When tour groups prepare for their getaways it can be easy to think you’ll need much more than one single, solitary suitcase. But reducing the risk of lost baggage, more weight to carry and the possibility of additional fees is simple to achieve with some cleverly common tips from your travel professionals!
1. Pack interchangeable outfit pieces.
2. Don’t pack for things that haven’t happened, if you have an emergency, you can buy what you need at your destination. Many hotels also carry small toiletries for sale.
3. Check the forecast before you go, the unfamiliar climate will tell you whether you need those rain boots or not. Do count on one outfit to make sure you are prepared for a shift in temperature.
4. Leave some room. You’ll have souvenirs to bring home. Do this by packing your items from heaviest on the bottom to lightest on top.
5. An oldie but a goodie: Don’t fold, roll! This also nixes more wrinkles than the traditional fold.
6. If you’re going on vacation, you don’t need the luxuries of home: the iPad, three cameras, books or Kindle, your iPod or gaming equipment can also stay behind.
7. Shoes take up valuable luggage space, so narrow it down to one or two pairs that go with everything, or one for walking and one for a night out.
8. Toiletries come in travel sizes for times like this, purchase small amounts when you reach your destination so they don’t have to go home with you.
9. Do laundry. Whether the hotel offers a cleaning service or designated machine, or you go to a local laundromat, you will save space by re-wearing the same clothing during your group trip.
10. If the laundry isn’t an option, toss in a compression bag that greatly minimizes the volume of the contents. Include a dryer sheet to keep them from developing odors.
11. Pack odd-shaped items first, such as shoes and the like. This will create a layer of areas that can be filled in as you go, such as stuffing a bag of jewelry or socks into a shoe. Do your best to pack items within other items.
12. Making a list of what you’ll need beforehand keeps you from that feeling of forgetfulness, and in turn, stops you from packing too much “just in case”.
13. Skip the bulky mass of chargers for your devices, and invest in an interchangeable charging dock.
14. Select items that take over for less necessary products, like using conditioner as a shaving cream.
15. Save your final outfit to wear the day you depart for home.
