The best packing tips for your next international trip

When it comes to packing for an international trip (or even domestic), the stress takes over the situation and many times you can’t fight it. What you need to know is that packing can be fun and quick as soon as you know what to expect when you arrive at your wanted destination. Travelling is awesome and you should look forward to every opportunity, no matter how much you hate packing. In the following article, you can find various useful packing tips that will make your life easier.

What to do before you even take the suitcase out of the closet

Check the weather at your destination

Check the weather
Check the weather

Before you start throwing clothes all over the house, take a deep breath and do some research. The first thing you need to do regarding your travel is to check the weather forecast at your destination, which will help you with the general choice of your clothing.

How long are you going to be away

Depending on how many days/nights are you staying at your destination, you will know how many outfits to pack.

Note all the different events you’ll attend

Juggling event
Juggling event

Make a list of all the events you’ll attend, no matter if it’s a wedding, a birthday party, or a bungee jumping. Each one of these requires a different outfit.

Make a packing list

Make a list
Make a list

Write down your own packing list or get one online, but make sure you have it. A packing list is an important part of the preparation process and will save you from additional stress and panic. If you print a ready-made packing list, check it right away and cross the items you don’t need. Also, don’t forget to take off items you can get at your destination. There is no need to carry things that you can easily find at the place you’re going.

Purchase travel-size bags

If you want to have your liquids in the carry-on luggage, then you need to purchase travel-sized containers and fit everything tidy inside.

When your prep is done and you’re almost ready to pack

Essential first

Gather all the most important items in one place and make sure you don’t forget anything: passport, travel insurance, airplane ticket/boarding pass, wallet, credit cards, camera, cell phone, laptop, and hotel reservation. Make sure that all of these items are always handy and prepared.

Choose the right suitcase

Choose a small suitcase
Choose a small suitcase

If you have only one suitcase, you don’t have to worry about this because you don’t have much choice, but if you have more suitcases then choose the smallest one. No matter what you think you’ll need at your destination, you won’t. Choose a small suitcase and only pack the things that fit into it.

Lay everything out on your bed

Take your time when deciding what to bring
Take your time when deciding what to bring

Lay out everything you’re planning to wear and make combinations of your clothes for each day. When everything is out of the wardrobe you can see easily which pieces you need and which you don’t.

Pick pieces that you can combine

Choose simple clothes, and not too many colors. Make sure that you can mix and match everything. If you pack four to five simple tops and two to three pants that match with them, you can easily pack in a small suitcase and wear a different outfit every day. Also, think about the number of days you’re staying. This will help you decide how many pieces of clothes you really need.

Pack it up

Roll your clothes

Rolling clothes can be very space-saving way of packing
Rolling clothes can be very space-saving way of packing

Rolling your clothes is the best way to pack them and save space. For this purpose, choose clothes that don’t wrinkle and can be rolled as many time as you want. Place all the rolls at the bottom of the suitcase, so you can fill up the rest with shoes, cosmetics, and other necessities.

Fill up your shoes

There is a lot of space inside the shoes that can be utilized to store socks, belts, scarfs, chargers, and other small items. Use that space and fill up your shoes!

Pack liquids in secure bags

Whatever liquid you have, don’t forget to pack it in a ziplock bag. Some people even use a small piece of a plastic bag to place it between the bottle and the plastic lid in order to prevent the leak. Do whatever you do, but make sure nothing spills on the rest of your items. You wouldn’t like a greasy body lotion all over your clothes, right?

Keep a pair of an extra outfit in your carry-on

Always pack a just-in-case outfit
Always pack a just-in-case outfit

Just in case your plane gets delayed or your luggage gets lost and you need to wait for a day, it’s smart to have some extra clean clothes in your carry-on.

Keep expensive and irreplaceable things on you

Passports, credit cards, phones, jewelry, cash – all these should on you all the time. Don’t trust the luggage, not even the carry-on. Now you’re ready for the big travel; good luck!

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stef-zisovska

stef-zisovska is one of the authors writing for Outdoor Revival