How to pack a suitcase: a step by step guide
Let our travel experts teach you the most effective packaging method for any trip.
There is so much excitement when you are Set a trip , whether it be long summer vacation or a short a weekend getaway. But when you are in the days and you realize that you should pack, this enthusiasm is a little. To decide what to bring to worry if it all adapts, it is easy to end up sitting in front of your disorderly bag and half packed too stressed to continue - unless you have an expert guide on the way to wrap a suitcase.
"Watching an empty suitcase is a bit like watching a blank page," said Nicole Cunningham ,, travel expert And founder of Copilots for Coparizers: The travel fair for single parents. "Going step by step in a organized way, you can avoid this intimidating sensation and have a clear starting point.
To help you avoid both upgrade and subsets, we talked about several travel experts to learn their routines for the packaging in the most efficient way possible. Read the rest for their best tips and tricks and learn to pack a suitcase with ease each time.
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1 Create a packaging list.
The first thing you should start is a packaging list.
"This list will serve as a plan plan, guaranteeing that you will not neglect the essential elements or unnecessary articles," explains Peter Hamdy ,, travel expert and co-founder of Auckland & Beyond Tours.
When creating your packaging list, be sure to list all the elements you are likely to bring with you, says Jay Ternavan ,, travel expert and founder of Jayway Travel.
"Divide things into clothes, toiletries, electronics and other essential elements," he advises. "This control list will keep you organized."
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2 Choose the right suitcase.
The next thing you should do is "choose a suitcase that will suit your trip," according to Ternavan.
"Hand baggage will generally be good enough for short trips, but in the case of longer trips, a larger checkered bag might be necessary," he notes.
Hamdy recommends opting for a "light and durable suitcase with compartments" in both cases.
"The hard shell cases offer additional protection, while the flexible shell variants offer more flexibility," he said.
3 Collect and sort your items.
Once you have your packaging list and your suitcase ready to leave, it is now time for you to collect and sort the items that you plan to bring with you. AE0FCC31AE342FD3A1346EBB1F342FCB
"Place them on a similar bed or" sorting "area when you collect them," recommends Cunningham. "Don't forget to check things as you go, so you will easily see if you forgot something at the end."
Once you have collected all the elements from your list, separate them into different heaps organized by specific categories, known as Cunningham.
"The completion of this step is important because the physical organization by category is preparing you to identify those which may have too many articles at the next step," she explains.
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4 Examine and revise if necessary.
The next step is the review and Revise phase, which "will help you do it" fair ", avoiding both a sub-explosive and too packaged suitcase", according to Cunningham.
"Take a few minutes and look at your categorized batteries. For everyone, do you think about the articles you don't really need and, on the other hand, that there is too little of a particular type", Share- she. "When you finish this step, mentally aim every day of your trip to your head, using a printed route to help you. Then review your control list to make sure that no essential element is missing."
5 Choose your travel outfit.
Before you start putting anything in your suitcase, you should choose everything you are going to wear when you travel.
"When you collect clothes to pack, book your travel outfit," advises Kristin Espinar ,, travel expert And the founder of the travel blog must see Spain. "At the same time, ask if you want to superimpose clothes such as sweaters, jackets or scarves for your travel outfit."
During this stage, you can also "look at your collection of items and remove all the bulky things that can be attached outside your suitcase with a clip or a carabine", explains Cunningham.
"It works very well for hats, neck pillows or even shoes at the pinch," she notes.
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6 Then everything else.
Once you've put aside all the clothes that are not going to go to your suitcase, it's time to put the rest.
"This step will help you save real estate in your suitcase, as well as to find what you need during your trip without emptying everything," said Cunningham.
Most travel experts recommend using packaging cubes (especially compression) as bags.
"They keep things organized and compact," notes Hamdy, adding that you should "use a cube for the ups, another for the bottom, and another for underwear, etc."
But if you go to different places in your trip, you may want to consider using another cube for each destination, according to Cunningham.
"In this way, you can keep the other seals so that you don't need to recondition everything," she explains.
As for how you should pack items in these cubes, Hamdy always recommends riding your clothes.
"Rolling reduces wrinkles and saves space," he shares. "It also allows easy identification and minimizes the excavation to find what you need."
7 Take heavy items below.
Now you are finally ready to put things in your suitcase. But don't just start to place things everywhere. Instead, Ternavan suggests starting by placing heavier items, such as shoes, at the bottom of your suitcase.
"Doing this helps keep your suitcase stable and balanced, preventing it from switching and making the bearing easier," he explains.
8 Use small items to fill the gaps.
After packing your heavy items, turn to your packaging cubes. Place them in your suitcase in the way they adapt best - like puzzle pieces, says Cunningham. Once it is done, it's time for another game: Tetris.
"Like Tetris, you should not leave any empty space in your suitcase," advises Cunningham. "Look for articles that have an empty space to store small items inside. You can also fill small objects in clumsy spaces in the corners or the bottom of the suitcase."
Small items such as socks, underwear and accessories are the best things to use to fill the gaps or empty spots between your largest items, according to Ternavan.
"This not only maximizes your space, but also prevents your things from moving during transit, which means less wrinkles and less chances of damage," he notes.
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9 Separate the essential elements.
The last thing you want to pack is all the essential elements that you may need to grasp in a pinch, like toiletries.
"Keep them on top or in an easily accessible pocket," recommends Ternavan. "Having easy access to these essential elements can save you time and hassles, especially if you need to cool off after a long flight or as soon as you reach your destination."
Do not forget to separate your liquid toiletries in a transparent and climble plastic bag to store at the top of your suitcase or in an easily accessible pocket, recalls Hamdy.
"This step prevents not only spills, but also complies with airport safety regulations for hand luggage," he said.
10 Do a final check before closing your suitcase.
You have almost finished, but there is one last important step: once you have wrapped everything, don't forget to do a final check before closing your suitcase.
"Always enter your list and check every twice as last step," says Cunningham. "Check three times for absolute essential elements, such as passports and other required documents."
After that, you are ready to zip everything and leave. Sure trips!