Travel Tips: Packing!

Whenever I return from a trip and open the luggage, my mum always go, 'Wah!'
Because I pack well. Not the sort of very neat well, but I pack very efficiently.

Traveling from one accommodation to another while on my 6-month trip to Korea, packing has become one of my fortes. And here I am to share my tips with you!
(Fact: International House at Yonsei is the 5th place I've moved to within 6 months.)

Before leaving for a trip
Packing before leaving on a trip is pretty easy. First, you got to make sure you know how long your stay is so you can plan appropriate amount of clothing. And on the topic of clothing, you need to consider if you are going to be doing laundry. If you are, you can actually reduce the amount of clothes you bring, and it is absolutely necessary for long trips.

Tip #1: Open your luggage early and put whatever you remember into it
When I am anticipating a trip, I take out my luggage bag at least one week before the actual date. This is because a person cannot remember every single thing at last minute. So during the week when I remind myself that I need to bring something (especially if you do not use it regularly at home), go get the item, and throw it in the bag.

Some things that I find can be packed early are...
- Travel soaps (those small bottles, surely you don't use travel-sized things at home...)
- Winter apparel (now, in Singapore you don't ever use them, so put them in first.)
- Travel adapter (you don't use this at home, duh.)
- Medications (if you need it while at home you can retrieve from the bag)

Tip #2: You need space for shopping
If you have to force everything into the bag, chances are that you will not have enough space for your shopping. Your other option is to buy another luggage while on your trip. Before the trip, pack your things in comfortably. The zipper should close easily. If you need to sit on it for it to close, you're doing it wrong... Try a larger luggage or removing what you don't think you need.

Hint: Some people think that the bigger the luggage, the better. I beg to differ. If you're taking a plane, chances are that the maximum acceptable weight is 20kg. If your bag is too huge, you will be incurring extra weight charges. If not, you'll find that you will not be able to utilize your luggage space fully.

During the trip
Whether you should unpack or not depends on the duration of your stay in that place. If it's for a long period, then feel free to unpack. If not, then don't unpack.

Tip #3: Laundry
If you are planning to do laundry, check whether the place you reside in provides detergent. If not, a bar laundry soap may be good for doing your laundry in the sink (:
You might choose to bring a string to hang your laundry too.

Tip #4: Organize your shopping
Try compressing your shopping frequently. You might end up with a lot of shopping bags, but it will be good if you can compress all those shopping into minimal no. of bags.

Preparing to return
Oh no! Is it the end of your trip already? Well, no matter, you gotta go home anyway!

Tip #5: Roll up your clothes
Remember you didn't roll your clothes when you came? Well, they are just buying you extra space. Fold the clothes, and roll them up, stack them, compress them in their rolls. Magic happens and you get so much more space! (:

Tip #6: Fill up those boxes
Have some boxes? Open them up and put small things inside to fully utilize the space inside the box! If you have no space, surely you do not want to waste it on carrying air in your luggage!

Tip #7: Hand carry winter jackets
If you really need more space in your luggage and have no vacuum packing, consider hand carrying your bulky winter jacket. You don't have to hold on to in for most of the time, so just chuck it in the overhead compartment and remember to retrieve it later on!

So these are some of my tips for travelling and packing your luggage!

I took so long to write this because I had to pack my own luggage towards the end, as I finish my school examinations and prepared to move to a temporary accommodation (:

Have a good trip!