Welcome to our Travel Packing Tips page!

This is a topic that John and I are extremely interested in, and we spend a lot of time and effort to travel as lightly and practically as possible. This is because we want to spend LESS time at the airport, and MORE time at our destination.

We want to spend LESS time in lines or in baggage inspections, and MORE time enjoying our resort vacation destinations.

Make sense?

John is truly the master when it comes to packing logistics. He has this amazing “spatial” ability – and we are going to do our best to give you the travel packing tips that have been working very well for us for the last 15 years we’ve been traveling together.

THE OVERALL KING OF THE TRAVEL PACKING TIPS:

The overall message we are going to be spreading here is this: “Pack as lightly as possible.”

This is not what a lot of people want to hear - and frankly, from some of the fascinating blogs I've been reading (I especially enjoy www.CrankyFlier.com), a lot of people are angry over the fees some airlines are now charging for checked bags. Some of the people who commented were on the same "pack lightly" page that we are. Many others were not.

So, if you are not one of those who are interested in packing more lightly, this page is probably not going to be very helpful unless your wallet is beginning to hurt as a result of checked bag fees, and want to start thinking about packing more lightly! :)

A lot of people really want to hear how we can help them jam 5 beach covers, their hair products, 6 pair of shoes, 10 dresses and suits into a garment bag and then try to persuade the folks at Southwest Airlines that it really is a “carry on.”

Sorry! No can do… Having been at the mercy of such travelers, we just cannot advocate for this type of excessive travel packing. HOWEVER, I believe that we CAN help you trim down the amount of “stuff” you currently feel you simply MUST bring on vacation, and not feel deprived.

Here is something most people overlook, but knowing the answer to this question can save you a lot of time and weight when packing. Always ask: “Does the resort have a laundry facility in the condo unit or at least on the premises.”

This is one of the FIRST THINGS we look at when we are booking a vacation. If our condo has a washer and dryer, we are as good as done packing. No need to bring 7 pair of underwear and socks when you can pop a load into the laundry every next day or so, right?

At some point, you will need to weigh “convenience” versus “cost” when it comes to packing light. We alluded to this above (re: dive equipment). For example, if you were taking a ski vacation, is it easier and more cost effective for you to pack your own ski equipment? Or, can you equally enjoy your vacation and not spent a lot of money to rent while at the mountain? Some skiers have said that they far prefer bringing their own gear, and don’t mind the inconvenience of checking it in or gathering it at baggage claim. It’s worth it to them once they are actually at their destination.

But, for others – such as myself who really must be considered a novice skier – because I have no “feel” for any particular skis or boots, and probably wouldn’t spend more than a few hours at a time skiing to begin with, I would prefer to rent, welcoming the expense over the savings of having brought my own gear.

On the other hand, let’s say that the only thing getting in your way of traveling with a single hand-carry versus needing an additional checked bag are a couple 12-oz or 16-oz bottles of contact lens solutions, shampoo, and shower gel. In that case (and I’m speaking only for myself here), I would far prefer to spend the money on the toiletries once I’m at my destination than check a bag. To me, being able to get out of the airport and into my rental car within 10 minutes of landing far outweigh the need to lug around extra luggage.

But again… that’s just me!

Below are pages that include some of our travel packing tips. We'll add more as we go along!

=> Travel Packing Tip #1 - The Luggage

=> Travel Packing Tip #2 - Dressing for the Trip