Hi Neighbor!
Oops! I’m at it again! The suitcase is out and I am ready to roll. Or should I say fly?
I realize it’s not the optimal season to utilize the airport with flight delays, people getting stranded, or flights cancelled altogether. But that’s not what bothers me when traveling. It’s the packing. It’s always the packing.
Yes, my main stress is condensing all of my clothes/shoes/bags/jackets into one carry-on suitcase. I don’t want to be separated from my luggage, I don’t want to think about arriving without my clothes, and I don’t want to wait at the forever baggage claim carousel. I know, I know. That sounds crazy, but that’s my angst and I’m sticking to it. Besides, I can’t shake it.
With the right planning, this savvy packer is here to tell you, traveling with just a carry-on can be done. Here are some packing tips to fine tune your technique:
*Roll your clothes, don’t fold. Everything becomes more compact.
*Use packing cubes to sort clothes according to category, size, etc.
*Select outfits that require the same shoes so you only need to pack one pair of flats, heels, and/or sneakers. The pair you wear onto the plane should be part of your vacation rotation.
*The same applies to handbags, jackets, and belts. Minimize.
*Stuff scarves, socks, underwear, and other soft items into shoes and handbags to save space.
One could argue that this advice will only work for long weekend getaways or warm-weather trips, which might be true. However, for the first time, I’m using vacuum bags to compress my clothes in the suitcase. Even though clothes selected for a pre-spring trip may appear light-weight and fancy-free, the suitcase gets crowded and loaded quickly, so I am willing to give the vacuum system a try. I’ll keep you posted.
Next hurdle, security at the airport. Don’t even get me started about my angst-riddled ride to the airport as I anticipate the security quagmire.
Happy packing (and traveling),
Jackie
