suggest you invest on little bottles/container and repack all your favorite toiletries.
Like Johann here, I also roll my clothes then bundle them in light, cloth bags per batch when i change clothes, so there’d be a separator for dirty laundry for the ones I’m taking off. Then a separate bag for my MacGyver kit (kikay stuff+meds), another for my gadgets, and another for identification, and valuables.
When I was single, packing for a trip was a breeze. Apart from the fact that I’m very organized (checklists, ziplocs, containers, labels, etc.), I also plan ahead. I pack days before a trip.
Now that I’m married, I pack for myself, my daughter, and my hubby – this poses a challenge but nonetheless, I am able to survive it, LOL!
I begin with the basics:
– knowing how many days and nights the trip would be
– knowing the weather and activities to be done to ensure there’d be apt clothes
– if staying in hotels, check if towels and any other things that are useful (think hair dryer, bathrobe, bedroom slippers, etc) are provided so as not to include in luggage
– list down what’s needed per individual
– go through each wardrobe and start laying them out
– roll clothes, ensure same types are all in one area of the luggage
– use ziplocs for underwear and other small stuff
– pack vanity kits and label them accordingly (you don’t want to start using your conditioner as lotion!)
– don’t forget to pack extra clothes in carryall bag
– include scarves (doubles as head cover or to keep you warm) and other essentials so they’re just within your reach
– don’t forget locks or bag tags so your luggage is easy to find when checked in
Lastly, keep your checklist in your bag and keep another at home so when you loose your copy, you’d have back-up.
Hope this helps!
good job! thanks for very detailed solution!
I list down what I need to bring and put them all on the bed. Then I put all clothes in a plastic bag and pack it first. I maximize the extra space on the sides by cramming small items there, like socks, underwear, etc.
i usually set a color theme for the travel so that all my stuff will be coordinated – clothes, accessories, bags, shoes, etc. and i don’t have to bring as many pieces. i also have two alternate set of luggages to accommodate series of trips and the color coordination works well for this – say the pink stuff for today’s travel, and for the next it is red so my next luggage is already ready for the next trip.
I pack mine in ziploc or compression bags. Especially bulky jackets, socks and running shoes. Toiletries are also very bulky. With these, I put the liquids in once ziploc and the dry ones in regular space saving toiletry bags.