We’re days away from yet another busy holiday travel season — back to the massive crowds at the airport, enhanced security, high airfare, and the potential for lots of headaches. There’s one way you can make the experience go more smoothly: pack efficiently.
Virtuoso, a travel agency network specializing in luxury and experiential travel, is sharing tips on how to pack from some of its 9,800-plus travel advisors:
- Create a packing spreadsheet. Yes, those Excel skills will come in handy here. Organize your outfits by day and night, taking the guesswork of what to wear and when — ideal for cruising.
- Layer your travel outfit. On travel days, wear heavier items to free up space in your suitcase.
- Use a garment bag. This works better on short trips. Place your clothes on wire hangers (sorry, Joan Crawford!) and put them in dry cleaning bags. These could be stowed in a thin nylon garment bag inside your luggage so that when you unpack, just lift the bag up and hang.
- Carry a duffel bag instead of a rolling suitcase. This way, you’re less likely to be asked to check it in at the gate, and it weighs less.
- Store valuables and essentials in a plastic bag. From your camera and jewelry to medication and toiletries, this saves you time from having to search for everything if you’re asked to gate-check your bag.
