05/19/2021

Packing for Vacation

In December 2019, Matt and I booked a Mediterranean cruise for May 2020, and in March 2020 it was canceled by the cruise line. So, you may guess, as was probably the same for your family, we didn’t take a vacation last year. The cruise was rescheduled for May 2022, which leaves us with Plan B this summer, but the point is this: vacations are back!

We are heading to New Orleans at the end of the month, and I am so looking forward to it.  While I’m not a betting woman, I’d be willing to bet that you are itching to travel somewhere too. Given that everyone’s definition of a fun vacation is different, below are a few general tips to make packing for any vacation a bit easier and more efficient.

Jeans, Shorts, and T-Shirts

• Roll, don’t fold, and line the bottom of your suitcase, saving some for the top layer as well. This will help reduce wrinkles.

Suit Jackets, Trousers, Dress Shirts, Skirts, Blouses, and Dresses

• Place each item inside one of our poly bags.
• Normally we tell you to remove your garments from our plastic poly bags as soon as you get home. However, using them for packing allows the plastic to trap the air around the garment, which reduces wrinkles.
• Once the item is inside the bag, fold it in half lengthwise and fold it in half again the opposite direction so that it is one-fourth its original size.

Neckties

• Place in a tie carrier or roll, place inside a Ziploc bag, and then place inside packed shoes.

Delicate and Fine Items

• Place these in the center of your suitcase, avoiding the edges.

Finishing Up

• Pack remaining rolled items on top of your delicate items to create a cushiony barrier.
• Not only is it bad to overpack, it’s also bad to under pack. Empty space allows clothes to move around.
• Tuck your shoes and toiletries (remember to put those in plastic bags) around the edges of your suitcase.

Upon arrival, unpack as soon as possible, hanging delicate items and dress clothes. If items are wrinkled, you can always hang them in the bathroom for approximately 10 minutes with the shower on hot so that it creates plenty of steam. Just be sure to place garments where they won’t get wet.

Enjoy your trip, not worrying about returning to dirty laundry because next week A Cleaner World will share our solution for that!