You’ve scored the time off work and you have a full tank of gas, you’ve set your GPS to your dream destination, and all you have left is the dreaded task of packing for your trip. You fill your suitcase and unpack it three times unsure of what to leave in and what to leave out. Does this scenario sound familiar? Luckily, there are a few ways to utilize your luggage and take the stress out of your relaxing getaway.
Take note of where you’re going. Even though it’s the warmer months, the Unites States is a big place and parts of it can get chilly in the evenings, even in July. Unless you’re planning a trip to the south, you may want to pack a light sweater and a pair of long pants as insurance in case some cooler winds blow through. If there’s a chance you may ditch the shorts to have a ritzy night on the town, it wouldn’t hurt to pack a garment bag like this one with a snappy blazer or suit jacket and dress pants. If you’re planning on spending some time in the water, you may want to get a waterproof bathing suit bag, so the rest of your clothes stay dry, even when you’re packing it all in to go home.
Roll your clothes rather than folding them. You can pack a lot more into your space by using The Army Roll Method. You can also roll your clothes without tucking the ends or being quite as meticulous as the guy in the video, and it still works. You can’t roll shoes though, so I suggest either using a canvas shopping bag separately from your other luggage, or getting a waterproof nylon bag to stick down in your luggage, if you only plan to take one extra pair. Luckily you can roll your jewelry, if you have this travel roll bag for your most valuable pretties.
It’s a good idea to group your clothes by outfits, so you don’t have to go around searching the entire bag every time you want something. If you have a day’s clothes put together, you only need to grab that from the top. Also, if you have pants or shorts that go with multiple tops, it’s always thoughtful to pack those. It saves space and, if you accidentally sit in paint in another pair, you have a back up with the bottoms that match everything.
Lastly, don’t forget your toiletries. Sure, hotels often supply them, but we all like our favorite brands of toothpaste and shampoo. Plus, if you have long hair, the size of single serving conditioner is a joke. Using a plastic toilet article bag can be effective in making sure your wet mouthwash bottle doesn’t drip onto your sleep pants.
Road trips are a good time, don’t let the dread of packing make you enjoy it any less.
