How to Pack Your Suitcase for a Staycation
With a lot of help from Bags To Go.
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You'd think after travelling quite a lot over the last half decade that I'd be the most organised packer ever, but alas, I feel as though I have less time and less motivation to get my suitcases (and often a snowboard bag) in order for a trip. I'm pretty sure Brad and I have spent the last few hours before leaving for the airport rushing around shoving things in our cases almost every holiday we've been on together. Thank goodness I've picked up a few tips and tricks over the years to help a girl (and guy) out.
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PICK THE RIGHT LUGGAGE FOR YOU (AND YOUR HOLIDAY)
About two weeks into our two month Canadian trip a few years ago, my suitcase broke. You can just imagine me struggling to drag a suitcase, where the whole corner on one side (yep, with one of the wheels attached, or not attached) had been taped on again with my knee strapping (very inventive, I know), through knee deep snow from a bus port to our accommodation in Banff, not to mention the fact that we were both also carrying heavy snowboard bags. Yeah, not cool. Needless to say, I paid the price for not investing in a decent suitcase before our trip.
Whether you're going on a two month holiday or a two day stay-cation, it's super important to pick the right type of luggage. And while I would agree that we should all have a matching Louis Vuitton luggage set, let's be honest, it's not exactly practical, huh? And that's where Bags To Go comes in, which offers top notch luggage (actually, bags of all styles and sizes and colours) for ridiculously affordable prices for those of us with champagne taste on a beer budget.
The thing is, you don't want to choose a bag or suitcase too big or too small, but just right. You should fill up to 90% of the suitcase before departure, making sure to leave room for anything you might pick up along the way (unless you're going on a shopping trip, then definitely leave it at 20%, you know, just incase - heh-heh-heh). Generally speaking, the longer the holiday, the bigger the bag, so for our upcoming stay-cation, I picked out the very chic Antler Juno Small Suitcase from Bags To Go (currently 40% off - zomg!). Not only does it have very nifty compartments, but is also lightweight, because let's be honest, this girl does not pack light.
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DON'T OVERPACK OR UNDERPACK
When it comes to packing, it pays to be strategic. If I have time, I like to plan my outfits beforehand and hang them on my clothes rack or lay them out so I can visualise everything (and #flatlay). This way, I avoid having a pre-departure meltdown just incase I didn't pack that white button-down shirt that I needed to have and end up messing up my perfectly packed suitcase (more on the perfectly packing part later).
The best advice I can give you is if you're not sure if you'll wear it or use it, then don't pack it. Oh, and do yourself a favour, either write a list of things to pack or find a good one on the Internet to aid you in your quest to not forgetting a thing (chargers guys, chargers!).
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PACK YOUR ITEMS THE RIGHT WAY
1. Heavy items on the bottom. This simple trick will mean you avoid crushing anything light and delicate with your heels and cosmetics. When you adhere to this very important packing rule, remember to make sure you think about the suitcase laying down and when it is upright. I tend to pack my things in the following order from the bottom up: shoes, toiletries and clothes.
2. Roll your jumpers and jeans. Rolling these bulkier items will not only make more room for
3. Fold shirts layered with other items. Shirts are notorious for creasing like a brown paper bag, so when you do fold them, layer it with other thicker pieces like a chunky scarf or jumper. You'll be surprised by how well this technique works, but if you do have any wrinkles, make sure you hang them up in your bathroom when you arrive. The steam from your shower or, preferably, deep soaking bath will naturally soften them.
4. Use a garment bag. If all else fails, make use of a garment bag. There's nothing worse than checking into your hotel room and searching high and low for the ironing board, when all you want to do is dig into the complimentary cookies and order a cocktail, and you can avoid all of this if you don't crease the pieces in the first place. Bag To Go have some really great options, including a few that won't take up heaps of room (genius!).
5. Put smaller items in your shoes. By putting things like jewellery, chargers and other small items in your shoes, not only do you create more room for more important things like that pair of heels you need to take on your beach holiday, but also protect them from being crushed and broken.
6. Wrap up your toiletries. Guys, this one is serious. By spending a little bit of time before you leave wrapping up your toiletries in waterproof cases (or even plastic bags), you could save a lot of time later on, not to mention the entire contents of your suitcase. I mean, I can't be the only one to have lost a few t-shirts thanks to an unfortunate case of the exploding fake tan bottle, right? Either way, do it and do it now. This is not negotiable. One of the best things I ever invested in, apart from my new small suitcase from Bags To Go, is a decent toiletry bag with lots of different compartments. Trust me, you won't regret it.
What are your top packing tips for a stay-cation?
Thank you to Bags To Go for sponsoring this post (and inspiring me to actually organise a much needed stay-cation!).
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