Suitcase packing 101
Spring has sprung and Summer is slowly creeping up on us. Time to plan that get away… Here are some of my tips on “How to Pack A Suitcase”
I am the queen of planning and preparing, and with my vacation destinations, the last thing I want is a suitcase bursting at the seams!
Try choosing a wrinkle free wardrobe. Choose a color palette. Mine always begins with one of my favorite colors that can take you from casual to elegant in no time… Black! Then you can choose another color or two that can mix and interchange with your primary color, such as pink, turquoise, or grey.
Can’t decide what to bring… Photocopy a calendar page of your vacation dates and think about what events you will do, hiking, fishing, sightseeing, beach walking etc. Plan your daytime wardrobe and your nighttime wardrobe based on the activities you are planning. I always pack a small bottle of fabric soap to wash out a bathing suit or two if necessary. Legging and jeans can usually be worn more than once and you will probably only need an outfit or two to sleep in. A cute, fun dress can double as a beach coverup if necessary. And be sure not to forget a beach bag and of course your sunscreen.
Consider trying on your outfits prior to making your eventual choices on what to bring. How you remember things fitting may not be the case a year or two from the last time you went on vacation. To avoid disappointment on how something might fit… just try it on. You always want to look and feel your best when at all possible and don’t forget you will look at your pictures for years to come. Speaking of pictures, don’t forget your “selfie stick”. With the skyrocketing cost of mobile phones, it is not always safe to hand your phone to a stranger and ask them to take a picture of you and the people you are with. Several years ago, when visiting Athens, Greece, a server at an outdoor café mentioned that they have a big problem with tourists getting their phones stolen from thieves on bicycles and she asked that we keep our phones out of sight.
I like to keep all my toiletries in my large checked bag and prefer a change of clothes, underwear, a bathing suit and pajamas in my carry-on bag. In the unlikely event that your suitcase should go missing or get delayed, you can easily replace toiletries before you can replace clothing items.
Packing toiletries: There are size regulations when carrying on toiletries on the aircraft, TSA regulations require travel containers 3.4 oz or 100 milliliters or fewer. If you pack most of the toiletries in your checked bag, you can bring the full-size product containers if necessary. I like to put a piece of packing tape directly over the top of the bottles and then double bag them in gallon storage bags to be sure my clothes are safe from leaks and spills.
There you have it… hopefully this helps! Happy Trails! Bon voyage! Enjoy your Summer! Enjoy your Life!
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