11.07.13 Travel Tip, Wander

Travel Tip – Pre-Pack Your Suitcase

pack-under-five-minutes

I often brag about tout my ability to pack a suitcase under 5 minutes.

Don’t lie – you would do the same.  Any rational person would.

Today, I’m sharing one of the secrets that enable this seemingly impossible feat.  The one major tip - pre-pack your suitcase.

I’m not talking clothes.  But keeping certain items in your suitcase, ready to go, can shave your packing time in half.  

Here are the items that live in my suitcase, all the time:

  • Toiletry case.  I’m going to delve into this in a future post, but I always keep my toiletry case pre-packed at all times.  I keep liquids packed in this bag, and will pack it in the suitcase or my tote depending on the airport’s PreCheck availability.  The rest of my items live in my train case by Stephanie Johnson.  I also keep two pairs of clean underwear in my toiletry case, based on my propensity of forgetting to pack my unmentionables.  And a hairbrush.
  • Shoes.  I keep my travel sneakers and a pair of classic black pumps pre-packed in my shoe bag at all times.   Brava to Hudson & Bleecker for designing a bag that can fit 3 pairs of shoes.  4, if two pairs are flats.  Woot.
  • Gadgets.  Two electronics that live in my suitcase are my hair straightener and clothing steamer.  I honestly won’t leave home without these items (and will forget crucial items like underwear and belts instead).  I opted for international voltage models for both, but do what you got to do.  And, of course, pick the gizmos you need the most.
  • Spacepak.  I don’t pack ANY bag without my Spacepak.  Honestly.  Not only does it make packing a breeze, it makes unpacking an easy experience (laundry and clean clothes sections FTW).
  • First Aid Kit.  Mine lives in the mesh divider in my suitcase, but is always there.  I opted for several Help! items, Mucinex, and Neosporin.   I recommend you keep yours stashed in a pocked in your suitcase, or encased in a pouch from this Baggu set.

All that’s left for me to pack are my clothing & cosmetics.  Hence the whole under 5 minutes skill.  And now, you can too.  (And if you have trouble packing your clothing, my Pack Perfect Clothing Calculator comes to the rescue – sign up for my newsletter and you’ll snag it for free!)

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