The following is a guest post from regular contributor, Morgan from Morganize with Me.
Hi there! I’m so happy to be back today because I’m talking about one of my favorite things – traveling! As an American who is currently living in Southern Europe (I know pinch me), I’ve learned how to pack for trips like a superstar. (Watch out Amazing Race – you might see me very soon, all packed, and ready to go!)
Throughout my recent adventures ranging from Morocco to Italy to France, I’ve learned how to pack like a BOSS, (or an Organizer) and today I’m sharing my top five tested and true packing tips to help you pack like an organizer. Keep in mind that these are all tips that you can use for any sort of travel, whether a day trip to the beach, a weekend getaway, or a two-week adventure.
1) Pack your Outfits
First things first. This is exactly how I pack for a trip. I lay out outfits from top to bottom. I include undies, socks, accessories, and shoes. This picture above shows what I laid out before packing for our fabulous trip to Amsterdam.
I like to take the “outfit thinking” out of my vacation time. With my outfits already sort of planned, along with a little flexibility, I don’t have to spend as much time thinking about what I will wear. This really helps me to not over pack and to get dressed easier each day.
2) Pack your Essentials
Your essentials used to mean your toiletries, and while these are still essential, now so are your “device” accessories! When you travel you need to bring along cords, chargers, and headphones. All things that you want to keep track of.
My simple tip to keep them all corralled, is to use a cute bag. I mean a cute bag just makes organizing easy. (Notice I carry a universal charger, something you must have when traveling internationally.) A cute bag will also help you to remember to grab your cords and such when checking out of your hotel room. It’s a real pain to forget and leave your charger behind. #cutebagwillsavetheday
3) Pack your Medicine
Nothing is worse than traveling and being sick. To avoid having to pack along bottles of pills and/or boxes of medicine, that you might need, opt instead for a smaller case. I keep this container in my purse at all times, then for trips I make sure to re-stock. Having what you need, when you need it, can make a world of difference. No matter where you are in the world, ha!
4) Pack your Liquids
Now we’ll touch on your toiletries. It’s a good idea to know ahead of time what your airline requirements are for all things, including liquids! In an attempt to streamline the security measures I have learned to plan ahead. I store face lotion, hair cream, and sunscreen in small containers. Then I opt to buy the mini sized hair spray bottle and toothpaste. (I just keep refilling the hairspray.) Then this handy bag that I received from a charity event, works perfectly to whip out all of my liquids when I have to go through security.
Plan ahead, it’s worth it. Even if you are not flying, try to downsize your toiletries for simpler packing. It saves you space and time.
5) Pack your Paperwork
Even though I do as much as I can digitally, I still seem to need to carry along some paper with me. This can range from passports to tickets to itineraries. My organizing solution is to use a simple durable envelope like the one above. An envelope like this helps to keep everything organized and protected.
That’s it travelers, now you’ve got five simple tips to help you to better pack. Sounds like you need to start planning your next trip!
Your turn…where are you planning to travel this summer? Do you dread packing or love packing? I’d love to hear.
Morgan is the energetic and motivated, but also realistic girl, behind Morganize with Me. She is a list lover, fitness fan and chaos controller! Her mission is to share tried and true techniques that she hopes will encourage her readers and clients as they focus on their health and homes.
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Carolyn says
Hi – Great tips !
Please be careful with your medication tip as removing medications from the original dispensing container could cause issues if you are ill and a medical professional needs to identify what medications you take (name, dose, frequency etc – which is clearly displayed on the original container.)
Also, customs in some countries could impound the medications if they are not clearly labeled and identified as legitimate prescriptions.
Love your other tips especially the charger bag.
Morgan says
Thank you for your comment! I was referring to over the counter medications and hadn’t considered the situation you described. You make an excellent point. Happy organizing!
Christine says
I would also add:
1 Make copies of important documents. It makes them easier to replace when stolen.
2. Give copies of itinerary to others.
3. Have important numbers listed in hard copy on your person in case your phone cannot be accessed.
4. Take extra of personal hygiene items. Other places may not have a brand in stock or it may be very expensive. Also different places have different hours of operation and days off. You may not be able to get what you need when.
5. Carry snacks. Again, sometimes there is not a resturant in sight, it’s closed, theres a holiday etc. You have something to tide you over.
Christine @lifeinprogress15.com
Morgan says
Fabulous additions! The idea to have a hard copy of important numbers is great. Thanks!
Susan says
At a recent travel expo a speaker mentioned that some pharmacies will fill your prescriptions in small zip top baggies complete with proper labeling. Makes them easier to pack than bottles. You just need to ask for it.
Morgan says
That is good to know that you can ask for that at the pharmacy. Thanks for sharing!
Becky L says
I like your ideas for packing. I usually pack with certain colors in mind, including jewelry. Not thought about putting the daily clothes in one pile per day. I make sure to take my RX info with me when I go with medicine. I think that’s crucial if you need to prove it is RX not just stomach med or pain med over the counter type. Good thought of keeping chargers in a pretty bag so you can see it. I usually have mine in a zip lock bag and put in a suitcase.