How To Pack A Travel Bag

Whenever you take a trip, you inevitably need to have all those bare necessities on hand such as soap, toothpaste, shower gel, floss, etc. These things you could live without, but hey, since travel should be fun, why not bring them with you to make travel just a little bit easier and more convenient. If you remember these key rules, you are well on your way to a happy trip.

First of all, consider how long you are going to be gone. Are you going for a weekend adventure or for some extended, yearlong contract assignment in the Serengeti? If you are going for a short stay, why not keep it light? The less you have to pack, the less you have to carry and lug around. The only things I really cant live without on a short haul are toothpaste and toothbrush, a comb, and sometimes deodorant, although that can even be an option depending on what part of the world you are traveling to. Hey, if the locals dont use it, why should I?

If you are going for a bit longer, think about things to include such as a razor for shaving if you do that, a larger stick of deodorant, bandaids, and shampoo. Some hotels dont have this stuff, so I like to include it just the same. Start by making a list of the things you want to take. You can then keep this list so that each time you go on a trip you wont have to think about it, and wont forget something.

I try to think of the last trip that I took and the things that came up that I either had to go to the pharmacy to buy, or wish that I had with me. Then, I can add those things to my list as starting points. Keep the list rolling for a while before you go if possible because you will inevitably come up with things you forgot, or think about might be nice to have on the trip.

If you are going on a short stay, you might not even need a toilet bag at all. On weekend jaunts, I simply use one of those plastic bags they give you at the airport for your stuff. It is good to use these because all the liquids will be ready for inspection, they wont get on your other stuff if they spill, and you dont have to add another bulky bag to your kit. If you are going for a longer stay, you will have to get a little more creative with your packing.

I find that many toiletry bags are really too small for much of anythiing. They arent long enough for some long toothbrushes, they arent wide enough for large bottles, and they arent deep enough for much of anything. Try to find the bag with the most amount of storage space as possible. If you cant fit your stuff in it, dont try to force it, just take it back and get another.

Think about the things you can get at your destination as well. Most hotels have soap and shampoo, and most other toiletry items can be purchased very cheaply at convenience stores or pharmacies. I usually dont take these things unless I know I am going somewhere that doesnt have the brands I am used to, or areas that simply dont have modern luxuries at all.

If you still have room left over after all those niceties are packed, you can think about things like alcohol for cuts, a first aid kit, a pair of tweezers to pull out splinters, or even kleenex for the runny nose. I also like to include moist wipes because in many places you dont want to touch anything without wiping it down first. By preparing ahead of time, you can have a nice compact kit that will take you far and wide and meet your needs.