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Packing
is pivotal. Forget an essential item and you're left disappointed and
scrambling to find the nearest store in your destination. Pack too much and you
end up disorganized, burdened with heavy bags, and hemorrhaging money to pay
for pricey airline baggage fees. So we thought it best to revisit the most
basic—and most useful—packing rules. Here are 10 fundamental packing strategies
that every traveler should learn.
1.
Roll, don't fold.
Many
travel experts—including backpackers, who must stuff months' worth of clothing
into a pack the size of a box of wine—agree that rolling is superior to
folding. Tightly rolled clothes take up less space than folded ones. Plus,
they're less prone to getting deep wrinkles from fold creases.
2. Make
a packing list
When it
comes to packing, procrastinators fall short. Start your packing process days
or even weeks ahead of your departure date; this gives you time to craft a
complete list, plus purchase any additional items you might need for your
vacation. Creating a packing list is a fail-safe way to ensure that you never,
ever forget to bring something important.
3. Know
your airline's baggage-fee policy
Figuring
out the airlines'
tricky and befuddling baggage-fee policies is key to any budget-minded packing
strategy. While most airlines permit travelers to check at least one bag on
international flights, the majority of U.S. carriers charge big bucks for bags
checked on domestic flights. Spirit Airlines—that notoriously
customer-unfriendly discounter—
Before
you begin packing, take a peek at your airline's website and read its baggage
policy. This is something you might even want to do prior to buying your plane
ticket, especially if you're set on bringing a checked bag or two. Consider
flying on Southwest or JetBlue, both of which permit at least one free checked
bag on domestic flights.
4.
Follow the 3-1-1 rule
What
happens if you don't follow the Transportation Security Administration's (TSA)
3-1-1 rule for carry-on luggage? Attempt to bring a large bottle of shampoo or
a full-size gel deodorant through the security line and the TSA will likely
confiscate your stuff, holding you up in line in the process. So get familiar
with the agency's rules: All liquids brought onto planes must be in 3.4-ounce
bottles or smaller and inside a single, clear, quart-size zip-top bag.
It also
helps to know which items are, according to the TSA, considered liquids or gels
and thereby subject to the 3-1-1 rule. This isn't as simple as it sounds. Foods
such as peanut butter, pudding, mashed potatoes, and icing are classified as
gels. Mascara, lip gloss, and aerosol items are also classified as liquids or
gels. But keep in mind that liquid prescription medication is exempt.
(Read more on that on The TSA Blog.) See a more
complete list of liquids and gels that are not permitted in carry-on luggage in
quantities greater than 3.4 ounces here.
5. Use
your personal item wisely
It's
standard for airlines to permit each traveler to bring one carry-on bag and one
personal item onboard planes. This personal item is subject to specific size
requirements (these vary by airline), but something like a purse, laptop bag,
or backpack is generally acceptable.
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Delivery: Varies
In Five Tips for Fitting it All in a Carry-on Bag,
Caroline Morse advises travelers to leverage their personal-item allowance,
suggesting, "Forget wasting my personal-item allowance with a tiny purse.
I'll bring a larger tote bag that I can stash under the seat but will still
give me extra storage space. This will come in handy for keeping all of the
things I'll need to be on hand during the flight within arms' reach as
well."
6. Wash
your clothes on the road
Laundry
facilities are one of my favorite parts about staying in vacation rentals. If
you know your accommodations will have free laundry facilities, you're golden.
You can wash and wear just a handful of outfits for the duration of even very
long trips.
If
you're staying in a hotel, call in advance to see if laundry services are
available and how much they cost. Travelers staying in properties without
laundry facilities or taking cruises—cruise lines are notorious for charging an
arm and a pant leg for laundry services—can wash clothes in sinks and hang them
to dry. I always make sure to pack a travel-size packet of laundry detergent
and a sink stopper to clean my clothes on the road—it's my secret for fitting
everything in a carry-on bag. Portable laundry-drying lines that attach to
showers via suction cups are also a good choice; you can find them at many
travel-supply stores.
7. Pack
dual-purpose garments
If it's
two-in-one, it's one less thing to pack. Dual-purpose items, such as pants that
turn into shorts or a jacket that turns into a travel pillow (see these
items here) are worth their weight in airline
baggage fees.
8.
Layer
This
advice is twofold: Wear layers and pack in layers. First, your on-the-road
wardrobe should feature plenty of layers, which will help you jetset through
multiple climates in style and comfort. Second, the items in your bag should be
packed in neat layers for easy screening. According to the TSA, "Pack
items in layers (shoes one layer, clothes one layer, electronics one layer,
etc.)" so that the security agent screening your bag can get a clear
picture of what's inside. The faster the TSA agent can screen your stuff, the faster
you'll get through the security line.
9.
Never check essential items
It's
terribly important to keep your valuable and essential belongings in your
carry-on bag, not in your checked luggage. Your passport, identification,
money, credit cards, jewelry, electronics, and other valuables should always be
brought onto the plane with you. We probably don't need to tell you why you
need to keep your passport and wallet on your person. But if the airline loses
your luggage (or if a TSA agent gets sticky fingers), you'll regret stowing
your expensive watch in a checked bag.
10. Use
packing aids
My
all-time favorite packing aid: Eagle Creek Compression Sacs. Use them to
shrivel your clothes into a vacuum-packed, tiny, tight bundle that takes up
minimal suitcase space. Other packing aids that can help you organize better
and fit more into your bag include packing envelopes and packing cubes.
