To most of us, packing and getting prepared for a trip or vacation can be complex and tiresome. The best way to organize your goods, save plenty of time, and not overpack is to make a packing list to make your journey stress-free and more comfortable.
Whether you are more traditional and prefer having a hand-written packing list or you prefer typing everything on your favorite gadget doesn’t matter. You just want to be absolutely certain that you haven’t forgotten something, because once you begin your journey, it’s already too late.
To avoid all the nuisance and potential stress, we’ll show you the best way to how to create a packing list for any trip/vacation.
Brainstorm
Before deciding what to bring to your journey, there are things you need to acknowledge such as the length of your trip, means of transport, season/weather conditions of your destination, and other potential requirements.
With this in mind, you can then start making your packing list. Nowadays, there are many handy apps for sorting and listing the packing items, but you can also simply write everything down on paper or create a spreadsheet for a better perspective.
Begin with selecting the appropriate suitcase, bag, or backpack of your choice. Keep in mind that you do not want anything too large or too small, but something where all your belongings could fit perfectly.
An important thing to consider is your vacation type and how many people you are traveling with. For a family trip, many people prefer one big suitcase rather than three different medium or small ones. Large suitcases with silent wheels are ideal for a family trip, providing enough space to store all the necessary items, and besides, the silent wheels make them easy to transport without disturbing everyone around you. As for a solo or a couple travel, medium or cabin-sized ones are a perfect choice.
Pack & Organize
Depending on the weather conditions, it’s up to you what kind of outfits you’ll include, but make sure to leave your fancy and expensive clothes at home and bring fundamental outfits instead.
The idea is to pack smart and light, to avoid overpacking.
Some of the essential items to bring are:
- Featherlight clothing
- Socks made of natural materials
- Comfortable walking shoes or sandals
- Windbreaker, umbrella, or light raincoat
- Underwear for each day
- Sunglasses
- Hat or cap
- Bandana or scarf
- Swimsuit
- Eye mask, earplugs, and inflatable pillow
For additional and noteworthy insider tips on how to prepare your travel essentials, Big Booty Fish have great travel insights.
Backpack and Document Organizer
To begin with, you’ll want to make a list of all the important documents like:
- Passport/visa
- Personal ID
- Health and travel insurance
- Tickets and reservations
- Emergency contacts
- Maps and guide books
- Copies of all those items (stored elsewhere)
Keep your backpack in your proximity at all times, and put your document organizer in it, where you’ll keep all your important documents, credit cards, and cash.
Place all your gadgets in one section of your backpack such as a smartphone, charger, headphones, camera, and e-reader.
Use the other sections for items like travel maps, language guides, a water bottle, etc…
Toiletry Bag
There is a good chance that you’ll be flying to your destination, so make sure that all your liquids, creams, and such are 100ml/3.4 ounces or less per container, stored in clear plastic packages.
Here are some recommendations for your toiletry bag items:
- Toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash
- Deodorant
- Shampoo and showering gel
- Sunscreen with SPF
- Lip balm with SPF
- Makeup
- Facewash, makeup remover, and face cleaning gel
- Moisturizer or lotion
- Personal hygiene items
- Feminine hygiene products
- Polarized sunglasses
- Prescription medication with a recipe and label
Additionally, you can also include items such as:
- Perfume/Eau de toilette
- Small mirror
- Hair products
- Shaving kit
- Tissues and biodegradable wet wipes
- Small towel
Don’t forget a miniature first aid kit with all the basics included, cause you never know when you might need it.
Prepare your home
Regardless of the length of your trip, it’s vital to leave your home in order before you travel so you’ll never have to worry about what’s going on back home while you are absent.
Make sure to:
- Store valuables in a secured place
- Unplug all devices
- Shut down the water supply
- Empty your fridge of soon-to-expire items
- Pre-pay all your bills
- Have someone take care of your pets and plants
- Lock all doors and windows
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