It's summer boys and girls! Which means hanging out with friends, swimming at the beach, summer romance novels and trips to the mall. Or, maybe, you're taking summer classes, and working a full-time job with no time for anything, let alone a social life.
However, one thing almost everyone has in common during the summer months are these two words: Family. Vacation.
This summer my family and I are traveling to Hawaii, and if you know me and my family then you'll know this is a big trip for us. There are my mom and dad, my three older brothers, my sister-in-law, my nephew and me going on this trip. Vacations are expensive enough already, now factor in the added price of eight people in total and you'll see why we don't really get to do these kinds of trips.
With that being said, I'm getting ready to pack for this big trip and I am an over-packer. Having to condense everything down into a carry-on sized suitcase and a personal item is hard, I get it!
But, I have some tips and tricks for you to put to use so you can have a stress-free packing sesh and not have to worry about if everything is going to fit!
It will, I promise.
From long-haul vacations to road trips, these are my favorite five packing tips that can be used for it all.
1. Pack your most versatile clothing
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/128493395602161215/
Things like jeans or jean shorts, basic tees, a skirt that matches with more than one of the shirts you're packing. You'd be amazed at how many outfits you can make out of only a few items. Four shirts, two pairs of pants and a skirt can like 14 different outfits! This would definitely save room in the suitcase. I promise you don't need 13 different outfit choices for that fancy family dinner reservation you have.
2. Take pictures...
...of your outfit choices, I mean. Of course, you're going to take a lot of family pictures on your vacation, but your camera roll can do more than house your bomb-ass selfies. Hold a little fashion show in your room before you start packing, maybe even invite a few friends to come over and help you out! What this does is prevent you from forgetting all of the cute outfit combinations you were able to create with the versatile clothes you packed. It's like a personalized catalog of you! All of your outfits are planned out for each day of your vacation, and you don't have to wake up in the morning deciding what to wear because you already know. Less time stressing, more time relaxing!
3. Roll your clothes, don't fold them
https://www.frommers.com/slideshows/848054-clever-...
What this does, it optimizes the amount of space your suitcase has. It prevent unnecessary extra space from taking up. Additionally, if you roll them properly, it should minimize the amount of wrinkles your clothes end up with. Things like jeans and jackets can be a bit more difficult to roll however, so I suggest laying them flat across the bottom of your suitcase and folding them up over the rest of your clothes at the end when your done packing.
4. You get three pairs of shoes (counting the pair you wear on the plane)
Sorry shoe-a-holics, but you only get three pairs, max! Wear your bulkiest shoes, like tennis shoes or combat boots, on the plane. In order to avoid over-packing, serious decisions need to be made! Less is more here, folks! If you're going somewhere beach-like, only bring a pair of sandals that can be dressed up or down (remember Tip #1). Pack your shoes in a dust-bag, so that you can prevent your clothes from getting dirty by them on your trip.
Finally, last but not least...
5. Packing cubes
https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/552324341778966314/
Packing cubes are said to be life-savers and the best way to organize your suitcase. Pants in one, shirts in another, toiletries, beauty products, everything has its place and it's so quick and easy to find everything. They keep items compressed and save space. Like a ridiculous amount of space. So much that it's kind of freaky. And the best part is, you don't even need to buy them. Zip-Lock baggies work just as well. It's amazing how much space can be saved by getting rid of the extra air that is in between the items of clothes you packed. Simply placing them in a baggie, and compressing the air out can save you an inch of space in the end.
Trust me, an inch is quite a bit of space when it comes to traveling.
But I digress, this might sound weird but packing is something that takes practice. In order to be efficient at minimalist packing, it might take a few tries. Maybe you aren't ready to sacrifice that extra pair of shoes, but that's OK! If you keep these tips in mind, you'll become a pro-packer in no time at all!
Bonus tip: There are so many different jewelry hacks, but my favorite is to place jewelry in saran wrap to prevent it from getting all tangled up in your suitcase.