Have you mastered the art of packing a suitcase? Don’t scoff. This is something that requires real talent.
If you’re the type that just chucks in and hopes for the best, you’re not alone. Most people leave packing until the last minute and then fling clothes from cupboards. The final touch is sitting on the case so it can close.
It’s no wonder, then, when you get to your destination and unpack, that you gaze in horror at the mess of creased and crumpled clothes “and stuff.” When it comes to sorting out the mess, you discover that you’ve left most of the things you really need at home.
So, how to pack properly and conservatively which cuts out the sitting-on-the-case thing?
The first to-do is getting the right suitcase. It may be time to chuck the thing you’ve been lugging around with you for decades and buy a new, streamlined case. You know the thing with wheels? Yes, that’s the one.
Hard bottom
The case that you get should have a hard bottom so you’re not tempted to chuck more than you should and have the case bulging like an overweight wrestler. The keywords are sleek, simple, and soft. You should be able to take the case on an airplane as take-on luggage. That’s the first step to great packing.
A weeklong trip should see you packing the following – socks and underwear for five days, three pairs of bottoms, one pair of shorts, a sweater, four tops, a hoodie, sneakers and shoes, a cap (or hat), and bathing trunks.
Lay the items out on a bed first and go through them, making sure that you need everything that’s there. When in doubt, cut it out. Make that your mantra. If you want to take something “just in case,” think about it carefully. Will it be unseasonably cold? Hot? Rainy? Snowing?
Check the 5-day forecast if you’re planning on going away a week. Okay, you have a sweater. Hot? There’s shorts. Rainy? You get always get an umbrella at your destination. Snowing? You have a hoodie and a sweater. So, there you go. You’re covered.
Business trips
If you’re going on a business trip, travel in sneakers, substitute the shorts, tops and bathing trunks for long-sleeved shirts and a jacket and three ties. Don’t think you have to wear a different jacket every day. The varied shirts and ties you have will do the trick. Pack in running shorts and top so you can exercise every day.
Women can swop the shirts and men’s’ jackets for glam tops and skirts. Take two lovely femme jackets in case it’s cold. Pack an extra pair of footwear and keep the sneakers. You don’t need more than two pairs! Keep a top and running shorts
You are going to need wrinkle-free clothes for business trips. This is the bane of the traveler’ life. What to do about wrinkles?
You should take wrinkle-free clothes. Think nylon, lycra, polyester. These fabrics are manufactured as wrinkle-free. These synthetic fabrics look and feel fabulous, a far cry from how they used to look and feel long ago.
You can also pack to cut down on wrinkles. Fold your clothes along the seams and get rid of any wrinkles using the flat of your hand. Then roll the clothes. When you reach your destination, you should be able to unroll the clothes and find them wrinkle-free. Don’t miss the step where you smooth the wrinkles out with your hand. If you don’t do this, you’re going to unroll to find wrinkled clothes.
Something else you can do that is simple is take a cordless steam iron with you. This is probably the best you can do to ensure totally wrinkle-free clothes. You hand the clothes on a hanger, plug the iron in until hot, take the cord out and steam your clothes. This works very well and is a sure-fire cure.
