Packing Tips for Backpacking, Family Trips and Business Trips

We don’t appreciate the luxury of being at home and having all of our belongings at our fingertips until it comes time to pack for a trip away. What a headache! There’s no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to a packing checklist because the needs of a corporate traveller will be very different to those of a family travelling with small children. Here are some optimal packing tips to help you get everything you need into that luggage and travel with ease.

Packing Tips for Business Trips

Only Take a Carry-On

Business travellers across the globe are united on this: travel with only a carry-on case. Not only does it save you precious time standing in lines at the airport, but it helps you trim the fat from your packing and keeps it simple. The less space you have, the more economical you will be with it. You honestly don’t need much for a short trip anyway.

Leave Your Toiletries at Home

If you’re staying in a hotel – or even a city or suburb with a corner store – then you don’t need to pack toiletries. Either your hotel will supply them or you can pick up some shampoo, conditioner and soap at your destination.

Technology: Do You Need Your Phone, Laptop and  Tablet?

Be honest with yourself and pick what technology you take carefully. Depending on the type of work you will be doing while away, you may not need all of your devices. If you are likely to be spending time on-site or in meetings, leave your laptop at home and send emails or wind down with an e-book through your tablet or phone. If you’ll be conducting heavy research, writing or compiling presentations then your laptop could be more useful than a tablet.

Other Ways to Charge Your Devices

You don’t need to pack a full charger as well as international adaptors for each one of your devices. A lot of your devices, such as smartphones and tablets, can be plugged into a USB port instead. Bring one USB travel adaptor such as the Lifetrons Pro Travel adapter, which has 4 USB ports. If you need more, utilize extra USB ports in your laptop or even through the USB ports in the back of your hotel room’s TV.  Just don’t forget to take them with you when you leave!

Packing Tips for Backpacking Trips

Use Packing Cells

Packing cells are essentially soft packaging to help you compartmentalise your belongings. Instead of rummaging around and emptying your entire backpack every night to find your pyjama bottoms that somehow sunk to the bottom, keep everything in one cell that you need for sleep, such as your sleep sheet, pyjamas, slippers and eye mask. Then, keep dirty washing or your hiking gear in separate cells as well.

The choice is yours as to how best you organise your packing cells, but it will save you a lot of unpacking and repacking time as you look for your missing left shoe or final set of clean underwear.

Roll Your Clothing

Rolling clothes, rather than folding, not only minimises wrinkles, but is a huge space saver, too! It takes up less room in your luggage in general, but by rolling items, you can then fit T-shirts or all of your socks inside your shoes, helping your footwear keep its shape inside your backpack.

Pack the Heaviest Items at the Bottom

If you’re hiking or will be wearing your backpack as you see the sights, save yourself from backaches and shoulder strains by packing all of your heaviest items at the bottom of your pack where your core muscles can take the brunt of the weight. The last thing you want is severe back pain while you’re on holiday and don’t have the opportunity to seek help. 

Fill Your Backpack No More Than 75%

From buying gifts and mementos, to having no choice but to purchase full-sized toiletries, it’s very likely you will buy things on your travels and you’ll need some room to store them.

Packing Tips for Family Trips

Put a Copy of Your Itinerary in Each Piece of Luggage

If your bag gets lost and your itinerary is inside, then the airline or hotel will know where to send it so that it meets you on your journey and not at home when you get back. It’s also helpful to have a spare in case you lose your itinerary.

Divide Each Family Member’s Clothes Among All Your Suitcases

Better to be safe than sorry: if one bag is lost, everyone still has a change of clothing. Also, if you’re travelling with a baby, you may want to take a change of shirt in your carry-on. You’ll be glad you did if they get sick all over you or themselves and your luggage isn’t accessible.

Pack a Powerboard

Powerboards are a lifesaver when travelling. Just buy a single adaptor for your destination, plug in a powerboard and you can charge everyone’s devices at the same time.

A lot of the items you may want to pack seem like they will be incredibly helpful while you’re away, but save yourself the hassle and buy them abroad when you need them. Chances are – you won’t!

What’s your best packing hack?