Last Updated on April 13, 2022
It’s a tedious task, especially when you struggle with OPD (Overpacking Disorder).
One of my all-time favorite movies is “The Wedding Planner”. You know that part where Jennifer Lopez whips open her jacket at a wedding and has everything imaginable that could be used to resolve any situation that she may encounter?
So—because of that movie (jk…well maybe not) — I ended up going to school to get my degree in Meeting & Event Management. I was going to be Jennifer Lopez and be obsessively organized and prepared for any event I encountered.
Well, then I met my husband and had to move to Italy for his job.
On weekends, we had to go explore different places around Europe.
Without being able to have a job in Italy, I’ve had to transition my organized, ready-for-anything “event planner” skillset to traveling.
We travel somewhere new almost every weekend, and let me tell you, if I’m not prepared, I’m stressed to the max!
I initially tried checking my 50lb luggage along with bringing my carry-on and personal item for a weekend trip – the hubby didn’t approve.
Ever since, I’ve had to work on mastering the art of overpacking, but lightly.
When trying to pack, OPD is a tough disorder to overcome, but with these tips and tricks, I’ll have you backpacking around the world!
Write everything down that you plan to pack
Organize your list into a spreadsheet (I like to use Google Sheets so I can access it anywhere) with categories (i.e. toiletries, tops, bottoms, shoes, outerwear, unmentionables, accessories, electronics, chargers, etc).
I know most items seem to be obvious, but it’s so easy to forget simple things.
Having a written list in front of you will make sure you don’t forget a thing!
Cross-examine your list
Make sure every item matches with other items on your list.
For example, make sure your jeans go with multiple tops you’re packing, that each top can match multiple bottoms your packing, and then same with shoes and outerwear. This will ensure you have plenty of outfits.
The Elimination Process
Okay, now what on your list didn’t match with many other items? What on your list is pretty similar to another item on your list?
How many jackets do you actually need? Are you really going to wear those heels on the cobblestone streets of Italy?
Seriously. Take some stuff out.
Time to Pack
This is where packing gets tedious, especially if you’re cramming everything for a long trip into a small suitcase.
…But first, get some Sticky Notes and Rubber Bands
Go out and buy some sticky notes of at least three different colors then go back to your packing list and color coordinate each clothing section with a sticky note color.
Example:
YELLOW = Tops
GREEN = Bottoms
PINK = Outerwear
I know this is excessive, but for a long trip in a crammed suitcase, this seriously works wonders!
Organize all of your clothing categories and make sure there are enough sticky notes of each color for each clothing item in that category.
Now, grab a pen and write a brief description of what each item is. If you want to get fancy, you can label each thing as Y1 (for yellow top 1) and put down what bottoms and outerwear it matches. For instance, Y1 + G3 + P2, Y1 + G1 + P3, etc. You can write down all of the variations that go with each piece of clothing on the sticky or even just on your spreadsheet. Whatever works and makes sense to you.
Once you have everything labeled and assigned to each piece of clothing, roll each item nice and tight. Test out the length of the items to make sure they all fit like puzzle pieces in your suitcase (pants/jeans are the hardest to adjust on size, so I suggest to roll those first).
Once you roll an item, rubber band it so it stays rolled tightly. This will also secure your sticky note onto each item.
Packing cubes? Love them or lose them?
I always used to be against packing cubes. They are great for organization but not for saving space. That is until I found compressible packing cubes.
These, now, do help save space in some scenarios. I still prefer to roll most of my clothing items, but for bulkier items, such as outerwear, or small unrollable items such as socks and undies, compressible packing cubes work great!
I also will sometimes pack my rolled items in here to smoosh them down as much as possible.
Check out Gonex Packing Cubes
Did you pack too much?
This isn’t for you to decide now; your fate is in the hands of the scale.
Don’t let the airport be the place you find out that you packed way too much.
Get yourself a handheld scale, which is also great, easy, and light to travel with to make sure you don’t go overweight. You can find my favorite Handheld Luggage Scale
You made a list, now check it twice!
You’re underweight, you’ve packed only what you need, you’re ready for your trip, right?
But first, go back to your list and physically check off each item. It’s so easy to forget things that you use every day and need to pack right before you go.
Bon Voyage!
Enjoy your trip – hope you saved room for some souvenirs! Check out The Top 10 Skinny Souvenirs you can get while traveling that won’t take up much space.
