This is part 1 of my two-part series on "Packing For Travel." Part 1 is a top 10 list of tips that all travel bloggers get wrong. Check back next week for an end-to-end packing tutorial guide "How to Pack Like A Boss."
Get packing cubes designed for your specific bag. Most nicer backpacks and suitcases have an accessories line that include packing cubes and it makes a huge difference because then they tetris perfectly, like this arousing picture. It makes sure you’re utilizing the space in your bag super effectively.
Get packing cubes with rigid sides. If you have the option or your bag doesn’t have it’s own packing cubes, get packing cubes with rigid sides so they can be used as drawer organizers at your destination. It helps you stay organized at your hotel and it cuts down on time you spend packing and unpacking. Bonus- if you’re nomadic like us you can use them as permanent drawer organizers and it makes sure you don’t over-buy stuff and can’t fit everything in your suitcase when you’re ready to move again.
Use different colored packing cubes. Last packing cube tip, I promise. Don't buy all your packing cubes in the same color. Having different colors It helps you build a quick mental reference for where things are and saves you mental energy searching for something or thinking of where stuff goes when you're re-epacking.
Leave space. Speaking of not fitting everything into your suitcase, make sure everything you pack fits into your bag WITH room to spare. You WILL magically acquire more stuff while you're traveling and you don't wanna be "guy who obviously bought too much stuff and is now shoving a Nordstrom bag into the overhead bin." Just anticipate this and pack accordingly. My mechanism for this is to use the small setting on my Tom Bihn bag when I’m going somewhere then unzipping it to the larger setting when I’m coming home.
Keep a stocked toiletry bag in your suitcase. Keep a toiletry bag with small refillable bottles of your toiletries *with* the rest of your packing cubes. And keep a checklist of what you need inside the bag. After your trip is over, use the checklist to refill everything before putting it away. Then just pack the bag as is. Done. *Rookie mistake: Don't try and use those travel-sized bottles you've undoubtedly collected from random places, you want the same stuff you use at home.
Fill up your toiletry bag at day spas. Bring your toiletry kit and all it’s little bottles if you go to a fancy day spa and refill with all their super expensive products while you’re there. Also- Sephora is required to give you a sample of anything you want, and even if you already have the product, it can be a good way to get free travel containers.
Buy a few key things locally. Depending on where you're going, sometimes local hair and skincare products are better because they are often designed to work with local water PH levels. Also, never bring sunscreen. Always buy it. It’s the one thing that you will need A ton of and you won’t want to bring back a half-empty bottle.
[Clothes] Be smart about your fabrics, but don't overdo it. For some reason, every travel blogger recommends things like smart-wool socks and convertible quick drying trail pants but you shouldn’t bring stuff you wouldn’t wear back home. One of the biggest rookie mistakes I see with tourists is suddenly dressing like they’re hiking the Appalachian trail when they’re just walking around a market in Thailand. You know who I’m talking about. They’re in Bangkok, a giant city with better public transit than San Francisco but they’re wearing hiking boots, a Northface fleece and carrying a backpack with a waterbottle held on by a carabiner. Real talk: Cashmere is the best kept travel fabric secret. It's warm, light, doesn't wrinkle and packs tight. One of my packing MVP pieces is a cashmere cardigan b/c it goes with everything and doesn’t make me feel like I’m compromising style. Uniqlo underwear is the other absolute BEST travel fabric. It’s THE most comfortable material in the universe and I swear it takes negative space. I also end up using them as swimsuit bottoms half the time.
Use the "Two Bag System." Backpacks are so over-engineered these days, with 100 pockets to "keep you organized." But there is a giant flaw- you can't get to them while you're wearing it. You need a second bag. But! Don’t be that guy with the whole front backpack thing. You know that guy, he's probably also wearing convertible quick-drying trail pants. Use a shoulder bag + backpack bag combo. Keep everything you need during transit in the shoulder bag and keep the backpack on your back or in the overhead compartment.
Pack yourself a "plane picnic." Airline food jokes aside, this is a varsity level move. Go buy yourself a disposable bento box (sorry for being wasteful here but I once lugged some fancy reusable Tupperwear across 2 countries before I gave up and threw it away). Fill it with a variety of cheeses, charcuterie, fruits, vegetables and sauces. Slip it into your secondary bag. And enjoy a dope ass meal on your flight while everyone else looks on with envy. We once even packed mini table clothes and disposable cheese knives on a long flight to Tahiti. It's one of those little things that make the commute just as joy-sparking as the trip itself.
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