HOW TO PACK AN ORGANIZED SUITCASE WHEN YOU TRAVEL

I always try to pack an organized suitcase every time I travel so that my trip goes more smoothly and I don’t forget anything, and today I’m walking you through the method behind my organized packing! Travel, Home Organization- How to Pack an Organized Suitcase When You Travel, suitcase organization, packing cubes, toiletry bag, trip, flying, travelingThis past weekend I had the pleasure of traveling to Seattle, Washington with Delta Faucet to tour the HGTV Dream Home– pinch me!! It was a blast (and I will have a recap up soon!), but it was a super quick trip, so I made a conscious effort to be organized in my packing to make sure my fast turnaround times went smoothly!

Since I know many people will be traveling for the upcoming holidays, I thought I’d share a few of the things that were most helpful for me when I was attempting to pack an organized suitcase! 🙂

1. MAKE A LIST.

I am always more organized when I go in with a plan, so I like to create a list of everything I want to bring with me on my trip. I have done this several different ways in the past. I’m currently liking to make my packing list in Evernote because I always have access to it on my computer and my phone. The list syncs between the two devices, so I can easily add items as I think of them and then use whatever device is most convenient when I’m packing. This also allows me to save a digital copy of my list for future trips.

Sometimes there’s nothing quite like pen and paper, though, so I also have a printable list that I’ve used to pack as well. I will link it below so you can download it if you want to! Travel, Home Organization- How to Pack an Organized Suitcase When You Travel, suitcase organization, packing cubes, toiletry bag, trip, flying, traveling, free printable packing list

For me, the type of trip I’m taking determines how I organize my packing list. If I’m going on a shorter trip with detailed itinerary like I did this weekend, I will plan out specific outfits for each activity and write them on my list.

If I’m going on a longer trip or a vacation with more laid back itinerary, I will organize my list by types of clothing– I list all of my shirts, then all of my shorts, then all of my bathing suits, etc. Your brain may work totally differently than mine! Make the type of list that makes the most sense to YOU, but definitely have a plan going into your packing.

Along with listing the clothes, toiletries, and other items I want to bring, I am always sure to designate the “last minute” items on my list. These are things like makeup and phone chargers that I will need to use right before we leave, so I want to make sure I don’t forget to pack them up before I go!

2. GRAB YOUR PACKING PIECES

Once I have made my list, I gather all of the packing pieces I’ll need. My suitcase is nothing fancy (I have this set.), but I do like that the one side zips up to hold my items in place. Travel, Home Organization- How to Pack an Organized Suitcase When You Travel, suitcase organization, packing cubes, toiletry bag, trip, flying, traveling, suitcase organization

I also use these packing cubes to help separate the different types of items I’m taking with me so my suitcase stays neat and tidy. Finally, I have this travel toiletry bag that I’ve brought on every trip with me for 15 years! They still make one that is almost exactly the same, and it is a huge help when it comes to staying organized while I’m traveling.

3. PACK UP THE TOILETRY BAG

My toiletry bag is fairly easy to pack up because I leave it stocked with a bunch of the basic items I take with me every time I travel: travel sized shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant, razor, nail file, and makeup remover wipes are in the bag at all times. Things that I worry about spilling, like shampoo and conditioner, I keep in plastic bags within my toiletry bag. I reuse the same bags over and over unless something actually spills in them.

Since so many of my items stay in the bag, I only have to add in a few items like my straightener, my makeup and a mirror, my toothbrush, and other trip-specific toiletries like sunscreen or bug spray. Depending on personal preferences, you could keep more items or less items stocked in the bag and ready to go.

I always pack my toiletry bag in the zippered portion of my suitcase so that it can be held more firmly in place.

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ling, suitcase organization, L.L. Bean Traveler Toiletry Bag, suitcase packed with travel items

4. FILL THE PACKING CUBES

Next it’s time to fill up my packing cubes! The way I pack my cubes depends on the way I organized my packing list. If it’s a short trip with a specific itinerary and I have specific outfits planned, I keep similar types of outfits together in a cube. For the trip I took this past weekend, for example, I packed my nicer outfits for evening dinners in one cube, and the more casual outfits for during the day in another cube. Since undergarments can generally go with any outfit, I put them all in a separate cube together. Pajamas and loungewear or workout clothes also went in a separate cube together.

If it’s a trip or vacation with a non-specific itinerary, I will pack the cubes by type of clothing item, so tops in one cube, shorts in another, etc.

A note on shoes: For my shorter trip this past weekend, I wanted to pack on the lighter side, so I planned my outfits around one pair of shoes, which was the pair I wore on the plane as well. I also took a pair of flip flops to wear just around in the hotel, which you can see in the video in the cube with my PJs in the shot where all of the cubes are sitting open on the bench. On longer trips where I need more pairs, I will have a separate cube just for shoes. I can often stack that cube underneath another one, or if I really run out of room, I will move up to my larger suitcase. (The one shown here is the smaller of the two in my set.)

5. MAKE A PLAN FOR LAUNDRY

I always try to have a plan for dealing with dirty laundry while I’m on my trip. If possible, I like to unload my clothes into drawers when I arrive at my destination and designate one of my larger packing cubes for laundry.

If unpacking the cubes isn’t possible and I need to use the cubes to hold my clothes while on the trip, I try to have an extra cube (which folds flat and takes up virtually no space) along for laundry. If it’s a long trip and there will be a ton of laundry, our family usually designates one person’s suitcase for alllllll of the laundry. No matter which method we use, the goal is that at the end of the trip, all of the clean clothes are in one spot and all of the dirty clothes are in another spot so that when we get home, it’s easy to throw the dirty clothes in the washing machine and put away the clean clothes in our drawers.

Travel, Home Organization- How to Pack an Organized Suitcase When You Travel, suitcase organization, packing cubes, toiletry bag, trip, flying, traveling, suitcase organization tips and tricks Depending on the destination and resources available, my favorite laundry situation was when we went on vacation this past summer and had a washer and dryer right in the little place where we stayed. I was able to wash everything before we left, and came home with suitcases full of clean clothes that I could just unload right back into our drawers and closets.

So that’s my packing system! Going in with a plan and being intentional about the way I pack helps my trip go more smoothly, and my scatterbrained self can be confident that I’m not forgetting anything! Organized packing also makes transitioning back home much easier, so when I managed to stay organized with my packing, I’m always thanking myself at the end of the trip.

I know there are several different ways to pack effectively for trips and vacations, so I’d love to hear your strategies and tips in the comments!