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.
What I do is I minimize the bulk of my luggage by bringing less clothes and washing more often. Every few nights during tmy trip, I spend 5 or 10 minutes doing a quick, little wash. Choose dark clothes that dry quickly and either don’t wrinkle or look good wrinkled. :) Or choose wrinkle-free clothes..
Include mosquito repellents to your bags and hand sanitizer. It helps when it is in need. Always carry a handful of sweets to relieve stress during long hours of travelling.
Another tip is to bring very little. Whether you’re traveling for 1 week, 3 wks or 3 mos. you pack exactly the same. Pick up each item and scrutinize it. :)
Make sure you bring a light fleece jacket in your carry-on. Trips (either by land, air or sea) can get cold especially at night.
Make sure you have your itinerary and hotel reservations ready when you’re at the immigration. You’ll never know when the officer will ask for these documents (this happened to me already).
Hi Wanderlass!
My 3rd comment (March 14, I think) was also deleted. It’s about what to put in your carry-on and check-in luggage :(
Sorry for that. I will be using the list from my email. Thanks for the comments!
Thank you :)
finally, when packing, i get help from my sister. she helps me decide about the arrangement of my stuff, how to utilize the space and what to pack and whatnot.
packing is also a good bonding session ^__^
fresh and nice blog’s look!!
Thanks! :)
Two of my entries were also deleted, anyway here’s another tip from a friend who’s kind of a cowboy; he said he just put 2 t-shirts and 2 undies inside his jacket and he’s ready to go!
Sorry about that Anna. I get an email notice whenever someone post a message. So for March 12 & 13, I will add the missing names to the list.
thanks Wanderlass!
Light materials should always be in priority. Less items means smaller package. But always use it in moderation.
Plan. It pays a lot when you plan ahead of time. Prepare your itinerary and maximize every single minute of your travel time.