Pack it in for the Holidays

Do the phrases “holiday travel” and “pack light” ever go together? “Holiday travel” and “pack smart” might be a better combination, especially if you follow these tips as you pack your bags:

 

Roll your clothes. Many frequent travelers swear by rolling their clothes instead of folding. Rolling can save space and result in fewer wrinkles, and it works especially well with casual items like t-shirts and jeans: simply fold them in half and roll from the bottom up. Use the rolled items to fill in the spaces around any folded items, which will help keep everything from shifting during travel.

 

Invest in a comfortable and versatile pair of shoes. Shoes are some of the bulkiest, most space-hogging items you can pack. Wear your versatile pair and bring one other.

 

Pack only as much as your bag can comfortably hold. Overstuffing a bag isn’t good for the items inside, which tend to come out very wrinkled, or for the bag – zippers and other fasteners have been known to break under that kind of stress. To extend the life of your bag and your clothes, don’t overstuff.

 

Send bulky items ahead of you. Dressy shoes, hiking boots, ski clothes, sun hats and other items you won’t need until you get to your destination can be shipped ahead of you. The cost of shipping may be considerably less than the cost of checking extra bags (often $25 per bag or more, each way) or paying overweight charges.

 

Holiday gifts can be shipped ahead of you, too. Or, you could choose an ideal and extremely practical gift, such as travel gift certificates for all of your loved ones – your travel professional will be happy to assist you!

 

Don’t pack a hair dryer or clothes iron. Most hotels have them in every room or available to borrow from the front desk. Keep the toiletries you pack to a minimum as well: you probably don’t really need three moisturizers or four colors of nail polish.

 

Be strict with yourself about the quantity of clothing you pack. You can wear the same sweater with different shirts, the same shirt with two different scarves, the same dark-wash jeans with all your shirts. If things get spilled or splashed on you, there are likely to be laundry facilities where you’re going.

For more ideas about packing smart for the holidays, talk with your travel professional.