7 Travel Packing Tips For Busy GoGetters: The Ultimate Guide To Smart Packing & Traveling

It’s 5:45 PM. I’ve just finished packing my suitcase for a flight I’m going to embark on tomorrow with Ben back to California with a layover in Barcelona. I can’t wait to visit one of the Tapas and Spanish meat places that they have at the Barcelona airport. But until I do, I wanted to put this post together for you guys after you voted on it on my Instagram Stories ;).

So, let’s diver straight into it because I’m sure y’all got a flight to catch somewhere.

TIP #1: Always Start With A Packing List

Have you ever heard that saying, “Who fails to plan, plans to fail.” Well, this is so true for packing for a trip a swell. Take an afternoon with a cup of coffee and make yourself a planned packing list ;).

If you don’t have one at hand, a good one is definitely this one from Amazon:

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TIP #2: The Marie Kondo Style Folding Method IS The Way To Go When Folding Your Clothes To Put Into Your Suitcase

I’ve tried many different things over the years of roaming the world and living out of a suitcase for months at a time. I’ve used the regular folding method, some packing cubes, airtight packing bags, etc. Most of these add-ons you can buy to organize your suitcase and minimize the space your clothes take up in your luggage, honestly more seem like a nuisance than actually help. At least, that’s my take on it.

After diving deep into Marie Kondo’s method of organizing last year…

Side Note: Check out this Youtube video of mine to see how crazy things got:

I realized that her folding and organizing style was awesome!

So, if you want your suitcase to be awesome and more efficient than probably your closet right now, learn more about this. A great video to start with is this one where she personally explains how to pack a suitcase:

It’s so lovely to be able to see EXACTLY what clothing items you purchased and to simply extract and add it back into the overall suitcase organization. True time-saver – hellooo!!!

TIP #3: Always Bring An Extra Outfit Plus Underwear And Socks In Your Hand Luggage

The only thing I’ll say is, you never know what can happen:

Either, you’re close to missing a flight, you run across the entire airport and then you smell like a person whose potentially never seen a deodorant before when you enter the cabin for a long-distance flight only to realize, you can’t do anything about it… no fun (and yes, happened to me before lol).

Or, somebody might loose your suitcase and one extra outfit can do a great deal for you without stressing you out too much.

TIP #4: Essentials For The Cabin

Here are some of my essentials I like to always, always bring with me in the cabin. The thing about air travel is that it’s so exciting. Each flight is new and different and you never know what might happen. It’s good to be prepared.

The Essentials List:

+ Eye Mask. Airplanes can be quite bright or, you can sit next to the bathroom in some machines, light falling onto you continuously throughout a long-distance flight even when you’re trying to sleep.

+ Noise-Cancelling Headphones And Extra Ear Plugs. You could be sitting next to a cute but loud baby, children, a dog that might bark consistently, a person that snored, you name it. Don’t get annoyed by your circumstance but control what you can control in the situation ;).

+ My Laptop, iPad or iPhone (depending on the length of the flight – the shorter the flight, the smaller of a device I will take with me unless I need my laptop for the trip) With A TV Show And A Movie I want To Watch. Yes, sometimes board computers can stop working. Be prepared.

+ A Facial Spray. The air in a cabin can get quite dry and I like to always feel fresh. Hence, I always, always bring a facial spray with me and it makes me feel refreshed in seconds.

+ Pain Killers. Whatever brand you prefer, bring a pain killer in case you start experiencing headaches from the difference in cabin pressure on a flight. Or, say you’re a gal that might get her period on a long-distance flight? Nothing worse than not having your preferred pain killer.

These were probably my can-not-travel-without ones. For a complete list and a fun video, check out this related blog post:

26 Products In My Carry-On I Can’t Travel Without

TIP #5: Buy A Bottle Of Water At The Airport

Depending on the airline you fly with, the stewardesses and stewards are better or well, worse at coming through the cabin with cups of water. It’s essential that you stay hydrated on a flight, especially a long-distance one.

I’ve found that the air crew never comes through the cabin enough (even business class!). So I always buy or bring a water bottle that I make sure to drink throughout the flight. Helps you get over jet-leg much faster too.

If you bring your own portable water bottle, be sure to empty it BEFORE you go through security! You don’t wanna be throwing no bottles away.

Side note: While you’re at it and if you’re into healthy eating like moi, pre-buy some healthy snacks that are going to fuel you throughout the day. If you want me to put together a ‘healthy snacking’ for travel list in another blog post, let me know in the comments <3.

TIP #6: Know Your Airline’s Baggage Fees & Regulations

I don’t know about you but to me there’s nothing more frustrating than having to wait in line for somebody that is arguing with the check in attendee to be able to get their luggages on the flight and not overpay for a too-heavy luggage. Suuuper frustrating and annoying.

First, if your suitcase is too heavy and the airline wants to charge you for overweight luggage. Don’t be a dick and just pay it. It was your responsibility to check for the guidelines in the first place.

Second, your WHOLE travel experience is SO much better if you just make sure at home before hand that you’re in the parameters of the airline’s luggage guidelines – meaning weight AND size of both your regular and hand luggage.

With that being said, another thing to watch out for are truly the dimensions of your hand luggage. For example, American airlines are much more lenient towards letting you take a slightly bigger hand luggage onto the cabin (without taking it away from you and checking it in).

European airlines aren’t that lenient and many of them have much tighter restrictions when it comes to both weight in size.

From flying internationally for many years, I’ve found that this carry on I got one time in Paris is my absolute favorite. I NEVER have any problems with it! It’s a four-wheel piece of goodness, with an integrated break system so your carry-on will never roll away again, great storage spaces, easy access and more.

TIP #7: Follow The ‘Onion Rule’ When It Comes To Plane Travel

Whatever you do, make sure to pick a travel outfit that is made up of layers. So, for example, wear a tank top underneath a soft tee shirt and then throw on over a cardigan or put on a sweater. Depending on where you’re going or how cold it gets on the plane, you can take off clothes or put them on. The rest you simply put into your carry on.

Also, try to keep ‘bulky’ and ‘heavy’ items like boots and heavy Winter clothes to a minimum. Unless, of course, you are fashion blogger these clothing packing guidelines don’t apply.

But wherever you’re going, try to plan out your outfits. I always do this and maybe bring one or two extra variations for an outfit or items to swap out if I feel like this.

Overall, there’s this general rule I once heard that we always pack too many clothes. 50% of those we don’t need if we don’t plan our outfits in advance.

Okay! There were my TOP 7 travel packing tips. If you’ve enjoyed this article, be sure to put your name and email onto my list here <3:

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Did I miss any of your favorite travel packing tips? Let me know in the comments down below!

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