Travel Insights On Packing & Products
- donnaramadishes
- Oct 4
- 9 min read
Packing is one of the last things we need to do before we finally get to travel; and for many, it is both a daunting and exciting task. Daunting because there are a lot of decisions and compromises to be made and exciting because you're really close to leaving! As someone who is a big believer in packing light, I am often asked how I am able to pack in a carry-on sized suitcase for more than a week, and it all comes down to planning, having the right gear, deciding which items give you the most bang for your packing buck, and how to get it all to fit in the bag. I have laid out my best practices for pre-packing, what to pack, how to pack, as well as my (mostly new) favorite travel items which make the process so much easier. Feel free to skip to the favorite travel items section if you are confident in your packing abilities.
Getting Started
Here are a couple of things I recommend which I think makes packing a less daunting and which (should!) be done well-before departure day.
Make a list of things not to forget, broken down by broad categories: TSA-liquids, other toiletries, jewelry, passports, chargers/adapters, PJs, undies, sweaters, fancy shoes (or flip flops), shirts, sweaters, accessories, and the like. If you are going on a special-type of trip (safari, wedding, jungle, etc), there are certainly items you will need beyond your normal clothes; add these to the list. If you want, you can break these items out by which bag they will go in -- suitcase or personal item...
This can be a generic travel list, but augment it with special items if appropriate.
Decide if you are planning to travel with only carry-on luggage, or whether you will check a bag -- and then take out the bag(s). Make sure your luggage is in usable condition -- if it isn't you still have time to find a replacement.
If flying, you'll want to check with the airline luggage requirements for size (and/or weight), especially if you are planning to travel only with carry-on luggage.
Throw some extra plastic bags into the suitcase if you don't already have some in there. They take up virtually no space or weight and you'd be surprised how often they come in handy.
Make sure you have luggage tags attached to each suitcase you'll bring. They can break off easily, so don't assume they're still there from your last trip.
Many people find it helpful (and some tour operators require you) to attach a catchy-looking ribbon to your bag. Many suitcases look the same these days, so knowing that you're looking for a magenta ribbon on a handle can make it easy to spot yours if you've checked a bag.
Determine a packing staging area and as you think about items you may want to bring (and won't need to wear before you leave), add them to piles in this area. Don't worry about culling the piles yet, just start growing the piles as you get excited thinking about the trip!
What to Pack
You've heard me say it a million times about everything, but planning what to bring when you travel is key if you are trying to pack light.
Make sure every item you pack has a specific function. Unless you have extra space in your bag, do not bring anything which falls into the "just in case" category.
I adhere to the capsule wardrobe philosophy when packing -- lots of mixing & matching. Plan to wear every article of clothing you pack multiple times -- except underwear and socks, of course (unless you do laundry while on vacation). Obviously, Mother Nature sometimes steps in and makes certain items moot, but you need to be prepared.
If you want to master light packing, ensure each piece works with at least two or three outfits.
Avoid duplication. If you are going to bring three short-sleeved white shirts, they better serve three different functions. (And, trust me, I know they often do!)
Limit your footwear.
This is very difficult, I know, but shoes take up A LOT of space, so if you can get by packing only 2 (maybe 3!) pairs of footwear, you'll greatly increase your odds of keeping everything in a carry-on-sized bag.
Toiletries are often problematic, especially if you are hoping to only carry-on your luggage. To alleviate stress, I keep a travel-ready set of toiletries/ sundries I don't leave home without, divided into 2 sets: one for my liquids (in a TSA-approved ziplock quart bag) and one for all my other toiletry/ beauty stuff.
While this method obviously works well if you travel by plane, I also use these bags even when I'm going to be away from home just for a night or weekend. I consider them my travel-ready essentials, and they always come with me.
Yes, this means I have a second set of my essential personal items and toiletries (in travel sizes), which include a toothbrush, moisturizer, deodorant, hair products, basic make-up, and the like.
Check out my favorite way to bring just a small amount of a liquid, here!
In case this isn't obvious, put anything leakable in a plastic bag -- which you'd need to if you fly only with a carry-on and need to go through security anyway.
Remember, if you are traveling to a place where you might purchase some liquids to bring home in your suitcase, make sure you have a couple of extra plastic bags in your suitcase to keep any leaks contained (think: olive oil, wine, perfume, etc.)
Be sure to wrap anything fragile in soft items (clothing/ scarves).
Items from your laundry pile work great on your way home.
So Let's Get Packing!
Here are a couple of my personal strategies for packing. They allow me to see everything I plan to bring and also allow me to pack in an organized manner (which can come in handy should you be living out of your suitcase during your trip. Having the right packing gear is as important, if not more important, than having a good packing methodology, though. Here are my recommendations for a great suitcase, personal item (I like an expandable knapsack), and compression items.
Pack a few days in advance.
Packing in advance gives you time to run out should you need to pick up anything.
If you have followed the guidelines above, you already have your bag(s) and piles of some desired items out. Now is the time to determine what you still need, and then see if everything fits in your suitcase. (Use the list!)
Remember, you have a personal bag as well as your primary suitcase, so if it's close, you may be able to fit the overage in your personal item.
If the items just won't fit, now is when you need to do the painful task of paring things down, which requires you to figure out which pieces go with which, specifically, and which outfits can be worn more than once.
Keep out your bulkiest clothing and shoes to wear on the plane; this frees up a lot of space in your bag.
Roll most of your clothing before packing it.
Rolling your clothes apparently saves between 15-20%, and makes sense for some items, while folding works better for others.
There are a bunch of videos on how best to roll clothing for packing if you're not sure how it works.
Roll these items: | Fold these items: |
T-shirts, casual tops, casual pants | Dress shirts & blouses |
Underwear & socks | Trousers |
PJs & loungewear | Structured jackets |
Workout clothes | Heavy sweaters/ sweatshirts |
Casual dresses | Items with delicate details |
Lightweight sweaters | Anything you want wrinkle-free |
Utilize compression bags (and/or packing cubes) as much as possible.
Not only do compression bags give you more room in your bag, they also act as organizers if you pack like-items together.
Follow the roll vs fold guidelines above even in your compression bags and packing cubes.
Stuff your shoes.
Whether you use a tie or belt or hosiery, or charging cords, or whatever, stuffing your shoes helps them keep their shape (and utilizes the space they would take up anyway).
Make the most of your personal item. It should hold items you want with you all the time, plus any items which don't fit in your other bag. I typically use a knapsack as my personal item as it keeps my hands free and my items well-organized. Inside my knapsack, I keep two categories of items:
Whatever pocketbook/ day bag I plan to use daily on the trip, which has all the items I want literally at-hand, like: gum, phone/ ear phones, phone charger, reading material, money, medicine, passport, tickets, and jewelry (my bag has a secret pocket where I stash my money and jewelry). These items will undoubtedly be different for you, but you get the idea.
As soon as I get to my seat, I pull this bag out of an easy-to-access pocket in my knapsack and sit down with it.
All other items I want with me on the plane, but don't need with me at the seat stay in the knapsack which gets put above my seat or in front of my feet.
These items include things like guide books, change of clothes, toiletries & TSA-approved baggie with liquids, and any items which didn't fit into my suitcase.
Just before you leave your home/ once you are fully-packed:
Weigh your bag if you'll be flying. If you do not already own a travel scale (like this one), you can always just use the bathroom variety; but know you will also want to weigh your bag before heading home so having one that can travel with you isn't a bad idea...
Double-check your "what not to forget" list!
RECOMMENDED TRAVEL PRODUCTS
Some of these are new; others you have seen in The Store already.
Having the right suitcase is essential in your journey toward efficient packing.
My current thinking is that a hard-sided bag, preferably with built-in compression panels, which fits the airline requirements and expands, is the way to go. If I need to expand my bag on the way home (which is pretty typical), I simply check my bag, knowing that the airline will deliver it to my home should it get delayed or lost.
My current brand recommendation is Away. They have two carry-on sizes and each have an expandable version. I really appreciate that they are up-front about which airlines allow which sized bag for carry-on so you know what to expect. All their bags come in many colors, are lightweight, and have a compression panel to help you fit more into the bag. Monos and TravelPro are also top choices.
My new absolute favorite products for the liquids you just need a teeny bit of are these tiny pouches. I am not a huge fan of the little tubs as I like to be able to squeeze out the goop rather than stick my finger into the goop to take out what I need, and every other small container takes up WAY too much space in that quart-sized ziplock bag needed for TSA. These have a screw-on top (for filling) and a flip-up cap for dispensing. And, importantly, they do not leak and you do not lose any precious space in your TSA-sized baggie! Are they expensive? Oh, yeah. But I'd guess they'll last forever, and their utility is (in my opinion) unmatched.
I have a new favorite travel backpack which I have used several times already -- both as my personal item on a flight as well as my luggage for a week-long road trip. It is the Blast Extended Backpack from Bagsmart and I think it's amazing. It comes in a non-expandable version, but the expandable one is extraordinary. It has a sleeve so it can slide down the handle of your rolly bag and has a bottom section you can use for shoes, dirty laundry, or anything else you don't want to intermingle with the rest of your stuff.
I'm going to reiterate my love of compression packing cubes, a couple of options of which are already available in The Store, here. They not only enable you to pack more stuff in less space, but they also help keep your things organized, which came in VERY handy when a recent hotel had zero drawers or shelves -- I was able to find my shirts (in one bag) and pants (in another), and get to socks and undies easily. There is a new compression option for packing these days, and while I love the idea of a vacuum-sealed bag which fits in a carry-on, I can't recommend the one I bought (Aerless) due to terrible customer service. I will let you know if/ when I find a Donnarama Dishes recommendation-worthy option in this new and wonderful space for efficient packing.
Lastly, doing your best to keep track of lost or stolen bags is something I have already mentioned, when I added Air Tags to The Store. However, there's a new player in this space which I haven't tried, but will be gifting come the holidays. It's called the Spot Minder, and it works similarly to the Air Tags, EXCEPT: it is about the size of a credit card so isn't as bulky or obvious, AND it is rechargeable. Check it out here.
Well, that's a lot of information! Hope you found at least something here helpful and that your next packing foray will be less daunting but equally exciting!
Bon voyage, fellow travelers!
Comments