Ellen PhillipsWith list in hand, our summertime travel tips will show you ways to travel light, save space and dress almost wrinkle-free. While packing doesn’t particularly fall into the “consumer” category, if we pack accordingly, we can use our consumer smarts to fill the remaining room with our savvy purchases.
I plan to use suggestions from today’s column, compliments of Real Simple and Redbook, in preparation for my own summer trip, so maybe all of us travelers can learn some tricks for now and in the future when packing an overnight bag or a larger piece of luggage.
Overnight/Weekend
1 Limit options by thinking of and planning your activities upon arrival. Let’s say, a weekend in London promises to be coolish with the proverbial drizzle, even in summer. Pack a few neutral clothing articles to mix-and-match; even a decent pair of jeans (male or female) can be dressed up or down, depending upon the top and shoes. Ladies, a silky blouse and heels as opposed to a casual sweater and low boots, paired with your jeans, take you from daylight to midnight depending upon activities. Guys, couple a sports jacket with your jeans to take in a epicurean restaurant and trip-the-light-fantastic nightlife.
2 Pack shoes first. This advice actually goes against a previous rule I’ve learned, which is to pack shoes on top so TSA agents don’t have to rummage through your suitcase to see what may be packed into the shoes. However, the trend now is to stash the heaviest articles near the wheelbase to prevent luggage from tipping over and placing crushables, such as hats – stuffed with scarfs or underwear – on top.