Packing Clothes in your luggage:
The first thing you need is a high quality suitcase. This can be a cabin sized, 20kg to XL luggage and ideally will be high quality luggage that will last you multiple trips.A quick Google search shows that you can get luggage delivered online or go to your nearest store and see what size suits you best.
- Selection Tip: Start by choosing all the clothes you think you’ll need, then remove half. Stick to a color scheme and opt for more tops than bottoms. For a five-day journey, consider five tops, two pairs of trousers or jeans, and one skirt, as suggested by Kathleen Ameche, author of The Woman Road Warrior. Wear bulkier items like puffer coats when traveling to cold regions.
- Fabric Choice: Prioritize knits, wools, and cottons for their wrinkle-resistance and versatility.
- Packing Techniques: Combine rolling and folding. Roll soft items such as underwear, T-shirts, and knitwear, which Judy Gilford, author of The Packing Book, notes won’t wrinkle. Fold stiff ones like blazers and dressy skirts carefully.
- Clothing Arrangement: Start with soft rolled clothes, followed by folded ones arranged from longest to shortest. Ensure efficient use of space by draping excess fabric and neatly folding. Snake belts around your luggage to save space.
- Prevent Creasing: Use dry-cleaning bags between clothing layers to minimize creases. Access layers by pulling bag ends.
- Prioritize Access: Place essentials or first-use items at the top.
Packing Shoes:
- Shoe Selection: Stick to the Rule of Three: a casual shoe, sneakers, and an evening shoe. As Marybeth Bond points out in 50 Best Girlfriends Getaways, shoes occupy significant space. Wear the largest pair.
- Maximize Shoe Space: If clean, fill shoes with small items like socks or chargers,
- Shoe Storage: Pack shoes in gallon-sized resealable bags and arrange them along your bag’s sides to keep other items clean.
Packing Toiletries & Beauty Items:
- Smart Selection: Opt for multipurpose travel-sized items like tinted moisturizers or combined soap and shampoos.
- Storage: Group similar items in resealable bags and store them securely in your bag’s corners or external pockets.