Packing Essentials
The next time you are
packing for a trip, whether it is for an adventure-backpacking trip to the
jungles of Panama or for a weekend in New York, consider our list of “can’t
do without these” items:
-
Expandable clothesline and clothespins
These are handy after you have hand-washed your clothes in the river or
hotel sink.
-
Paperback book
A book will help pass the time on a long plane trip or a wait in a customs
line.
-
Small hotel-size shampoo bottle
Shampoo is actually a mild detergent, handy for washing your hair, of course,
but also for washing your clothes.
-
Travel alarm clock
Don’t depend on wake-up calls or a hotel clock to keep you from an important
meeting time.
-
Small flashlight
You never know when a flashlight will come in handy. Even five-star hotels
have been known to lose power at times. Invaluable for snake spotting at
night in the woods!
-
Zippered plastic bags
These are so handy for storing a number of things: snacks, dirty clothes,
wet clothes, small items that would get “lost” in your bag, like pens, tape,
and your expandable clothesline and clothespins!
-
Guidebook
There are many great guidebooks that range from guides for students on a
shoestring budget to guides on shopping for fine antiques in Italy. Take
advantage of available research to obtain general background knowledge of
your destination.
-
Backpack
Backpacks are versatile, easy to carry, and have enough style variations
to appeal to all ages and sexes. They hold a lot of your essential items!
-
Packing cubes
Packing cubes are zippered nylon bags that are great for organizing your
packed items. You can squeeze the air out of the packed cubes, conserving
space in your bag.
-
Bubble wrap and tape
Keep a few feet of small-sized bubble wrap in your bag for wrapping breakable
souvenirs you pick up along the way.
Avoiding Wrinkle Woes
It is discouraging to arrive at
your destination with a suitcase full of wrinkled clothing. You want to look
nice while traveling, but not if it means spending your vacation ironing.
Cleaning services away from home can be very costly. Here is an excellent
method of packing that will almost guarantee that your clothing arrives at
your destination in good condition.
Steps in Packing
a Suitcase
-
Decide what
items to take.
-
Lay them out
on a bed.
-
Arrange them
in piles (socks, underwear, toiletries, shirts, ties, slacks, skirts, etc.).
-
Remove half
of the items – you don’t need all that!
-
Put small items,
such as socks and underwear, in packing cubes (see p.26 of our Spring catalog).
-
Begin at the
bottom of the suitcase with a folded cleaner’s plastic bag.
-
Fold one of
the larger items carefully; place it in the suitcase, and then top with
another folded cleaner’s bag.
-
Continue layering
until the larger items are packed, ending with a plastic bag.
-
Tuck the smaller
items into the side edges of the suitcase.
-
Walk around
the block with the packed suitcase.
-
Is the suitcase
too heavy for you to carry fairly easily? If so, remove half of the items.
-
Unpack as soon
as you arrive, then shake out the clothes.
