I confess: I struggle with packing for trips.  

Because I travel frequently people often say to me, “Oh you must be great at packing.”  

Hah! Soooo wrong.  I always take too much. When I get home I unpack clothes I didn’t wear.  Some times I end up with clothes that are too warm or too light weight.  Often I feel dowdy.  

Alas, what to do? 

Well, I decided to  go to the ultimate source for all Great Ideas—Pinterest—and see what the internet savvy folks do.  Interestingly, I came up with a bunch of good ideas to try.  I’m posting  them here in hopes that those of you out there in cyber space will comment—pro or con—with their your experiences.  

So….here goes: 

• I found lots of advice around taking clothes and/or shoes with planning to leave behind to make more room in a case to bring home stuff or for a long trip. I often do this.   Another suggestion is to mail home things you don’t need.  A great example of the mailing idea is to send home dressy clothes after attending a wedding before heading on to more casual destinations.  Many hotels can handle this.

• The issue of folding versus rolling clothes seems to have strong proponents on both sides.  Roll or fold?  Or use packing cubes.  Personally I like packing cubes especially if I have lots of short stays in hotels or different destinations.  If you are going to one place, unpacking once, they aren’t worth the bother.  In my book, the jury is out on the roll versus fold question
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•  One blogger suggested that if you are going on a three or four week trip, plan your clothes for one week and then wash and repeat.  Makes sense to me. 

• To me, the most obvious suggestion is to limit your colors.  I often plan a travel capsule wardrobe around black, white and a splash of color.  Sometimes that’s red, sometimes purple.  Often gray.  Make sure everything you take goes with everything else.  I just need to limit the choices. 

• Yep, everyone says layer your clothes.  Personally I think this is harder than you think. You have to make sure the clothes layer both style wise and fit wise.  Takes a bit of planning.  Need to master this one. 

• Often I throw a flat folding purse into the bag to use for evening or shopping.  They come in different colors and sizes and can be used to go to the beach, market and other uses as well. 

• Several people suggested this and I agree.  Don’t take good jewelry or scarves you love.  Too easy to lose.  Instead have fun picking up inexpensive trinkets in local markets.  Enjoy wearing on the trip.    The exception is that I always take a scarf  on the plane.  When they turn on the air conditioning jets you can get really cold.  Wrapping a scarf around your neck helps.  Also if you are going to many Asian countries you need a scarf to cover your head in temples.  It is important to have one.  

• I learned this the hard way.  Bring back ups for glasses and prescription sun glasses.  My prescription sunglasses were stolen  the first day of a two week trip to South America.  I simply could not find clip on sunglasses anywhere in Buenos Aires.  It would have been so easy to throw a pair in my bag.  

• Never check essential items.  This goes for “gate check” as well.  It’s amazing how often someone picks up the wrong bag at the gate.  Worst case I ever heard about is when my friend who had an organ transplant had her gate checked bag with her anti-rejection meds inside disappear.  Fortunately, they got them back, but there were some anxious moments. 

• Use lists ahead of time.  There are tons of downloadable packing lists on line.  Many people suggest packing a day ahead and then taking a bunch of stuff out.  Last minute frenzies often result in not having the right stuff and too much of the wrong stuff.  Trust me, I know.  

And keep in mind the quote by travel guru, Rick Steves: “You’ll never meet a traveler who, after five trips, brags: Every year I pack heavier.” 

If you have any  travel packing tips that work for you, please share them in the comment section.  I would love to hear from you.  

For an older post about packing light, click here.  Packing Light.