How can we prepare for any eventuality without weighing down our suitcase? And how to place all this in an efficient way? Our best tips.
Clothes that travel well
- We select pieces of neutral colors, easy to arrange. We prefer dark colors (brown, gray, black) and prints: any stains will be less apparent there than on plain pale.
- Several light sweaters are better than one big one: if it’s cool, you can layer them, and you have more layout possibilities.
- We choose versatile pieces that can be worn in several ways: skirt with elastic band that can be transformed into a bustier dress, tube tops that can also be used as skirts, yoga set that can be used as pajamas, large scarf that can be transformed into a sarong, etc.
- We prefer synthetic fibers such as polyester, acrylic, lace, nylon, elastane (lycra, spandex). They are wrinkle-resistant and their drying time is quick if they need to be washed during travel. Outdoor stores offer a huge selection of clothing with practical holiday features (UV protection, plenty of pockets, inside zippered passport pocket…).
- Instead of bringing our favorite pieces, we drag a few clothes that we hardly wear anymore: by giving them away when we return, we will have more room for our vacation memories.
- Do we think we have everything we need? We align everything on the bed and we apply the golden rule of frequent travellers: we try to eliminate half of it!
Step by step: How to pack
There are probably as many methods as there are travelers, but here is one that has proven itself.
If you bring a jacket, chic blouses or particularly creasable long skirts, place them flat at the bottom of the suitcase, interspersing them with covers recovered from the cleaners: the fabrics will slip on them and will never be in place long enough. place to be puckered! For the folding, at first, we let the ends stick out (sleeves and legs), we place our other effects in the middle, then we fold the ends inwards.
To prevent the shoes from deforming, while maximizing space, we insert socks before slipping them into a plastic bag so that the soles do not soil our clothes. They are placed on the sides and in the corners of the suitcase.
We place heavy and not very fragile objects (books, magazines, hair dryer, etc.) at the bottom, on the side of the hinges: the suitcase will hold better in balance.
To avoid damage, we start by removing the air from our liquid cosmetics and hair products (we squeeze the bottle and close it quickly), slip them into airtight plastic bags (Ziploc type) and place them either side of the bag.
Fragile objects should be as central as possible, well protected by clothing all around. If you have space, you can wrap them in a towel.
Instead of folding the clothes, we roll them very tightly (like rolling a newspaper). It’s a proven technique to save space. The fabrics will also be less wrinkled, especially if care has been taken to roll several pieces together (which widens the diameter of the roll).
Are we dragging several electronic devices? We reduce the amount of wires by getting a universal charger (we slip it into a pair of shoes).
Once our large pieces are placed, we use the small items (underwear, scarves) to fill in the gaps.
The belts are placed in the outline of the suitcase.
What not to pack
Bulky pieces: coat, walking shoes… Better to wear them and make them our transit clothes.
Anything valuable or fragile: money, jewellery, glasses, camera, medication (clearly identified, with prescription), our keys and any other valuable item. They are reserved for hand luggage.
As it happens that luggage gets lost along the way, we provide in our hand luggage the necessary to hold on for 24 hours: spare underwear, toothbrush, antiperspirant, etc.
If you want to have liquid products with you (creams, perfume, toothpaste), they must be in individual containers of 100 ml or less, in a transparent plastic bag of less than 1 L. You can get products in travel size at the pharmacy, pouring our favorite products into small bottles or even dragging trial sizes of products we received. For a complete list of restrictions on the contents of the suitcase and carry-on baggage, consult the website of the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority.
Trick
Arrived at destination, we immediately hang up our clothes to relax the fabrics. If, despite our precautions, some pieces are creased on arrival, we hang them up in the bathroom: the ambient humidity will reduce the creases.
Show me your suitcase, I’ll tell you where you’re going
LONG WEEK-END
These short getaways generally have a specific objective: golf, spa, business… To make the most of the activities on the schedule, bring only what you need to practice them during your stay.
Ideal suitcase: 22-inch hand-held model that you can take with you in the cabin, thus avoiding wasting time at the airport.
A WEEK IN THE SOUTH
As we will be doing a lot of beach, we can reduce the clothes to the strict minimum:
☐ 2 or 3 swimsuits (one will always be dry)
☐ 2 Bermuda shorts, shorts or skirts
☐ 1 light dress (chic enough for restaurants and outings in town)
☐ 3 or 4 light sweaters
☐ 1 jacket for evenings fresh
☐ 1 pair of beach sandals
☐ 1 pair of sandals or walking shoes
☐ 7 underwear
☐ 1 or 2 hats
Ideal suitcase: 26” size; it’s the most popular, perfect for stuffing your clothes in for a week.
THREE WEEKS IN EUROPE
We bring the same amount of clothes as for a week-long trip, planning to do laundry and possibly buy some clothes:
☐ 1 pair of jeans
☐ 2 travel pants
☐ 1 skirt, dress or dress pants
(for dining out)
☐ 5 light sweaters
☐ 2 sweaters or jackets
☐ 1 pair of walking shoes
☐ 1 pair of dress shoes
☐ 1 coat suitable for the season
☐ 1 bathing suit (several
hotels have a swimming pool)
☐ 1 pair of flip-flops (for the pool
or as indoor shoes)
☐ 7 underwear and pairs of stockings
☐ 1 hat
Ideal suitcase: 29-inch format, a little more generous, which can accommodate warmer clothes and bring back memories.