My Approach to Packing
Approach to Packing
For packing, I generally try to keep to a less is more policy. I can almost always pick up something if need be, but carrying around
Packing Gear
Packing and how you pack has a big impact on a trip. Being able to quickly get to things and efficiently using space in my bags is a big must for me. There are few things that I use constantly and some that I use only for certain trips. I am a huge fan of using packing cubes, a toiletry bag, a bag for electronic cords, and a laundry bag. Yeah, a freaking laundry bag.
Packing Cubes
At first I thought packing cubes were kind of dumb and going to be a waste of money. It seemed unnecessary and a bit silly to me. I am an adult, I can pack things. It is a skill I have developed over the years. Eventually, I caved and bought a set from Shacke Pak out of what really amounted to curiosity. I got them in black because I am smart and being black makes them only slightly harder to find in my black bags and I like a challenge. Since getting them, packing cubes have been an every trip use and something I happily give as underwhelming presents to people and highly recommend. I bought a simple set that had a few smaller cubes, two medium sized ones, and a large one. I don’t use them all.
I tend to use three cubes. The big one to carry shirts and on occasion a hoodie. It generally fits a typical hoodie and about four shirts all rolled up separately. Sometimes I do use an extra medium sized cube and pack my gnarly lined hoodie I take for trips to places that are cold. It generally fits all by its lonesome.
Next, I use a medium sized cube to pack two to three pairs of pants and usually either a swim suit or pair of shorts to sleep in. These get rolled up and can fit fairly easily with a bit of room to spare.
Finally, I use a smaller cube to have four or five pairs of boxer shorts and usually three or four pairs of ankle wool socks or two to three pairs of calf socks.
If I’m going on a shorter trip, like a two to three day weekend trip, I may condense everything into two smaller cubes.
Figuring out what worked best for me took a few trips.
Toiletry Bag
I keep a single toiletry bag from Bellroy that I keep separate from what I use at home. It was a bit pricey, but is nice and sturdy and has a heavy zipper that I like.
This bag has got all the typical stuff in it. Deodorent, razor, a small tube of shaving gel, a small tube of toothpaste, a toothbrush, any med bottles I need, and some cotton swabs for those moments when I want to get ocean water out of my ears. I do admit to being a bit of a primadonna when it comes to my toothbrush and always bring an electric toothbrush and its charger. So fancy!
Electronics Bag
I have a Bellroy bag I use for electronics. Like my toiletry bag, it is a bit pricey, but I swear by it. It has a magnaetic divider that keeps things in its place and easily fits a lot of cords. Like the toiletry bag, it has a heavy zipper and is made of sturdy material.
For gear, I generally have an Apple Watch charging cord, two USB-3 cords, and a laptop power cord. I can fit all those, a wall outlet charger that will allow for the two USB-3 cords and a normal USB cord, an airpods case, and the laptop outlet charger. If travelling internationally, I will also put on or two all-in-one power converters in the bag as well.
I do tend to lug around a battery pack as well but it is kind of hoss and will not fit in this bag.
Laundry Bag
I know you were waiting specifically for this one. Putting clothes in the laundry bag keeps me knowing what is clean and what needs to be washed and helps separate things out when going from one city to another on a multi-leg trip. Additionally, on a shorter trip where I do not have access to a washing machine, it is convenient to just lug the laundry bag full back home and dump the clothes into the washer once I am home. I use a normal nylon draw string bag.
This is my life, recommending the use of laundry bags for internet randos.
Sleep Mask and Ear Plugs
One thing I picked up on a trip from my brother was the use of a sleeping mask and ear plugs. We were staying in Berlin and it was a bit noisy. He offered a pair of ear plugs after the second night there and I slept a lot better. I noticed he was using a sleep mask and had a spare. Between the two, my sleep greatly improved.
I use a MZoo sleep mask and Mack’s ear plugs. The mask is comfortable and the ear plugs equally so. I particularly am a fan of the ear plugs.
On long over night flights, I will break the sleeping mask and ear plugs out and make a best attempt to sleep through the flight. I generally have a hard time sleeping on flights, but these help a lot. The pairing has let me catch some sleep on flights and done wonders for sleep on trips in general. I highly recommend both.
Final Thoughts
Again, I think packing can make or break a trip. I put a decent amount of energy into making choices on what I am packing and how. It has been a decent amount of trial and error for me. I have several other bags that I have used but generally do not use any more. I will likely go over them in the future. You can laugh at my unwillingness to let them go at that point. I will certainly pack an extra bag at times when I am going somewhere and expect to be coming home with things I pick up on the trip.