I love to travel, but I hate to pack. What’s even worse than packing is unpacking. Although unfortunate, packing is a necessary task when it comes to traveling, and it’s pretty inevitable. But that doesn’t mean we can’t try and make it fun, right? Since I’m heading on a family beach vacation soon, I thought it’d be fun to share with y’all some of the tips I’ve learned over the past couple years. I’m definitely no expert, but here are some of the tips I’ve found to be helpful, especially with my heavy over-packer tendencies.
If you’re staying in a hotel, chances are they’ll have a lot of the toiletries you need.
This sounds stupid, but I’m sure there are others out there who are like me! I used to always pack every single toiletry I’d possibly need: toothbrush, toothpaste, shower gel, shampoo, razors, shaving cream, even towels most of the time. Since traveling a bunch over the last year or two, I realized that the hotel has almost anything that I might have forgotten. This saves a ton of space, and the less items you have to carry, the better.
Stack and stuff your hats.
I can’t explain this very well over text, so here’s a fun article that explains to y’all what I’m trying to say. It helps you save a ton of space, but still makes sure you’re protected from the sun on your vacay!
Optimize for utility on your trip.
I’m not sure if this is truly a packing tip, but I’m including it anyway. There has been many a time where I’ve packed my cutest new designer bag because I wanted to snap some photos with it on during my trip, or worn a pair of cute shoes that I loved because they went with my outfit. The funny thing is, since I didn’t optimize for utility, those items ended up being way more of a burden. Bring items that you’ll actually use every day – sure, your gigantic camera might take some awesome photos, but do you really want to carry it every day?
Roll your items!
I obviously didn’t do it here, for the sake of a pretty photo, but this one’s an awesome tip if you’re going international or leaving for a longer period of time. Rolling your clothes saves so much space, and also makes it easy to see what all you packed with you.
Pick your suitcase wisely
There are so many cute suitcases out there now, but make sure you find one that’s efficient for packing! Some of the newer ones that I’ve seen have all these gadgets and gizmos, but make it difficult to use. Also, I personally prefer the suitcases that don’t have a bunch of organizers built into it, so I can organize my stuff myself. There’s nothing more annoying than having to cram your stuff into tiny little pockets that don’t fit!
Another little tidbit on the suitcase piece – I’ve made the mistake before of purchasing light colored luggage. Don’t do it! Your luggage gets banged around so often, it will for sure scratch – no doubt about it. Pick luggage that’s sturdy and preferably in a dark color, and you’ll be golden.
