Vacations are meant to let people rest and relax. But vacations bring their own concerns, like what to pack and how to pack. Do you really need four pairs of shoes? How many dress-up dinners will you have? What if it rains? Is it too much to pack a different swimsuit for every day of your beach vacation?
According to travel expert, executive producer and host Pamela Holt: Me, Myself and the World: The Art of Solo TravelPacking too many unimportant things is the biggest mistake people make when packing.
“I've traveled solo to over 90 countries and territories, and overpacking and forgetting essentials are my most common packing mistakes, and it seems to be a common issue for most people who pack for a trip,” Holt tells Yahoo Life.
Another common mistake she sees is not giving yourself enough time to pack. “Ideally, I start packing five to seven days before my trip,” Holt says. “This doesn't mean starting to pack your suitcase five to seven days in advance, but rather starting to think about what you're going to bring.”
Holt says starting packing early gives travelers plenty of time to plan their outfits, gather travel documents, do laundry and stock up on necessities like prescription medications that will last a few days without feeling rushed or stressed.
What else can you do to avoid stressing out over what to pack (besides paying hefty baggage fees to bring everything)? Here's how to simplify the process.
How to pack like a travel pro
“When it comes to packing for a trip, the No. 1 problem most people experience is feeling overwhelmed,” Janice Moskow of Gather and Go Travel tells Yahoo Life.
To alleviate the anxiety of what to bring, how much to pack, and which luggage is best, Moskow recommends starting by creating a packing list. This list can be general or customized for your specific destination. “I love having comprehensive, repeatable checklists when preparing for a trip because they keep you occupied and can be fully automated,” says Moskow.
When you're ready to start packing, Moskow offers these tips:
Make it heavy on top and light on the bottom. When packing, she suggests a ratio of three tops to one bottom, which will give you more versatility without taking up too much space.
Invest in compression packing cubes. As well as maximising your space, these cubes can also help you better organise your items – for example, you could use one cube for tops and another for bottoms, and they'll act like dresser drawers in your luggage.
Please roll up your clothes. If you use packing cubes, make sure to roll your clothes tightly rather than folding them as rolled clothes take up less space.
Use refillable, easy-to-clean travel bottles for your toiletries. Stock up on TSA-approved reusable bottles for your shampoo, conditioner, cleanser, and other personal care products. Using bottles can help save space and make packing easier.
What about the kids?
“Packing for kids takes time, energy, effort, and space,” says Moskow. To make packing feel less like a chore, she suggests:
Pack by outfit and roll up your clothes. The biggest time saver for parents is to pack a complete outfit for each day of the trip (bottoms, tops, underwear, socks, sweatshirt (if needed)) and then roll up the entire outfit into a single sushi roll. Not only will kids think this is clever and fun, but it also makes it easy to ask what to wear for each day of your vacation.
Bring extra of everything. Kids have accidents, get sick, get dirty, etc. If laundry isn't easily accessible or you want to avoid doing laundry while on vacation, bring extra pieces of the most essential basic clothing (like t-shirts and underwear).
Please bring a change of clothes and a set of pajamas in your carry-on luggage. If your family will be checking luggage, bring extra emergency clothes on board in case of accidents, illness, lost luggage, etc. Everyone will be grateful for having clean clothes.
Start getting your kids to help with packing when they are young. Make a packing list and have your kids check off items as they pack. Moskow suggests making packing more fun by posting the list on a formal clipboard and giving kids their own pen. “If you do this over a period of years, your kids will learn to pack on their own,” she says. “I promise you that the investment of time and energy is worth it. My kids have been able to pack on their own without my help since their early teens, and it's probably one of the best gifts I've ever given myself to get time back.”
