Time to get packing!
With the holidays almost upon us, it’s time to get packing for your trip out of town. Over the years and miles I have traveled with everything from a just a small backpack to several suitcases with strollers, car seats and portable cribs in tow. Now that my kids are older, it’s so much easier to travel as a family especially since I’ve got packing down to a science. Here are some packing tips to make traveling with baggage a breeze!
1. You will never need more than eight days worth of clothes, no matter how long your trip may be. For longer trips research a local laundromat in advance and find out their fees and hours of operation. When I stayed on the South Bank in London, I did laundry at Long Lane Launderette. Of course it was raining that day but wheeling my luggage about a mile, meeting some friendly locals who helped with directions on the way and helping an elderly British woman with getting her coins into the machine were all part of my authentic London experience!
I can get by up to twelve days without doing laundry by just wearing jeans or pants two times each, bringing enough clean base layers (like camisoles, T-shirts or long sleeve undergarments) and just a few sweaters, tunics or open tops. I love the light, thin and warm layering pieces from UNIQLO. You can also pack easily washable pieces, but I always pack one pair of underwear for each day, plus one extra, just in case!
2. To save space in your suitcase, pack at least one day’s worth of clothes in your personal carry on. I also pack all my toiletries, medications and electronics in my carry on for easy access while in transit. Another item to either wear or pack in your carry on is a scarf, or pashmina type shawl. It can double as a blanket, accessory or light outer layer. Gloves, hats, mints, gum, reading material and snacks are other items I keep close at hand. Great snacks are sunflower seeds and dried fruit packed in small zip lock bags.
3. For suitcases we use Brookstones’s Dash Luggage. It’s sturdy, easily maneuverable, has several compartments for organizing clothes and comes in several colors so each family member knows which bag is theirs. It also fits in most overhead compartments, allowing you to bypass baggage claim and making exiting the airport quicker. I like to pack day clothes on one side and pajama’s and undergarments on the other side. Rolling clothes instead of folding can help to fit thin items around the bulkier ones. Socks, bras and underwear fill in all the sides and open spaces for efficient use of space.
4. Finally, only bring two or at most three pairs of shoes. Wear the bulkiest pair on the plane. Same for jackets. I went to Iceland and Denmark, from Winter to Fall, and fit it all in my personal carry on that fit under the seat and my Brookstone Dash carry on suitcase that fit in the overhead compartment. Remember to layer for warmth, so you don’t have to bring a zillion jackets!
Safe Travels this holiday season!
Jill
