Travel Tip 1: Packing Checklist

As someone who travels frequently, whether it be to visit family, present at a conference, or traveling abroad, I have come to learn the importance of making a checklist when packing. I'm not always the best at remembering to pack little things, like a hairbrush, or flip flops, etc. I have found I will always have everything I need if I make a checklist before I pack and mark items off as I put them in the suitcase. I started doing this when I was living in Florence and traveling on Ryan Air a lot, and this method has served me well. Here are a few things I consider when making my list: 1) What situations will you be facing? - When I go to a conference, I often think about how formal the event is, will there be a dinner afterwards, or will people want to explore nightlife. If I am going home to visit my parents, I think about if I will be going to the beach, or will I go out with friends. With foreign travel, I often consider if I will be visiting churches and need to have my shoulders and knees covered, or if the culture is more casual or elegant. When I think about all the different situations I could be facing, I pack accordingly. Yes, you may be tempted to pack that pair of wedges you just bought that you have been dying to wear, but will you really enter a situation where they will be necessary? Stick to packing for events that you know you will be facing. 2) What will the weather be like? - I check the weather channel and the weather app on my phone for the week leading up to a trip to make sure I know what the weather will be like. I also check online resources that give reports about the average temperature and climate pattern of the cities I will be visiting. When I am familiar with what the weather will be like, I am less likely to pack items "just in case" that can take up a lot of extra room in the suitcase. 3) What can you count on being provided? - When I travel for my research I usually know that the hotels I will be staying in will have shampoo, conditioner, or a hairdryer, and if the room does not include these things, you can ask at the front desk and they typically have items you can borrow. For example, on my honeymoon we forgot to pack toothpaste, but we called room service and they brought us a tube from the front desk. Same goes for traveling to visit family. I can always count on my sister having a hair straightener, so I never bother to pack one. If you know you are going somewhere that will provide some things you might be tempted to pack, save the room in your suitcase, unless you are really attached to the item, like a specific hair spray or curling iron. 4) What is easier to just buy when you get there? - When traveling abroad, I have learned that with minimal room in a suitcase and strict weight requirements, a lot of the time it is just easier to buy toiletries when you get there. Shampoo/conditioner/body wash are easily accessible in most European countries or tropical destinations. You may even want to try something new, like a special argan oil soap you can buy in a market in Morocco. There are some items that are a lot harder to find in different countries, like sunscreen with an spf above 4 (which is essential for someone with fair skin like me). If I know an item I really need will be difficult to find in that country, I pack it. When I feel ready to sit down and pack, I create a list of every item I could need on the trip, making sure to write amounts, like how many pairs of underwear I will need. That way I am not tempted to throw a bunch of unnecessary items in my suitcase. As I place the item in my suitcase, I check it off my list, not before, not after. That way as I am seeing the item actually go in the suitcase and I don't just think I put it in. When I am finished if my suitcase seems really heavy and I am afraid of going overweight, I revise my list and take items out accordingly. So here are my tips for packing only what you need and making sure the items actually make it in your suitcase. As I am packing for my upcoming trip to Italy I will keep everyone posted about my checklist and essential items for my trip.