Packing 101

Whether you are packing for a road trip, bike tour, cruise ship, or a holiday abroad… it’s going to affect what you need. Since I am going on a road trip and a self-catering stay, I shall focus on that for this post.

If you were looking for one of those “put a binder clip on your razor blade, or use a straw to keep your necklaces from tangling” sort of post. Sorry… But this is more of a “psychology of packing” sort of post because, well, I take my packing very seriously.

I love packing. I like being prepared. For anything.

And even though I consider myself a packing professional, my needs have evolved. And to be quite honest, I grew up a little.

Now, for the packing:

The Carry-On

I have one carry-on for the road, and one for the plane… and if there’s a layover, it impacts what’s in that bag.

For the road trip, I used my backpack – easy to carry, fit all my work and handbag items conveniently. I also packed a silver clutch (my phone, cards and cash) that fit in my front pouch and could just grab it at pit stops. My backpack would also be used as my day bag and I could take a towel, costume and change of clothes when we went to the hot springs.

Skincare

I have a 10 step skincare routine. And while I only packed nine – I have been putting a lot of effort into my skin lately and I didn’t want to compromise it. Plus we had a bit of room in the car.

Makeup

I don’t live for makeup. Having said that… I like to look nice. My makeup requirements are minimal thanks to my skincare routine.

Hair

On a trip longer than a week, I pack everything I need for my hair. For a weekend away, shampoo and conditioner in travel sized containers will suffice. I have exceptionally long hair and can spend up to 3 hours doing it. So I’d rather rock the wetlook than waste valuable time primping it and then not be able to get it wet.

Clothing

We went for 3 days and 2 nights, and I knew exactly where we were going and what the dress code was, so I packed accordingly. My casual clothes could be dressed up and my smart clothes could be dressed down. Because it was winter and I run cold, I made sure I accommodated for that.

A leather jacket can be thrown over almost anything to dress it up, so can sparkly pumps with the added benefit of being comfortable. Pack multiple layers just in case.

Feminine Hygiene

I absolutely hate those two words. It makes me feel like a girl is in constant need of cleaning uurgh! Anyway, I digress… Ish happens, rather have it and not need it, than need it and not have it. I put it in a pink sparkly bag because men tend to avoid those 2 things

First Aid Kit

I am not a medical practitioner and can only offer advice. Since I wouldn’t know how to treat a serious injury, I don’t pack like I do. In an emergency situation, it is always best to seek professional help. Therefore, my first aid kit consists of tablets for headaches, pain, digestion and allergy and band-aids. That is the scope of my knowledge and that is what I pack. The little red bag pictured below is in my carry on, the green box is for the car and the bigger bag I keep at home.

The Travelling Outfit

This I personally feel I only mastered recently. I opted for workout leggings instead of regular ones – they are spill-proof and super comfortable – especially on long constricting journeys. While the white tee was a gamble, we were in the car all the way and I layered 2 tops over it. The baseball cap and sunglasses were super cute. The sneakers and backpack completed the look I was totally going for.

Packing for Him

Err, he packed his own stuff – ain’t nobody got time for “I can’t tell you a week in advance what I’ll want to wear…” I made sure the laundry had been collected and he travels for work, so his toiletry bag was already packed.

The Psychology:

Self – Catering Accommodation

These can be tricky as you are never really sure how much ‘self-catering’ you are actually doing. This is especially true when it comes to food prep. Therefore, I do as much as I can at home.

I marinate my meat and place them in Ziploc bags and then place those in containers, so I don’t need to clean the containers for the braaied meat.

I also prep my salads – so boiling potatoes for the potato salad but only adding the mayo when I get to my destination. Rice salad also keeps well and can be eaten warm or cold. My green salad requires no cooking so I’ll be preparing it when we get there.

The night before

Prepare a meal that will also be a good breakfast. I even dish the plates so I can clean the pot the night before and pop the dishes in the dishwasher to come home to a clean kitchen.

I charge my tech overnight.

Anything that needs to be washed and dried will be started or completed now.

Now is also a good time to tidy up a bit – especially if you have people over to house sit.

I’ll do my hair, nails,( and shave) tonight… there will not be enough time in the morning no matter how long you think you have – there is never enough time to dry your nails! I am aware I sound like an old woman…

The morning of

I do my skincare routine and apply makeup (I don’t keep separate travel ones because they expire) and pack it straight away.

If there is more than one person packing, I suggest a specific table as well as a shelf/drawer in the fridge dedicated to being packed.

I hope this helps and isn’t just a rambling woman pointing out the obvious. I’d love to hear your packing pearls of wisdom.