Several of my friends have questioned me on my method of packing for trips. Be they short or long trips, I put off the bulk of packing to the last minute (sometimes literally). My motto could be: why do today what could be put off until tomorrow.
I have found that the more I travel, the more...efficient...my packing has become. What used to take me a couple hours, now, on average, takes less 30 minutes. No joke.
For those readers who do not know me extremely well, allow me to shed some light into my brain. As long as I can remember, I have LOVED making outlines. Long, short, three points, scores of points, sentence, one-word, etc...the more complex, the more I relished the process. Came in very handy in my English classes!
So, Tip One: make an outline.
It doesn't have to be super creative. In fact, it can be as simple as:
1. Clothes-jeans, t-shirts, pajamas, church
2. Shoes-brown, black
3. Bathroom-make-up, hair-stuff, towels
4. Other-pillow, blanket, book, iPod, chargers
That took all of 1 minute to make. Mine are a little more extravagant (using Roman numerals, details regarding specific items, and quantities), but you get the gist. I normally make it sometime the week before I leave. This gives me time to think it over, add or detract from the list, and consider where everything is located. Now, I carry my iPhone which doubles as notebook and can adjust my outlines whenever I want. Ideally, you should utilize spare minutes (Biblical principles at work: "redeeming the time.")
The outlines serve a dual purpose on my longer trips. I have a tendency of misplacing things and also forgetting what I have brought. At the end of my trip, when I am rushing around trying to discover if I've left anything important, I am able to pull out my outline and double-check items. (I tend not to do this on shorter trips, which results in an increased likelihood of items getting left behind.)
Tip Two: NEVER forget these items
1. Toothbrush (I keep an extra in my make-up bag just in case I forget)
2. Hairbrush (usually obvious, but still an item that ends up getting left)
3. Wallet---with ID (especially if you're traveling by plane, have your ID handy)
4. Underwear (pack extra)
5. Pillow (if you're picky about your pillow, just take yours. I am, and almost never travel without it)
I'm sure you can think of more. Make sure they get on your list.
Tip Three: watch for items that get over-packed.
(this is for the benefit of a couple of my siblings...)
1. Shoes (you really don't have to have a pair per outfit! just make sure you have a church pair if you're visiting church)
2. Shirts (clothes in general is a murky area...girls tend to overpack because we can't decide what outfit we think we're going to want...whatever you do, don't pack your entire wardrobe)
3. Towels (most places you visit will have these available. so check it out beforehand to save space)
Here again, I'm sure there are more. Find your weakness and then work on it!
Tip Four: pack things in the same place every time
For those of you who, like me, travel a little more often, every time you pack your bags, put items in the same place. Example: all my shoes go in pockets, all my shirts go in the same pile and are stacked in the same corner, my curlers/hairdryer/hairbrush go at the bottom of the suitcase...you get the idea. This will help you in making sure you have the basics.
I'm a procrastinator. And I have adapted my packing habits to suit my procrastination. Perhaps you are one of those odd people who packs a week in advance, then unpacks, repacks, double-checks, adds to, etc...I used to wish I was like that. Tried it once. My room looked like it had upchucked...and I drove myself (and Charity) crazy...for a week.
Then I realized that I am me. No one else. And the outlining works wonders for me. Give it a try! Perhaps, even if you are an unhinged-I mean, organized and proactive-person who packs over a week in advance, you will find that having at least a general list will cut back on packing time.
Don't get stressed. Packing can be fun, if you let it be. So...hurry up and get packing! Traveling is worth it!
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| Charles, trying to stow away to Boston |
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