Of Chows and Dhows

Hello! The holidays are coming up and with every holiday comes travelling. So I’m sure you’re all pretty pumped about seeing your loved ones, excited to have some chill time and you’re most probably making the necessary travel arrangements. There is just one thing though, yup, you know it. The dreaded moment before any trip. PACKING!

Packing is bittersweet, on one hand, you get really excited about going someplace and on the other is all the craziness that comes with it. What to wear and when, how little or how much you should pack and more often than not we end up carrying more than we need. Worry no more, here are some tips to ease this process and a FREE packing checklist just for you.

Packing Tips

Pro tip

Lay out all the clothes you intend to pack for your trip.

Then take back half of it. Trust me, you’re not going to need all that. Pack only the basics, as you can mix and create many outfits from those. Think twice about the shoes. You need comfortable shoes that won’t leave you with pinched feet, blisters, or hating every second of your trip. Choose shoes that can be worn in a variety of situations. Of course, you need to consider the climate whilst packing. The key here is to leave as much space as possible to use for souvenirs and for stuff you buy during your trip.

Hack #2

Roll your clothes as opposed to folding them. Again this saves a lot of space! Plus clothes get less wrinkly. How, you ask? Basically, fold your clothes in half, then carefully coil them lengthwise, filling up the corners of your backpack or suitcase. Make sure you roll the clothes tightly though. It’s super easy!

Hack #3

Separate your liquid items from the rest of your things. Obviously. Pack your oils, makeup and accessories separately.

Hack #4

Carry a clean plastic bag to keep your dirty laundry. The key here is to make sure you separate the dirty laundry from the clean.

Hack #5

Pack your shoes facing up or put a shower cap over your shoes to keep everything else clean. The other option here would be to put them in a plastic bag or invest in a suitcase with a separate shoe compartment.

Hack #6

Pack clothes made of light material.The lighter the better. It saves on space and you can layer up much easily. Depending on the weather of the place you are travelling to of course.

Hack #7

Store your liquids in travel size containers, basically any bottle that is 100 ml or less. They’ re less likely to drip, are well within airport restrictions and save on space. 

Hack #8

Be wary of the restrictions on the size of your luggage and number of bags especially when flying. You might want to avoid paying  that extra cost.

Hack #9

Stuff items such as socks on the edges and corners of your suitcase to ensure every little space is used.

Hack #10

Invest in packing cubes. They help you pack light while still saving space. Alternatively, you can pack items in separate bags.

Quick Hacks

• You do not need to carry your towel with you. A leso (sarong) will suffice. They dry real fast, are super light, can serve multiple purposes.
• Scarves scarves scarves! You can never carry to many. They are great accessories to step up a plain outfit and double up as cover ups.
• Ziploc bags come in handy. Especially for packing toothpaste,oil, sunscreen and creams, you don’t want cream stains on your favourite pants.
• A little black dress goes a long way. Always.
• Do not stack books and documents on top of each other, instead spread them out. If you don’t mind ebooks, even better!
• No matter what you do, do not, I repeat, don’t pack extras. Resist this urge!

All in all, bring with you whatever you love and need. Do not pack too lightly such that you forget important things, or too much but instead strike a balance. Be reasonable in making these choices and do adequate research..

Here is a gift for reaching this far. This is the tool I use to make sure I have packed everything that I need. Enjoy!

Catch up on other posts here.

Here are amazing gift ideas for the travellers in your life.

Share this post with a fellow traveller and until next time

Bye!