With Christmas behind us, we can officially lock into booking next year’s vacations! Okay, yes, the holiday hustle isn’t entirely over, but January doesn’t hold a candle to December’s zoo at the airport. On top of all that, you might even score cheaper flights with the latest Christmas rush finally over.
However, you could score a flight for free, and that still wouldn’t eliminate the toughest part of travel: efficient packing! We’ve heard about rolling our clothes, and we’ve invested in all the packing cubes, but there’s actually one little hack that proves more useful than it's given credit for. Grab your luggage tag and come with us as we break down some legitimately useful tips that won’t give you a headache.
Pack a Bag…Inside Your Bag
People don’t always think about how dirty their clothes can get on vacation. Sunny resorts and winter wonderlands alike can sully your finest outfits, leaving you with filthy items that have nowhere to go—until now. One of the best things you can pack with you is a garbage or laundry bag! You’ll safely keep every clean item away from anything that needs to be washed, and you won’t have to worry about any lingering odors in your bag.
Plastic bags are also good for shoes. Let’s say you bring water shoes to comfortably walk the ocean floor…but when you get back, you don’t want to just leave them inside your suitcase. Sturdy garbage bags protect them from getting moisture, sand, or mud stuck inside your bag. Of course, you’ll want to air them out before sealing them away, but a trusty sack is a reliable final step.
Even if you don’t need bags for your clothes, they can also be used for garbage or as makeshift ponchos in terrible weather! Ziploc bags also work in a pinch, and they don’t take up much space in your suitcase. You never know what you might use them for, but they do come in handy.
Live Out Your Day
Admit it—you’ve forgotten to pack something important before. That’s okay, we all have. But do you know how to combat your forgetfulness? Simply envision your day and go through a mental checklist of what you need. For example, do you take medication in the morning? Do you slip your feet into slippers? Do you tie your hair back before doing skincare? Think of your routine as a road map for essentials.
Speaking of lists, it’s not always enough to just make a checklist before you leave. Do yourself a favor: assuming that you wrote a handwritten list, include two checkboxes next to every item! The idea here is that you have a replica of what you brought, but now you can check off whether you packed it on the way home. (Trust us, there’s nothing worse than finding out you left your phone charger in a hotel room.)
If you’re really interested in keeping organized, you can always swap your handwritten list for a spreadsheet instead. Spreadsheets are great for color-coding and keeping a closer look at your items’ importance. You can even grab premade ones online that may include items you never thought to bring yourself. Best of all, you don’t have to worry about misplacing something that’s conveniently on your phone!
Repack Essential Supplies
If you’re a frequent traveler, it’s always a good idea to re-up on supplies when you get home. We’re not saying you need a Costco-sized shopping spree, but you can always grab toiletries and stick them in your suitcase for next time. Knowing it’s taken care of beforehand saves you a lot of fiddling down the road. Essentials can also fluctuate based on the weather or the time of year, so pack accordingly.
Planning travel outfits ahead of time also spares you a headache. If you have a causal outfit that works across multiple seasons, make sure it’s washed before you board. You don’t have to worry about what to wear on the plane; you know you’ll be comfortable, and you won’t have to worry about setting off the metal detector, either.
Additionally, a good pair of travel shoes never did anyone wrong! Just keep the insoles in mind; pack a second pair to ensure your comfort throughout the trip. You never know how much walking you’ll actually endure on vacation, and a set of cool gel insoles can make all the difference between blisters and walking on a cloud.
Okay, we technically provided a few tips, but hopefully you’ll heed our advice and make your next trip a breeze! With a few plastic bags in tow and a meticulous list, you’ll have just about everything you need to guarantee an odor-free, comfortable journey. (Other passengers’ habits notwithstanding!)
