Wherever you go you need to take some stuff with you from home. The length of the journey doesn’t matter, it can be a one-day excursion or a 7-week exploration of China’s amazing wildlife and countryside. But as we all know, packing can be stressful. How do you know you’ve prepared yourself for the journey ahead in the most efficient and best way possible? I’ve been backpacking and traveling my whole adult life so I would love to share some tips on how to pack fast and pretty much stress-free. From having an anti-theft backpack to bringing only travel-sized toiletries these are my top 5 tips.
1. Have multipurpose clothes
Pack a nice dark-colored dress, something that works well for work or a night out. This way you not only save on space but on packing time as well. Roll it and pack it like Pinterest gurus. This works for some casual T-Shirts as well. If they are in a single color without any decal, they can pretty much work with anything. It saves you space and packing time. Get a multi-season jacket, something made out of Merino wool would be great. Trust me, those things can last a long time (mine is 6 years old and counting) and you can take it with you on the way out.
2. Packing shoes
Casual sandals, sneakers and evening shoes are something you would want to bring with you wherever you go. Those 3 types of shoes may be a must-have on a holiday but you have to keep in mind they take up most of your luggage space. Pack the smallest ones and then wear the ones that take up most space on your way out.
3. Packing jewelry
Either wear them on you or have a good anti-theft backpack with you when you’re heading out, there’s no way around it with this one. When you pack them remember to store them in a container lined with tissue so you would avoid scratches.
4. Packing your toiletries
To me, this one was and is most stressful. Although I love to buy and try out new conditioners and shampoos I dislike breaking my usual routine. I like to try out a new product for a few weeks and then see if I’ll use it permanently. But, my hair hates it when I switch shampoos too quickly. Sometimes this is a necessity, as our toiletries can take up a lot of room. We seem to forget that there are stores where we are going and we could get what we need there. But if that seems like a hassle, have a pre-packed toiletries bag with you that you can put in your luggage filled with your essentials.
5. Pack the essentials
Solo traveling is empowering and is becoming more and more frequent, so there are some must-haves that should be a part of our luggage. Pack your passport first! This should be the first thing you put in your luggage and the first thing out. Pack your prescription medication, you never know how the place you’re traveling to has it or will sell it to you. Get a power bank. No matter how much (or little) you use your phone you should always have a backup power bank near you. You can almost always catch wifi somewhere if you need to find a neat place to eat out or just need to update your maps. The easiest thing you can do is just make a checklist a day before you go and put on paper what you need. It is a little old fashioned but it works and will help you pack in an easy and stress-free way.
