Packing Hacks

Today it’s all about hacking the packs with the packing hacks. If you are traveling soon, take note!

Do you have a suitcase you love? I can truly appreciate a good suitcase since I have had my fair share of ugly bad ones. When our group of college best friends took a trip to New York, I was ridiculed and almost left at the airport for causing such embarrassment with my gross old man suitcase. How I never quite realized it was hideous and how I never decided to invest in one that looked like it wasn’t owned by someone that lived through the Great Depression is beyond me.

The following video shows an older man getting what looks to be his suitcase (that would match his personal style) off of the conveyor belt. Wrong. He is helping me with MY suitcase and if nothing else, it caused our first round of hysterical laughter. Jeni was especially amused. What are best friends for?! ha!

So now lets take a look at my adorable and stylish new suitcase!

My suitcase and Jeni’s are the first two in the lineup below. The others are super cute and great prices if you need an update like I did. If you aren’t sure if you need an update, text a photo of your current suitcase situation to your best friend. She will let you know, trust me!

You have probably heard people rave about packing cubes, or maybe you have used them for years. Jeni and I are just finally getting in on this packing space saver and we are so excited to travel more organized. Packing cubes are little bags that are used to compartmentalize your clothing or other items. When they are full, they take on a rectangular shape and are very efficient and save space. They can also help keep your clothes wrinkle-free, make packing and unpacking much easier and faster and help keep your stuff protected in your suitcase. I am fully sold and these are the most inexpensive way to completely revolutionize your packing technique.

Bring a separate bag for dirty laundry. I have one that zips up into a very tiny pouch. When you are ready to start your dirty laundry bag, it unzips and expands. Throw a few zip locks in your bag too. They can be used to keep wet clothes in them, dirty shoes, or anything that is leaking. If you have any old cotton purse bags, those make excellent shoe bags too. If you forget about a shoe bag all together, just grab the shower cap at the hotel and put any dirty shoes in that.

If you possibly can, leave a little space in your bag for things you buy while on vacation.

This may seem obvious, but plan your outfits. I am so bad about knowing generally what I want to wear, throwing it all in there and then getting to the hotel and realizing I didn’t bring the jewelry I wanted or the right kind of bra. Before I leave on my next vacation, I am going to take the time to lay every single outfit out and verify that I have all of it before I start packing stuff in.

Oh technology, how we love you so! With technology, comes lots of cords. Pack your chargers and electronic accessories in this little water resistant case. How nice it would be to have that junk in one easy to get to spot. And for under $10, it’s a yes for me.

Keep in mind as you pack that the heaviest items need to be near the wheels to avoid things getting squished and moving around a bunch.

I almost never get to a hotel that has enough hangers for me and Zach. I just got these and am so ready to put them to use and hopefully have less wrinkly sloppy looking outfits from being in a drawer. These are compact and fold all the way out to normal size hangers or half way out for child size.

If my clothes are wrinkled, which surely some of them will be. I bring this little amigo.

You may have seen this on Pinterest, but putting your necklaces through straws is genius. Ain’t nobody got time for a wad of necklace tangle. For other jewelry we love these…

Pack your socks inside of your shoes to save even more space.

Roll clothing instead of folding to take up less room.

Put lotions, makeup, pills or something you only need a small amount of in these little tubs. You won’t have to pack the whole container and you can open them with one hand, just squeeze the sides to release the lid. Pretty cool!

For the airport, or for my camera when I’m out and around and don’t want my huge gear bag, or for daily use on vacation, we are IN LOVE with these back packs. Jeni has the tie dye one and mine is apparently nowhere to be found on the internet so I must have a one of a kind worth billions. These aren’t cheap, but they are worth it. Marked down from $228 to $171 right now, the zipper has a security feature for weasly pick pockets, they are leather and have great interior organization.

If I can’t have an organized thought process, at least I can have an organized suitcase.