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Traveling in style: Part VI, Packing it all

By Meg | June 25, 2007

Other posts in the Traveling in Style series:

Once you’ve decided on what you’re bringing and hopefully whittled it down so you can fit it all in your suitcase, the next step is to pack everything so that it will get there safely. Whether you are a “roller” or “folder” when it comes to packing clothes, the key is to keep things packed tight enough that they don’t move around too much. When clothes are left to move around, they will come out with more wrinkles and you risk having your delicate clothing snagged by other items. Of course, you don’t want to pack your suitcase full if you don’t need to. A lot of people make use of packing cubes. That way, you can fill the cube, and not necessarily the suitcase. An added benefit is that you can keep groups of items separate and make them easier to find. Another alternative is a set of travel Space Bags that let you roll extra air out of the bags.

My choice? I just use XL Ziploc bags to pack my clothes. They’re cheap and reusable. I usually put heavier clothing like jeans and jackets in one bag and delicates in another, though I’m sure there’s many ways to groups items. When I want to feel really organized, I label the bags with a permanent marker. If I wanted to be even more organized, I could list the contents as well and maybe use it as a packing list for going and coming. Also, I bring at least one extra for dirty clothes. I’ve actually had bags that were sold for that purpose, but the Ziploc bags work better because they seal in any smells and moisture. Shoes usually get put into Ziploc bags, too, to keep them safe and to keep them from damaging or dirtying my clothes. Really delicate shoes get put in boxes.

You should never have to pay for travel size products. They are a huge rip-off. If you plan ahead, you can usually get plenty of free samples online. Go to the brand’s site to browse for samples or search “free samples” on Walmart.com to get to their free sample page. Do not give your personal information to just any web site unless you want spam, or worse. Even on legit sites, I use my first initial and don’t give my real birthday.

Of course, sometimes you can’t find free samples that work for you and as I mentioned in Part V - Makeup and Grooming, you should avoid using new products while traveling. That’s why I have a set of travel containers into which I pour my usual products. You could reuse the bottles you got from your free samples, but I bought my separately at a local beauty supply store after discovering that a previous set that I bought at a discount store did not stay closed very well. When buying travel containers, make sure that they are either screw top or that they snap closed if they have a push top. Even then, you’ll want to put your toiletries into yet another container just in case they open up by accident. Plus, it gives you yet another level or organization. I always put groups of toiletries in regular Ziploc bags and then I put those bags into one XL Ziploc bag. I am very good about labeling my toiletry bags, at least by type. I have “shower”, “skincare”, “hairstyling”, etc., and I do use those labels not just to find stuff, but also to remember what to take - and what to bring home.

Finally, you’ll want to make sure that your jewelry arrives safely. Right now I use a jewelry roll. It works fine for most of my needs because I take my jewelry with me in my tote bag when traveling. However, there are a few items that I usually end up putting in a ring box to make sure that they don’t get smushed. In general, a travel jewelry box provides better protection than a jewelry roll. Eventually, I want to one so that my jewelry will be safe even in my suitcase (assuming of course that no one else gets to it). If I could go back and change things, I would have gotten one of those to begin with, but for some people the roll might make more sense.

Well, that’s it for now for the Traveling in Style series. I’ll be leaving next month for a week and I’ll let you all know how it goes.

Do you have any packing tips?


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6 Responses to “Traveling in style: Part VI, Packing it all”

Fabulously Broke Says:
June 26th, 2007 at 5:24 pm

Yes! If you don’t Ziploc your clothes, lay them flat, and fold them over once, and roll them up like a sausage roll. They’ll stay fairly wrinkle free and still be decent to wear without the added creases of evident folding for when you’re packing.

Also, Ziploc all of your beauty products - they WILL find a way to explode :)

Meg Says:
June 27th, 2007 at 2:42 am

Ziploc bags have saved me from having to wash beauty products out of my clothes more than once! And I agree with you, rolling beats folding.

Debbie Says:
November 1st, 2007 at 3:50 pm

Because I sew, I have lots of neat fabric swatches. I started making little “envelopes” out of pieces (sometimes combining interesting colors and patterns), and I use them as shoe bags. I rarely put 2 shoes in one bag. Instead, I pack socks and such into the shoes, and put each shoe into its own bag. It is easier to pack them separately, they take up less space. You can stick them in odder places. I originally thought of this idea when my late father-in-law gave me a spiral ham fabric bag after Easter one year. He used them all the time, and could easily throw them in the wash when needed.

Meg Says:
November 1st, 2007 at 6:55 pm

That’s a great idea, Debbie! I’ve been meaning to learn how to sew. Maybe that will be one of my first projects : )

Allie Says:
June 30th, 2008 at 12:37 am

I agree with everything in this series. I have one piece of luggage (a 22″ carry-on size). I’ve never had a problem with this; I’ve always been able to hold everything in it. Another thing, though, is that I also bring a backpack with 2 large compartments. The larger of the two, I fill with clothes (for week-long trips) and the smaller holds my purse, a book and a snack for the plane. The clothes I put in my backpack are usually my underwear, socks, shoes and accessories. Shoes tend to take up the most space in the suitcase and they fit in my bag. Underwear and socks can be rolled and put into them.

Meg Says:
June 30th, 2008 at 12:49 am

Glad you like the series, Alli! And, great idea about using a backpack. I’ve gotten stuck without my luggage before. Next time, I’m packing underwear in my carry-on because two day old undies just isn’t a good way to start a trip.

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