Flight Attendant Friday: Pack Like a Pro

Q.  Do you have some packing tips, and ways to keep from taking too much stuff with you?

A.  For many people, packing is the worst part of the trip! 

Although I pack differently for a pleasure trip than I do for work, I generally use the same pieces of luggage.  I have one roller bag with the majority of my clothing in it, and also a tote that contains some toiletries, computer and electronic gear and items that I need to keep close at hand. 

Here are a few basic “rules” I keep in mind.

The first thing I think about is where I’m going to be – the weather (be sure to check weather reports before leaving home), what I’ll do while there (beaching it, hiking, formal event), and how long I’ll be there.  With those guidelines in mind, you can put together a pretty basic packing list.

Next, I make a list of the days I’ll be gone and what I’ll be doing on those days.  I try to match up clothing to each day based on the activities I expect to happen (even if it’s not exact, it will help give you an idea of what you need).  It is rare than you will change clothes more than once a day, so discard any notion of lots and lots of cute outfits for each day.  A list also helps you focus on having the proper clothes for any special event or specialized activity.

Now it’s time to assemble clothes and start packing!

Pick a color theme and stick with it, mixing and matching to make multiple choices.  Make a clothing list of what you’ll need on paper.  If you’re traveling for longer than a week, think about laundry options – either hand washing in your room, or hitting a laundromat. I packed for a three week trip to Europe in no more space than I use for work travel.  For short trips, I don’t want to spend precious time doing laundry, though. 

Watch the shoes.  I’m ruthless here.  Shoes are heavy and take up a lot of room, so keep it to a bare minimum.  An extra pair of flip flops won’t take up much room or add much weight, but a second pair of athletic shoes may not leave room for anything else.

I have a basic set of toiletries and supplies that I keep packed and in my suitcase all the time.  The only time these are unpacked is to replenish and freshen supplies.  If you’re an infrequent traveler, you’ll probably have to start from scratch on this, however I recommend putting together a separate set of items for your trip, even if you are an infrequent traveler.  It’s easier to transfer packed items for home use at the end of a trip (or leave them behind if you don’t have enough room), than to run the risk of forgetting to pack some item that you used the morning you had to head for the airport.

Once I start the actual gathering of stuff and packing, it will be easy to see if I have too much to fit in the suitcase.  Then it’s time to start reducing.  First I look at the bulky stuff (shoes, sweaters, coats) to see if I can eliminate anything.  After that, I look to see if there are any substitutions that can be made to reduce what I’m taking.  (For example, a pair of jeans or black pants can be worn multiple times, but a pair of white pants may only be good for one wearing.)  It all has to fit, so keep on paring stuff down.

One thought I keep in mind is that it’s unlikely I’ll forget anything that I absolutely cannot live with out.  Unless you’re going to a deserted island, chances are you’ll find stores where you can purchase anything that you’ve forgotten.

What packing guidelines do you keep in mind?  Are you a ruthless packer, or do you over pack?