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.
Bring along with u some extra cash in case, u can’t bring along ur Uber fave clothes… u can get one at UK or do a “little” shopping hehe.. less baggage to carry on your way to your trip..
I love packing and re-doing it until I get my desired arrangement! :)
My tips and what I usually do:
1. Create a list for toiletries, I list them by order of their use from head to toe
2. Prepare my clothes in pairs and by order of when I use it. I add an extra pair for emergency.
3. For liquids I make sure I put a tape on them to avoid spilling. We may not be aware how the luggage is handled and you don’t want to stain or wet your favourite clothes :)
4. If you have the chance it’s also worth it to weigh your luggage to check it’s still within the limit! One time I’ve taken too much pasalubong with me and I had to force myself leave some of my clothes at the airport :| (wherever they are I hope they are in good hands)
Pack very very light. No need to bring stuff that you can buy in or near your destination.
^__^
i always think that i can wash my clothes after 1-2 days, so i only limit myself to garments that would last me that long. :)
I have been traveling for quite some time and what i usually do is buy those microwable clear containers. i use that to segregate my underwear, shirts, makeup, toiletries. So basically, when you look at my luggage all you can see are the containers. All my stuff are in clear plastic boxes. Just in case you are wondering, the pants and towels go at the bottom. (since they can easily be seen even and don’t need to be in plastic container. Maybe I can show you a picture of how i usually do it. ^_^
Most of the items I pack are disposable, even my underwear :D. Maybe a little expensive but it helps me big time. As time goes, my luggage becomes lighter and lighter by the day.
One of my personal packing solutions is to keep all important docus in one waterproof container, like passport, ids, money etc. Inside it is another container/plastic resealable envelope which I could pocket in cases I need these important items with me. I then place it in a space in my luggage where it is secure (meaning not prone to theft) but one that I could easily access if the need arises.
I roll my clothes, put the toiletries in a container, I use ziplocks!
Bring lite materials / clothes for summer season. But don’t forget to bring a jacket. It helps when you really need it.
Pack only the things that you really need. If it is a bulky item that can be purchased with a smaller version, buy it.