Traveling is beautiful, packing less so. Often you don't know where to start and you feel the need to bring as many things as possible because maybe "you might need them".
So, you start filling your suitcase with clothes and items of all kinds that you probably won't use but that take up space and make the suitcase heavy.
No, nothing could be more wrong.
Your goal is to pack smartly, optimizing the contents.
Bring what you will actually need and also something that "might" be useful, but choose everything with a certain criteria and use all the spaces available inside the luggage.
To pack the perfect suitcase, you actually just need good initial planning and to be a bit organized.
Plan your suitcase contents with a list
Planning means having a method through which to focus and identify what you will need. To plan the perfect suitcase, just make a simple list; a detailed inventory of everything you think you want to put inside.
The list serves the dual purpose of both making you realize what things you really need and which you would have included unnecessarily, and of acting as a reminder of everything you will bring, so you can consult it in case of doubt without having to completely unpack and repack the suitcase.
How to choose the clothing to put in your suitcase
Start by thinking about the outerwear in relation to the time of year and your destination, whether it's the sea, mountains, or a new city to explore.
If you're going to cold areas, opt for a heavier jacket than usual, while in warm areas (even in summer at the sea) it is always advisable to bring a light jacket (or a thread sweater).
Consider the number of days you will be away and calculate the clothes you need starting from the number of pants (and/or skirts) and matching the tops choosing them strategically, with colors that can be paired with different pants to have more combinations at your disposal.
Lay everything out on the bed and gradually add the accessories (belts, bags, jewelry, and shoes) you need for those outfits. Then gather all the jewelry and store them in a pouch.
Once you've broadly established the clothing and accessories to bring on the trip, it's time to take care of the underwear and pajamas.
How to prepare the toiletries to put in the suitcase
Avoid buying disposable mini soaps; you pay more and don't help the environment but instead waste and pollute.
Instead, equip yourself with transparent plastic bottles that you can also use for all your next trips and fill them with the soaps you already have at home (shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, intimate wash, facial cleanser, toner, body cream, etc...).
If you're not sure about the tightness of the bottles' closures, apply some tape on the closure and place the bottle in a plastic bag (like those used for freezing food) to prevent any possible soap leakage from damaging the contents of the suitcase.
Place the bottles in small groups in bags or pouches so you can use them to fill any spaces in the suitcase. If you need to travel by air with only hand luggage, then the bottles must be placed in a resealable transparent plastic bag for standard airport security checks.
Opt for microfiber bath towels and cloths which are thinner, dry well, and dry quicker.
All makeup accessories such as pencils, eyeliners, brushes, eyeshadows, and everything related to hair like a comb or compact brush can also be stored in one or more pouches, trying not to make them too thick.
Lastly, don't forget the toothbrush and toothpaste!
What you need to remember to put in your suitcase
Today, it's essential to think about all the various cables for charging our electronic devices.
The most convenient thing when traveling to charge multiple devices simultaneously overnight is to have a multi-port USB wall charger to which you can attach the various cables for all your devices.
As for medicines, bring only the blisters and not the boxes to save space and, besides your usual medicines, it's always good to have some aspirin and paracetamol.
If you're a person who loves reading, avoid bringing paper books that increase the weight of your suitcase, opt instead for reading from your phone or tablet, devices that you already carry with you.
If you have a weight limit dictated by the airlines then it is wise to weigh the suitcase using a portable scale keeping a couple of kilos below the limit. Portable scales, although efficient, are not always very precise and can differ from those at the airport. By keeping a bit below the weight limits, you ensure you won't have problems and have to pay extra charges.
List of things to put in the suitcase that are most often forgotten
It often happens that you forget to pack a series of items (including some truly essential ones) such as:
- toothbrush and toothpaste;
- deodorant;
- sunscreen;
- sleep mask if you are sensitive to light;
- map or guide of your destination;
- baseball cap;
- scarf or floulard (in case of wind);
- extra foldable backpack or bag that might come in handy suddenly;
- some empty plastic bags for dirty laundry.
The perfect suitcase: the layered packing method
The most convenient type of suitcase for any kind of trip is a spacious and lightweight trolley. Equipped with wheels for easy dragging, this type of luggage allows you not to carry weights throughout the trip, making it more comfortable and less tiring.
Use the outer pocket of the trolley for any maps and guides of your destination, while travel documents like boarding passes and various tickets are better kept with you in a pocket or in a bag.
To start filling the suitcase, place on the bed everything you intend to bring, divided by type: all the pants together, t-shirts, shoes (stored one at a time in shoe bags or simple plastic supermarket bags), pouches, and so forth.
The secret to packing a perfect suitcase is to arrange everything in layers, ensuring to maintain the same height inside the suitcase by filling all gaps and utilizing all available spaces.
The trolley, when opened, usually has 2 compartments: the main one, which is the deepest and is crossed by the handle, and the top one, which externally corresponds to the front of the suitcase.
In the main compartment, there are 3 spaces divided by the internal housing of the handle.
Start to fill those spaces with laid-out socks (not rolled) and underwear, neatly wrapped in plastic bags for hygienic reasons. Continue filling until you reach the same height as the handle housing.
Then proceed by placing heavier items because when we drag the trolley, we tilt it and the weight tends to be heavier at the bottom of the luggage.
Then, place the jeans and pants (folded in half to cover the entire length of the suitcase) one after the other, first on one side and then on the other of the main compartment.
Before moving on to shirts and/or blouses and everything else, place shoes at the sides of the suitcase trying to position the heels in the corners. If you want, you can fill the inside of the shoes with other small items to utilize this extra space and prevent deforming the footwear.
For high-heeled shoes, place them with the front part towards the side of the suitcase so that the heel is parallel to the other side, thus preventing them from breaking. The remaining empty space in the middle of the luggage can be filled with the pouches for toiletries, makeup, or other items.
When it comes to shirts and blouses, the really important thing that makes a difference is not to fold the shirts as when you store them in the home wardrobe, but to arrange them in the suitcase with the least number of folds possible.
Lay the shirt across the entire length and width of the suitcase, folding only the sleeves towards the center. If the length of the garment does not allow it to be completely laid out, then fold only the excess part.
Shirts should be stored fully buttoned and with the collar raised, folding as little as possible to avoid marks.
Continue filling the suitcase trying to maintain a uniform layer of clothing always at the same height. Place lighter and more delicate items on top last, so they won't be too pressed by other clothes.
When you slightly exceed the edge of the main compartment use the internal straps of the suitcase to compress the contents; spaces will be created at the straps where you can place items like the multi USB plug and cables on the side.
Bras and swimsuits can be placed in the 4 corners of the suitcase with the cup following the curve of the corner and inside you can place the heel of the shoes that are hygienically isolated since they are covered by the bags.
At this point, you can start to fill the other compartment, inserting other delicate items, things that did not fit in the main compartment or possibly towels and bath towels, also for hygiene inserted in clean transparent bags.
The perfect suitcase: the bundle packing method
The bundle packing method is a technique in which essentially the clothes are all folded together to form a single block. This method is used to prevent clothes from wrinkling during transport.
To start, take a small rectangular bag to store underwear, swimsuits, socks, etc., and set it aside. This bag will be the pivot around which all your clothes will be folded.
Divide all the clothes by category and lay them on the bed.
Begin to overlap the clothes on the bed in a precise order that sees first the jackets (meticulously buttoned with the front part laid on the bed), then proceed with dresses, pants, and then shirts.
The overlapping must occur in a mirror way, that is, the top part of the first garment must match halfway with the bottom part of the subsequent garment.
When you have stacked all the clothes in a mirror manner, then place the bag in the center of the pile and start folding the garments individually around it. At this point, you can place the block in the center of the suitcase and fill the empty spaces around it with shoes and other accessories.
Now you are ready to