Getting ready to travel? Here are some tips that I have from things I’ve learned over the years so that you can enjoy a hassle-free trip! 🙂

Luggage

• Pick a 4-wheeled luggage as 2-wheeled luggage is like dragging a toddler with a temper tantrum. With a 4-wheeled luggage, you can easily manoeuvre two pieces of luggage and push rather than always pull.
• Check it in or carry on? Just remember that you’re usually allowed one piece of checked-in baggage (included in your ticket; extra baggage costs money) and up to 1 standard article and 1 personal article as carry-on baggage, weighing no more than10kg (22lb) in total.
  • Carry-on Luggage Tip: Make sure you pack some essentials with you, i.e. clothes and panties, should your checked-in luggage go missing or be delayed. At least 1-2 days worth so you don’t end up with nothing at all.
• Packing clothes – Roll them rather than pile them on top of each other and you’ll end up with more space! This also makes it easier to find the article of clothing. Consider bringing a tote to put the dirty laundry in.
  • Panties – Bring some disposable pairs or pick a few and wash them at your accommodation.
• Packing shoes – Things to consider: will you visit the beach? Will it rain? Are there cobblestones? Will you be able to walk in the shoes for hours / the entire day? Will you need to dress up?
  Try to see if there’s one pair that can ‘multitask’ for your feet. For example, something waterproof and comfortable at the same time. Maybe it’s the very pair you’ll be wearing from check-in all the way to your return flight home. Whether or not you might pack another pair of shoes, consider foldable shoes!
• Keep the load light! Try to bring samples, travel-size items, and/or disposable items. Don’t pack too much. You want to keep shedding and have room just in case there are more things to bring back.

Travelling Light (Carry-on Bag only)

Longchamp Le Pliage in blue

Bag

Pick a bag that is light and large enough to fit at least 2-3 days of clothing. Depending on your budget, here are my suggestions:

• Longchamp (Large / X-Large) – I’m almost certain that X-Large would have been enough for 1 week!
• Stella & Dot Tote – Includes many internal pockets. Try How Does She Do It or Getaway.
• Lesportsac Weekender Bag – It’s very light, waterproof, and there are plenty of pockets.
• Accessorize Weekender Bag
• Cath Kidston Weekender Bag

What to pack? (*if applicable)

• All valuables: money (local and exchange), debit/credit card, passport or ID, *jewellery
• *Glasses and/or contact lenses (do you have a back-up should you lose a pair?)
• *Supplements and/or medication
• A scarf and/or cardigan, maybe even a pair of socks, as it can be cold on the plane
• *Your laptop/tablet – Depending on how long or the purpose of the trip is, I would decide if it’s worth bringing along or not
• An external battery for your phone, any cords for charging, chargers and worldwide (or destination continent/country) adaptors. You never know when you will need to or where you can charge your phone!
• 1L clear bag for liquids under 100ml

You’ll find plenty of suggestions from my post: Travel Amenities For Your Carry-On & Weekender Bags. It includes suggestions for bringing liquids vs ‘dry’ items:

• toothpaste vs tooth tabs from Lush
• shampoo vs solid shampoo bars (e.g. Godiva from Lush) & maybe dry shampoo?
• liquid facial cleanser vs Olay 4-in-1 Daily Facial Cloths
• makeup remover vs Neutrogena Makeup Remover Wipes (also good enough to remove waterproof makeup)
• lip gloss vs lipstick

Have a look on my Pinterest board: Packing for Travel for more ideas! 🙂

Follow Perseverance’s board Packing for Travel on Pinterest.//assets.pinterest.com/js/pinit.js

Paper vs App

This is all up to personal preference. There are now apps to save paper.

• Trip itinerary – I liked TripCase for storing my flight itinerary and hotel information, as well as any activities I’ve planned.
• Boarding pass – It can end up being a hassle sometimes, having to keep the screen turned on for check-ins, security checks, etc.
• Map – Thank goodness for Google Maps! Now I actually know if I’m going in the right or wrong direction!
• Transit map – Find out what the local (free) apps are for the transit system of your destination (e.g. MVV for München, RATP for Paris).

Forgot anything?

There are always travel-size items available at drugstores in the destination city. They might even be cheaper than the ones back home! You might end up buying clothes, shoes, umbrellas, etc. See why you need to make sure you leave space in your luggage and carry-on bag?

A Good Idea

• Have a checklist (I use a scrap piece of paper) with essentials and check them off once they’ve been packed.
• Leave a photocopy of your passport, bank cards, etc. behind with a trusted friend or family member. Should any of those documents go missing, at least you’ll know what to cancel.
• Leave a copy of your itinerary with a friend or family member. Should you go missing, at least someone can figure out where you last were or would be heading to.
• When you arrive at your destination or are about to depart for another, send a message so that someone knows. It could be an email, text, or even on social media. It doesn’t have to be too detailed. Could be ‘just landed’ or ‘about to depart’. Let them know you’re alive.
• Have an iPhone? Back it up to iCloud. Maybe even download the anti-theft app.

Hope I haven’t forgotten anything. Have fun and bon voyage!

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