The Artful Act of Packing

Summer is vacation time for many, especially after being home a lot these past several years! Whether traveling by air, boat or car there is one commonalty: you will need to pack a suitcase.

 

If you are like me the prospect of packing is daunting; so much so, I usually put it off to the very last hours before I travel. Thinking of outfits and toiletries and shoes for every kind of outing requires a certain level of discipline that is a dreaded chore, but it must be done so I can get to the good stuff of traveling!

 

Over the years I have come up with a few hacks to ease my pain of packing. Maybe you will find one of these useful.  I would enjoy receiving your ideas as well, as admittedly, I am no expert.

 

Here are my top 5 suitcase-packing tips:

1) I wash and put in ziplock bags pjs, undergarments, socks and the like after each trip so they are ready to go for the next trip (I only use these items when I travel). From time to time I update what I bring in each category but since I only use these items when traveling, it feels like something new;

3) I hang my outfits for each day/evening on a rolling rack so that I can see everything (I am a visual person) and this makes it easier to coordinate accessories and shoes;

4) I save plastic dry-cleaning bags so that I can hang all of my garments and keep them basically wrinkle-free for my arrival at the destination;

5) I write a list of items I need for my carry-on such as eyewear, vitamins, chargers and other essentials to get through the travel time.

 

I definitely think that there is certain artfulness to packing efficiently. I hope you will share your creative ideas with me…or better yet, volunteer to pack for me.

 

Linda Joy Walder