Packing Tips

If you tend to start hyperventilating at the mere thought of packing, here are some tips that might help:

You may wan to make a master packing list on your computer of things you find that you need on trips, and print off a copy every time you need to pack for something. If this doesn't sound like something you want to invest too much time into, there are sites that can do it for you. Simply check off everything that applies to your trip, including everything from the temperature to if you have a baby, and it will generate a packing list specific to your needs. There are more specific sites, and others that are more general.

If you wish you were a lighter packer, here are a few things that might help:

-Choose a color scheme for your trip (earthy tones or blues/black), and make sure any piece of clothing can be matched with the others. This way you can make different outfits with a limited number of garments.

-Only bring things that you know you like. Don't bring that blazer you always thought you should wear, but never quite worked into an outfit. If you don't wear it at home, you won't want to wear it when you're abroad.

-Bring woolite and a tide-to-go-pen. This may sound counter intuitive, because it's two more things to pack, but this will actually allow you to bring less clothes. So instead of bringing 5 white undershirts, just bring 2 or 3 and take the time (about 5 minutes) to wash them in the sink.

-Bring versatile clothes. Leave that bright orange shirt, the one that only goes with that one pair of khakis, at home. Separates are always great because you can mix and match, and never have to wear the same outfit twice. Also, bringing some accessories (which are smaller and lighter than a whole separate outfit) with a some simple tops you can easily change your look. Necklaces, scarves, and headbands are my personal favorites.

-There is no need to bring 3 different day bags. People understand that you're on a trip, and that you had to lug everything you're wearing on a plane, train, and up 7 flights of stairs. So just bring one bag to toss around during the day, and a nice purse for the night time or special occasions.

-Pass on the items in your closet that are painfully fashionable. When I say painfully, I mean that pair of shoes that are just so cute, but you can really only bear to wear for an hour, sitting. Go for comfort while traveling, because the last think you want to be thinking about when you're trekking through the sand to get from one pyramid to the next, or admiring the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel is your itchy shirt or too-narrow patent leather shoes.

-This might seem obvious to some, but make sure everything you're bringing is travel sized. Just because you can put a full sized shampoo bottle into your carry on, doesn't mean you should. Buy some little bottles at the drug store, and fill these with your favorite shampoo, conditioner, or lotion.

-Wear the heaviest or bulkiest item you're bringing. For example, if you're bringing a pair of tennis shoes, and some sandals, wear the tennis shoes on the plane to free up space in your luggage. Or wear that bulky college sweatshirt on the plane. This might mean you will be a bit warm during transit, but it is better than trying and failing to put it into your already busting suitcase.