I'll admit it: I have packing issues. Most recently I forgot to pack enough boxers to last me through a trip to Maui. Yeah…pretty embarrassing stuff. Since that trip, however, I've become more disciplined in how I pack and I'm here to share with you some
essential tipsI've learned. Below are five simple travel hacks that will help even the laziest men pack like pros.
1. Invest In A Hanging Toiletry Bag
One of the easiest things you could do to save packing aggravation is purchasing a high-quality
DOPP bag for all of your toiletries. Buy all your bathroom essentials (e.g. deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste) at the store and place them in your toiletry bag well before leaving. This will save you a great deal of time and aggravation since you won't have to pack up toiletries you're using at home the morning you're leaving.
This tip will also help keep potentially messy items away from your clean clothes. Nothing's worse than opening your suitcase to discover your shaving cream splattered all over your nice collared shirts. Trust me, I speak from experience.
If you're looking for a product often voted the best toiletry bag by consumers, be sure to look at Vetelli's catalog. In addition to convenience, many customers consider Vetelli to make the best toiletry bag in terms of style. One reviewer even said that Vetelli DOPP bags are the kind of bags "
Indiana Jones" would've taken with him!
2. Place Suitcase By The Laundry Machine
Putting your suitcase by your
washing machine will help you pack clothes well ahead of your trip. Once you've finished a wash, simply place the dried clothes you want to bring with you in your suitcase. It's that simple!
While you pack, be sure to bring a few extra clothing items. Let's face it, we're all a bit less cautious while on vacation. You never know when you'll accidentally spill some wine on a shirt or (God forbid) rip your pants. Having a few extra pairs of clothes in your luggage is just good peace of mind.
By the way, many vacation experts recommend
rolling your clothes instead of folding them. Not only does
rolling your clothes give you more space in your suitcase, it also helps keep your clothes wrinkle-free and better organized.
If you don't feel like rolling your clothes, then you should at least roll your ties. Men who don't take the time to roll their ties will have to break out the ironing board once they reach their hotel room…and, let's be honest, who really wants to do that on vacation?
3. Tuck Socks Into Shoes
Putting rolled up socks in your shoes has many benefits, but the most noticeable one is that they will keep your shoes looking fresh even on the bumpiest of voyages. This is an especially important tip for anyone who's traveling with dress shoes.
During transit, classy leather shoes are the most likely to crease while scrunched in your luggage. Placing socks in these shoes is an easy and inexpensive way to keep your shoes in tip-top shape no matter how bumpy your trip is.
Of course, putting socks in your shoes also saves a fair amount of space in your luggage. So, even if you're only traveling with sneakers, this is still a good tip to follow.
While we're on the topic of footwear, consider breaking out the Crocs if you're traveling by plane. Yeah, these slip-on shoes aren't the classiest (and they certainly don't offer great arch support), but they will save you a great deal of aggravation when you're going through that TSA screening.
4. Purchase A Pre-Made First-Aid Kit
Bringing a
first-aid kit should be a no-brainer wherever you're traveling. These kits are especially important, however, for all you adrenaline junkies who love going to the remotest regions on earth. You never know when you're going to get cut while exploring natural parks, so be prepared ahead of time.
Even if you're traveling to a big city, it's wise to pack a good first-aid kit. Digestive issues like traveler's diarrhea from food poisoning are unfortunately very common. In this situation, you need to stay hydrated, and having a packet of electrolytes in your first-aid kit could literally save your life.
Thankfully, there are many first-aid kits on the market nowadays that are already pre-made. All you have to do is buy one of these kits and store it in your travel gear. Boom! You've just packed one of the most essential items without breaking a sweat.
5. Backup All Important Documents
We always think we’ll never be the unfortunate traveler who loses his/her passport while on vacation…and then it happens! Even if we’re super vigilant with our sensitive documents, it’s impossible to know when something might get stolen or lost in transit.
Luckily, nowadays there are many ways to create backups of all your sensitive information. Be sure to make all the copies you need ahead of time so you won’t have to stress about them before your trip.
Vacation experts recommend making at least two physical copies of your most important documents, which includes your driver’s license, airline tickets, credit cards, medical information (such as prescriptions and insurance), passport ID, and all pre-paid confirmations. Depending on where you’re going, you might also want to make copies of the following: visa, traveler’s insurance, cruise passes, and vaccination certificates.
To be extra careful, send some of these printed documents to trusted friends or family members who know about your trip. You should also email these documents to yourself to ensure you have an e-copy in the unlikely event you lose all of your printed copies.
If you want to be extra-extra careful, then you could upload these documents on a USB flash drive and take that with you on vacation. Of course, you could also store these documents in the cloud and/or on your mobile phone and laptop.
Hopefully this list of tips has got you thinking differently about the packing process. You'll easily save yourself a great deal of aggravation if you incorporate these easy hacks into your life. Even if you think you're the worst packer on earth, give these suggestions a try. You'll be amazed how much more relaxed you feel with well-organized luggage. Instead of running to the local supermarket for "misplaced" items, you will actually enjoy your precious vacation time by putting these suggestions into place.
