Are You A Chronic Over Packer?

Does the guy at the left look familiar? He should because he is in every airport and on every cruise ship I've ever seen.

I am one of those guys who can throw a few things in a back pack and I am ready to be off on my next adventure. However, for the past 48 years I have been married to a woman who defines the phrase "over packer."  I have lugged large suit cases through airports all around the world.

By definition an over packer is anyone who packs their suitcases with items the never use on their trip. This over packing is usually the result of too many "what if's."  What if it rains; what if it turns cold; what is we get delayed. Over packers are not bad people. If anything they are worried people who are simply trying to cover all the possible eventualities,  The trouble is you end up lugging around a bunch of stuff you never unpack let alone use.

Today I want to share a few tips about packing for a trip. 

Naturally the length of the trip and the kind of travel you are doing will inform what kinds of things you need to pack. You'll pack differently for a cruise than an all-inclusive resort. You'll also pack differently for a road trip than you would a flight.

I suggest that before you start to pack you consider the nature of your trip and create a packing list made up of the things you will need and cannot get at your destination.

1. However, regardless of the kind of trip I am taking I always start with a back pack. This is my essential ingredient and emergency kit. It will contain my basic medications and toiletries as well as a change of clothes including extra underwear. It will also have all my travel documents.  Sometimes, instead of a back pack I will use a business style carry-on. By starting here you force yourself to think small and essentials.

2.When packing your suitcase you should focus on things that can be worn more than once. With the exception of formal wear the rule of thumb for packing is Only Pack Things That Can Be Worn More Than Once. If it can't be used more than once and it is not needed for a function leave it at home. Focus on packing things that can be mixed and matched and worn a few times on your trip. Try to keep most of your clothes within the complimentary color schemes.

3.  Always Pack More Tops Than Bottoms. No one is likely to notice if you wear the same pair of jeans every day as long as you have a different shirt on the top. Try packing only one or two pairs of pants (perhaps a pair of jeans and a pair of dress pants) and then re-wearing them with different tops.

4.  Ideally, you shouldn’t need to pack more than two pairs of shoes — one for walking/hiking/being active, and one for dressing up. Regardless, always limit yourself to no more than three pairs of shoes.  But if you’re doing a lot of walking, it can be good to pack two pairs of everyday shoes (or boots for colder climates) in case one pair gives you blisters. Wear the most comfortable shoes on the plane and pack the other pair.

5.  In our fast paced electronic age we need to question just how much electronic equipment is enough. Ask yourself, "Do you really need your laptop, tablet, digital camera, and smart phone on your trip? So many gadgets multitask these days that one or two should serve all of your needs. If you’re packing your laptop for a business trip, you might want to leave the tablet behind and use your laptop to watch movies or read e-books. Smart phones can connect to Wi-Fi and work like laptops for browsing the Internet and checking email — and a flexible keyboard can let you type as if you were on a real computer. Transfer your music to your phone and leave your iPod behind. These gadgets may not seem like they take up a lot of space, but they can add up when you factor in all the assorted cords and chargers.

6.  Don’t Pack at the Last Minute!  Plan all of your outfits ahead of time. Decide on one outfit per day (or per occasion, if you will need multiple outfits for each day). Don’t pack any more than what you need for each outfit. Last-minute packing generally leads forgotten essentials, and mismatched clothing. Start packing early so you’re not in a bind if a piece of clothing you need is dirty or you need to buy something for the trip. This also gives you time to trim down after you’ve started packing.  Keep in mind that if you don’t wear it at home, you’re probably not going to wear it on vacation, either. So, leave behind all of those clothes that don’t quite fit, aren’t your favorite color, or you just don’t like.

7.  Pack Half the Clothes and Twice the Money.  I don't know who said it first but they sure nailed it. Lay out the clothing and cash you plan to bring on your trip. Now pack just half of the clothes and double the money. The point is that people often over pack and regret bringing certain items of clothing, but no one ever regrets bringing extra money. You really won’t need as many clothes as you think!

8, So now that you've packed you back there is one more step. Look through the things you have chosen for your trip and pull out all the "what if" items.  This will probably reduce the items you take by 25%.  Do you really need those extra shirts? Shoes?
 9.Remember, you may not pack liquid or gel substances in your carry-on unless they are in individual containers of 3.4 ounces or less and enclosed in one clear, quart-size, plastic, zip-top bag per passenger. Any larger containers of liquids and gels must be packed in your checked luggage.

 So what's your packing tip?  Share it in the comment section below.