Packing your suitcase should not be a hassle, but often it is. When thinking of what to pack when traveling, there are a bunch of things you should consider. Luckily it is 2017, and there are many sources out there to help you, JourneyWithLee being one of them. However, stating specific items poses a problem as each journey is different. Because of this, below you’ll find the steps I take to find out what I need to pack for each individual trip. I’ll also share some quick tips and tricks to make the process a breeze.

To start off, first consider the following questions:

How much luggage can you take? Then, how long is your trip? Which places are you going? What activities do you have planned/will most likely do? Finally, what is the weather forecast for the length of your stay?

The amount of luggage you can take, directly affects how much you can take and how much you can bring back. More luggage=more items. Less luggage=fewer items. The length of your trip determines how many of each item you need to pack. The place determines the weather, dress codes and standards, and the type of shoes. Activities determine which types of clothing. Whether it be bathing suits, hiking gear, a tuxedo, gym clothes and so on. We all know what the weather forecast helps with.

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Be cautious of booking multi-stop trips in places that have extreme weather differences. It not only affects your packing, but it also affects your health

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Now that that’s out the way, on to the easy part. I’ll first list the basics, which are items that are always needed when packing your suitcase (only the item not the quantity) and then I’ll list the extras. Remember keep what you need and ignore what you don’t.

Clothing

Hot Region	Warm Region	Cold Region
Shirts, tank tops, cardigans	Shirt, cardigans	Shirts, sweaters, cardigans
Bras, undershirts	Bras, undershirts	Bras, undershirts
Pants	Pants	Pants
Panties, boxers, briefs	Panties, boxers, briefs	Panties, boxers, briefs
Socks	Socks	Socks
Shorts	Shorts	Snow/rain boots
Skirt	Skirt	Coat
Sandals, sneakers, flats	Sandals, sneakers, flats	Scarves, hats, gloves
Bathing suits, trunks	Bathing suits, trunks
Hoodie, light jacket	hoodie, light jacket

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Traveling to a colder region often means thicker clothing, which equates to fewer items as each item takes up more space

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Bathroom	Technology	Extras
Toothbrush	Portable Charger	Sunglasses
Toothpaste	Converters, adapters	Hat
Mouthwash	Laptop, charger, case	Hair scarves
Deodorant	Camera	Hair Pins, hair ties, comb, brush
Shampoo, conditioner	Debit, credit cards	Umbrella
Pads	Passport	Razors
Medications		Clothes detergent, fabric softener
Wash rag		Nail polish
Towel		Perfume, cologne
Lotion, sunscreen

**Many of the items can be bought on arrival, or if you take them with you to your destination, you can always leave them to create extra space on your way back**

Other Things to Keep In Mind

• If a washer is available to you, not only are you lucky, you can hopefully avoid over packing by washing and reusing clothes.
• Furthermore, having 3 shirts and 3 pants is equal to having 9 outfits. Mixing and Matching is your friend. Over packing by a pound can cost you $50-100 per bag on most airlines.
• Understand the dress code before you go. Some countries, no matter the weather, expect a woman to be fully clothed (little skin showing).
• Equally important, do not be ill-prepared for the weather in your destination location. Some places are prone to having heavier rain or snow than others. Accuweather is a free downloadable weather app that I mentioned in the post Best Free Travel apps in 2017. If you have not already, click here to read about Accuweather, Packpoint, a free downloadable app that provides you a customized packing list, and many other apps that make traveling effortless.
• Build your wardrobe around your planned and expected activities to avoid unnecessary expenses when you arrive. Believe me, if you are going to a place known for its beaches, the bathing suits in the surrounding area will be overpriced. As would snow boots in the mountains, and umbrellas during spring. Save the money, think ahead.

With all this in mind, do not let packing your suitcase be a nightmare. Rather, answer those questions above and make a list. Never forget that each journey is different and there is a learning curve to everything we do. Feel free to share some packing tips and tricks you use when packing your suitcase with all of your fellow Journey-ers below!

Feel free to contact me to request topics or advice at Journeywithlee@gmail.com!