The days before a vacation can be enormous fun, with the whole family feeling a sense of anticipation. But there’s often plenty to be done too.
Packing is one task that some people love, but others simply loathe! This is one area of life where it pays be to organised. So how do you approach the job? There are some simple tips that you can use to make things that bit easier.
Know your limits!
It’s tempting to pack the entire wardrobe, but the reality is that there’s usually some sort of limit on how much can be packed. If you’re going to be driving to your destination, then that limit may be imposed due to the amount of space that’s available in your car.
For those flying abroad, there’s likely to be even less room for manoeuvre. Airlines usually have very strict limits on what you can take with you, as well as limitations on the weight and size of luggage.
Before you even start packing, ensure that you’re aware of these limits. You don’t want to have a nasty shock waiting for you at the airport!
Make a list
Although lists may seem boring, this is one area where they are amazingly useful. You can sit down some days before departure and create a comprehensive list of what you’ll need on vacation. It’s then simply a matter of ticking items off the list as you place them in your suitcases.
Our own experience suggests that this is especially useful when the packing is being carried out by more than one person. It will save you from desperately searching for items that your husband may already have packed!
Leave plenty of time
Are you tempted to throw everything into a case at the last possible second? If you’re a seasoned traveller, you may be able to get away with this approach. For the rest of us, however, it’s more likely to spell disaster.
Try to avoid this temptation to get everything done in a hurry. Leave plenty of time and make sure that you check every item that’s on the list.
Think about your destination
It’s always useful to think about your destination and the facilities that will be available there. If you’re heading for somewhere that’s remote then you may need to pack a lot of belongings.
But it’s worth noting that many of us travel to the same, popular tourist resorts. As a result, it’s often possible to buy just about anything that we may need.
With this in mind, you might want to consider how many different items you actually need to pack. Are there some things that you could buy when you reach your destination? Think about heavy items, or those of irregular shapes. If it’s possible to avoid packing them at the outset, then there are clear benefits in doing so.
Keith Barrett the author of the “Packing tips for your next vacation” is an experienced travel writer. He’s recently been looking at cheap Las Vegas accommodation, but he writes on a wide range of subjects.