Bottom line. Packing doesn't have to be stressful.
Going to Bali this Easter really reminded me how much life has changed since we started to live more simplistically.
I used to dread packing.
I mean… Really dread it.
I wasn’t any good at it and it always took me hours to do. By the time I was finished I was stressed, tired and certain I’d forgotten something.
This time round it was different. It literally took me 10 minutes (and I knew with certainty I hadn’t forgotten anything). So what had changed?
Two things.
Over the past year I’ve learnt to need less ‘things’. Less cosmetics. Less clothes. Less gadgets. And of course, owning fewer things, means you have fewer things to pack. For example, I used to board a plane with several dozens items. Neck pillow. Pashmina. Feather pillow. Kindle. Laptop. iPhone. Journal. iPad. Magazines. Snacks. Drinks. Medical kit. Cosmetic kit. The list goes on… This time round, I boarded the plane with just my cosmetic case, iPhone, journal, wallet and passport. That was it. And you know what? I didn’t even look at my phone. Between sleeping and the onboard entertainment – I had more than enough to keep me occupied for 10 hours.
And the second thing?
I gradually created a ‘travel system’. I thought about what I really needed whilst travelling and tried to make whole the process easier. Over the course of a few months I refined this ‘system’. I eliminated what didn’t work for me and tested new ideas to see if they’d work better.
Here are some of the things that helped me to streamline the packing process and make things a little simpler (and less stressful!)…
TIPS to pack fASTER.
BUY A LIGHT, MEDIUM SIZED SUITCASE WITH SPINNER WHEELS.
Don’t buy the biggest suitcase in the store. It’ll just be an excuse to either pack or buy more. Neither is a good idea. Trust me. It’s not fun to lug a giant suitcase down cobbled streets. You’re a lady, not Ragnar Lothbrok. If you can’t carry it chock-full, don’t buy it. A medium suitcase is easier manoeuvre and will force you to consider what you’re taking (or buying!). And trust me, spinner wheels will change your life.
USE PACKING CUBES.
Packing cubes will help you gauge how much you can pack. Consider the size of your bag, before you pack and do a ‘test’ pack to ensure all your essentials fit in. Ideally, you want to have enough space for your packing cubes (clothes), a few shoes, and some pouches for knick-knacks. Before you start packing, decide how you’ll divide your clothes between the cubes (e.g. one might be for underwear and socks, one for tops and sweater). This will keep you from over-packing: When a cube is full, that’s as much of that item as you can take. Cubes also make it easy to unpack and repack (especially for short stays in a hotel). Just plonk them in the cupboard and you’re done!
HAVE A CAPSULE WARDROBE.
The great thing about having a capsule wardrobe, is you can take your whole wardrobe on holiday. You don’t need to think about what you have to pack and what you need to leave behind. You can just pack it all (and it’ll definitely fit). Voila!
KEEP YOUR KNICK-KNACKS IN POUCHES.
You don’t want loose bits flying around your suitcase. It’ll make unpacking a nightmare and chances are you’ll leave something behind. Keeping your things in pouches makes it easier to find items in a hurry. Plus, when it’s time to leave, it won’t be hard to gather up your stuff. You can have individual pouches for item like jewellery, hair tools, electronics, medicine, vitamins, etc. Keep these items in their pouches throughout the year, so when it comes time to pack you can just grab your pouches and go!
PACK A LAUNDRY BAG (AND SHOE BAGS).
Pack a laundry bag for all your dirty washing. When it’s time to go home, your dirty clothes won’t make the clean ones musty. Plus, you can just empty the bag straight into the washing machine when you’re back home. Just bear in mind, when your clothes are unfolded in the laundry bag, they’ll take up more room. So don’t overpack! Shoe bags are also a great tool to keep your bag from getting soiled (literally).
CARRY ALL YOUR COSMETICS IN A VANITY CASE.
This tip one isn’t for everyone, but it works for me. I keep all my cosmetics in a single vanity case (all in bottles under 100ml). This means whether I’m at home, at the gym or going away, I can take everything I need without thinking about it. I just refill the bottles when they run out. Plus, because you’ll take the vanity case onboard, there’s little risk of bottles leaking and you won’t need to pack a second cosmetic case for the flight.
DON’T PACK MULTIPLE CABLES AND CHARGERS.
Find a travel adaptor that will double up as a plug and USB charger. Keep it in a pouch with a 3-in-1 cable that can charge all your devices. When comes time to pack you won’t be running around unplugging cable in the house to make sure you have all your chargers. This will make pack AND unpacking a lot easier. I bought the Baseus universal rotation type travel charger and an Energea 3-in-1 charging cable. Both worked perfectly for me!
Don't forget to have fun!
Invest in a good quality suitcase… Only buy accessories you really love… And, hell, why not make sure everything matches!
Make packing a special occasion. Because it really should be.
So often we get caught up in the stress of travelling we forget to actually enjoy the holiday we’ve fought so hard to have.
I hope these tips will help you to make the whole process a little less chaotic and a touch more glamorous!
