Packing Tips - Organization

As a road warrior for work and an avid leisure traveler, I've become a sort of a packing pro. So much so that my friends have called upon me to help them back their luggage for their trips. They also ask for advise on what are the best bags, accessories, and gizmos to make your traveling life easier. I love sharing these tips with my IRL friends, and I want to share it with my blog friends! Over the next month I'm going to share my top packing tips.

Today's post is going to discuss basic bag organization tips. How to keep organized and pack efficiently.

If you're embarking on your first big trip to Southeast Asia or Europe, but all you have is your high school backpack and your college suitcase  you used to move your clothing from your parent's home to your dorm room, it's not going cut it. You're a big girl now, with big girl adventures. You need a big girl backpacks and luggage to go with it. ​

Where to buy your next bag

eBags is a website totally dedicated to selling bags. I have purchased some of the BEST bags from this website. They also have a line of eBag branded bags and accessories that I SWEAR by. My personal favorite includes packing cubes, the eBag backpack, eBag Mother Load wheel duffel, eBag pack it flat, and eBag laptop bag. All of the above items have gone around the globe with me. I'm not only a fan of their name brand items, but I am in love with the other brands that they carry, such as Baggli. They also have super sales often, and great discounts.

The base, your bag

Pick your base. The main bag you choose will depend on the length of your trip and destination(s). For anything less than 2-weeks, I'll use my backpack. I'll also use my backpack if my trip will be in developing countries, such as SE Asia, or there will be a lot of bus and train travel. I use this eBag  backpack, and I love it because the backpack itself is light, has a lot of different compartments, and has amazing travel features depending on how you travel. For example, there's a shelf inside the main compartment of the backpack that can be used, or not, depending on how you want to pack. The backpack straps can also be put away and a long strap can be used to allow one to carry it like a messenger bag.
If I'm going on a trip for longer than 2-weeks, such as going to work on my cruise ship or "moving" to study abroad, I use my largest suitcase from the eBags series, the Mother Load Wheeled Duffel. Just like the eBags backpack, there are a lot of smart compartments and travel features. It comes in a 25" or 29" size. I have the 25" which pretty much holds my whole life for when I go on the boat, including uniforms, normal people clothes, shoes, toiletries, and my Magic Bullet. By the time it's stuffed, it's at the 50 pound mark.
If you plan on  staying in the same spot and hotel for the weekend or week, such as a resort stay in Honolulu, or going on a cruise, eBags has a mini 21" duffel, a medium size upright suitcase, and a variety of hardside spinners.  These you'll easily be able to roll from the airport to your resort or cruise ship, and back to the airport. It's enough space, but not too much space. 

The inside, organization ​

Click photo to purchase cubes now.

​I use packing cubes to keep the inside of my suitcase or backpack organized. These little suckers are amazing. They  have traveled around the world with me. They are little "cubes" of varying shapes and sizes that help you compartmentalize your clothing. How I like to organize it is by clothing type, for example, pants in one cube and shirts in another. What makes these so stellar is that once you arrive at your hotel, you open your suitcase, throw them in the drawer, and you've unpacked. You can color code it and easily see what you have. If you're on a multi-city itinerary, these are a life saver, because it makes packing/unpacking easy. 

---

The method, roll AND fold! ​

​There's a great debate among travelers whether to roll or fold. Well, I say BOTH, because it depends on the item in question. I roll my light and smaller clothing items into my cubes, such as lightweight tops and dresses.  I'll roll and stuff them into my slim/tube cubes so I can see from a glace exactly what I have. For bulky items, such as thicker pants or jackets, I'll fold it and put it into a quarter cube.

The toiletries, hang it up ​

Get a eBag pack it flat toiletries bag so you can hang your items on the towel rack or hook. I have found this to be the easiest and most efficient way to pack and unpack my toiletries. This is especially great if there's very little shelf space. 

The bulkiest, shoes ​

Be reasonable with what shoes you bring, because these are the heaviest, bulkiest items you'll be packing. My essentials are

• Sneakers, for walking, hikes, and workouts
• Flip flops, for the beach, quick walking trips to go to the corner convenience store, and hostel showers. If you're traveling to a cold climate, it won't apply, but bring them if you'll be in a  or a place where you'll be sharing a common shower. So many gross infections can transfer via bare feet.
• "Dressy" shoes that are comfortable and are appropriate for the climate. I'll bring cute boots or booties if I'm going to Portland, Oregon or strappy sandals if I'm going to Costa Rica. It depends on the your destinations, but these can be swapped for the sneakers if you want to take a walk around town and want to feel more put together. However, these shoes should also allow you to feel comfortable enough to wear to a pub, lounge, or night out on the town.  ​