Overthinker or Last-Minute Packer?
Believe it or not, how you pack for your trips can reveal a lot about you. Are you the type to meticulously plan out what you need and spend a whole week (or more) organizing your luggage? Or are you the type to throw things in at the last minute and hope for the best? If you're curious which side you land on, here are 20 signs that will reveal what type of traveler you really are.
1. You Overpack
A classic, telltale sign that you're an anxious packer? You overpack. This means you're often bringing far more than is necessary for the trip, no matter whether it's a one-week getaway or a month-long vacation. Either way, you always seem to be bringing along your entire closet whenever you're traveling.
2. You Pack Extras for Your Extras
It's not enough that you overpack—you have extras for the extras you already packed. You have backups for your backups, too. That means you're not just packing seven pairs of underwear for a four-day trip—you're bringing along 15 pairs.
3. You Start Packing a Month in Advance
Your trip might still be a month or more out, but you already have your suitcase filled with just about anything you think you'll need. Just the thought of packing closer to your travel date makes you anxious; you can't imagine waiting until the last minute to shove essentials into your luggage.
4. You Have Outfits Planned for Every Weather Outcome
Even if you've already checked the forecast for your travel dates, you're still packing just about every kind of outfit you can think of. Rainy day? You've got clothes planned for that. Warm, sunny day? You've got shorts and tees. Snow? Yep, you're bringing your snow boots along, too.
5. You Buy Specific Things for the Trip
Even if you know you probably won't need something after your trip, you're still buying it if you know you might need it. Maybe it's a special dress you probably wouldn't wear anywhere else, an adapter that only works in the country you're traveling to, or a new pair of hiking shoes you likely won't touch again afterwards. Whatever it is, you're purchasing it for the sake of being 100% ready and prepared.
6. You Have 10 Different Lists
You don't go into packing without a plan in mind; in fact, you have about 10 different lists, all covering separate categories. Toiletries, makeup, hair, skincare, outdoor clothes, indoor clothes, shoes... the list goes on. Let it never be said that you're disorganized.
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7. You Recheck Everything Multiple Times
After you've packed everything you think you'll need, you recheck your lists and items more times than you can count on your hands. After all, you need to be completely sure you're not missing anything you'll later need.
8. You Have Too Many "Just in Case" Items
You don't just have extras and backups shoved into your suitcase—you have all the miscellaneous, "just in case" items, too. The ones that you probably don't need (and could technically buy once you land), but you're packing anyway because it eases your anxious mind.
9. Your Suitcase Ends Up Heavier Than Expected
At the end of the whole packing ordeal, your suitcare—surprise, surprise—ends up heavier than expected. Overweight luggage is often a pretty clear sign that you're an anxious packer (and thus overpacker). Although that typically leads to you unpacking everything and doing it all over again to make sure you're within the weight limit.
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10. You Stuff More Into Your Carry-On
Nope, you're still not done. It's not just your luggage that's overstuffed with way more than you need, but your carry-on bags are also filled to the brim. You're not taking any chances, after all, and who knows if you might need a travel-sized bottle of sunscreen on the plane?
Do these signs sound like you? If you're shaking your head no, you might fit into the other extreme—the carefree packer.
1. You Don't Start Packing Until Hours Before Your Flight
Unlike the anxious packer, the carefree packer doesn't start packing their bags until it's basically boarding time. Sure, they could've gotten it done and over with a week ago, but busy schedules, life, and laziness got in the way.
2. You Don't Think—You Just Throw Whatever In
As a carefree packer, you have no plans or lists—you're just winging the whole thing. You throw in some shirts, pants, underwear, and socks, and then you're back on the couch to catch up on your favorite TV show. In your mind, if you miss anything in your suitcase, you can always get it once you land.
3. You Toss In Without Rolling or Folding
You don't have a method of saving space when you pack, which means you're often left scratching your head at the end of it, because your luggage looks stuffed despite only having five things in it. Plus, nothing is organized; your toiletries, beach sandals, skincare, and pajamas are all grouped into the same bags and space.
4. You Overassume
You argue that there's technically a reason for your laziness: after all, you assume that if you're missing any essentials, be it toothpaste or underwear, you can just purchase them at your destination or your hotel will provide them. But that only means you're often left reeling when things don't pan out the way you expected them to, and your destination and accommodation, in fact, don't have the items you need, either.
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5. You Bring Just One Pair of Almost Everything
Regardless of whether it's shoes or socks, you're used to bringing one pair of almost anything. Hey, as long as there's a washing machine at your accommodation, you can just throw it in and reuse it, right?
6. You Say "Oh Yeah" At Least 10 Times
As a carefree packer, you're not just lazy, you're also incredibly forgetful. Every 10 seconds, you're probably saying "oh yeah" when someone asks you if you've packed something already. And every time you think you're finally finished, you're again reminded that, nope, there's another thing you forgot.
7. You Don't Check the Weather
You're not just lazy with the packing—you're lazy with everything else, too, including checking the weather. That means you sometimes don't realize that you packed the wrong clothes and shoes until you've arrived at your destination.
8. You Rely on Your Travel Buddy to Remember Things
You're often relying way too much on your travel buddy to remember things for you, too. They're the ones asking whether you've packed yet, checked in online yet, or if you've got your passport in your bag.
9. You Shove Essentials Into Your Suitcase, Not Your Carry-On
Sure, you know charging cables, adapters, and medications should go into your carry-on and not your checked luggage, but in your haste (and laziness), you're shoving them into the wrong bag. That means you're often left unprepared when you finally board because you don't have the items you need.
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10. You End Up Forgetting Almost Everything You Need
This comes as no surprise: as a carefree packer, you oftentimes forget almost everything you need. Whether it's a toothbrush, shampoo, proper walking shoes, or sunscreen, you're always showing up empty-handed by the time you land at your destination.
