Anyone out there tell me how I can pack for going overseas??

Question

I want to know if anyone can help me prioritize my suitcase to pack. I have so many clothes and I wanted to take one suitcase but it came out three. Is there a secret way to get the most in one bag?
Im going to Cyprus, east meditteranean, The Greek side. What can I take and what products I should leave behind?

Answer 1

Folding is key, and fold them in the order you will need them. i.e. one pants, shirt, socks, etc. all together, so you can pull out a small bundle each day of what you need. Do not pack books, magazines, etc as they just add weight.

A few tips:

a) make a xerox copy of your passport page with the all the details. Keep it separate from your passport and safe. If you can, scan your passport page 1 into an image and email yourself that file. If you lose your passport, having this copy can make getting a new passport easier.

b) consider double wearing certain items. A pair of pants for more than one or two days. Have one pair for the flight over and use the same pair on the flight back.

c) Plan on one pair of shoes if possible, or a pair of shoes that goes with as many outfits as possible. Extra socks and small things fit in the shoes.

d) Go disposable. Do you have ratty old undershirts and underwear, night clothes? Consider taking them, and when you are done with it, just throw it away. Gives you loads of space on the way back.

e) Take two bags, but you should be only about 75% packed, so you have room for dirty stuff on the way home, plus trinkets.

f) If you underpack, you can always send out a pair of clothes to the hotel laundry (expensive) or buy something new while on travel and wear it.

Personally, I think underpacking is easier than overpacking.

Answer 2

I'd suggest rolling your clothes into very tight rolls. For instance, I lay my shirts out flat on my bed, fold them in half or in thirds lengthways. Have a friend hold one side down (I've used my foot when I'm by myself), pull on the other end and roll it up tightly. You might want to put a rubberband around the item to keep it snug.

You save an amazing amount of space this way. Experiment with standing the rolls up or lying them down in the suitcase to see which works best for your suitcase.

Also, pack shoes full of small items--underwear and socks rolled tightly work for this.

One more tip: if you're like me, you'll take a lot more than you need. Try to really pare down and pack far less than you think you'll need. Remember you can almost always find someone to launder your clothes cheaply and that's far easier than packing a whole bunch of stuff you don't end up using.

Answer 3

The secret is all about how you fold. Keep your clothes either folded out ask much as you can or fold them up as small as you can. Also how long do you plan on being there....3 suitcases could mean either your going to be there awhile or you've packed way to much. Also make sure you pack some warm weather clothes, The Medeteranian tends to be a bit more nippy than we are used to at least at night.

Answer 4

This is the advice I give all my friends:

Take all of the clothing you are thinking of packing and lay it out on your bed, along with all of the money you are bringing.

Now pack half the clothing and twice the money.

Less hassle to lug around a smaller suitcase, and the extra money will allow you to purchase cool new items to wear in place of the usual tacky souvenirs.

As for the clothing, try to take neutrals and blacks that travel well and are wrinkle free. A pair of jeans, a pair of dress pants/khakis, a couple of basic but stylish tops, and one dressy outfit for a night on the town. You can mix and match and dress these up with great jewelry and accessories that take up very little room.

Answer 5

depends how long you going for - beach holiday, maybe?

sneakers - wear when travel
sandals - pack
x1 long skirt in case you visit churches etc
x1 long sleeve top
x1 sweater
x1 long pants
x1 shorts
couple t-shirts
couple sleeveless
x1 short skirt
sarong
swimwear
underwear
toiletries

this is still probaly more than you will wear but will fit easily in suitcase, small bottles toiletries (in hold luggage!!) and a little laundry detergent. remember you can always buy more stuff, but it's hard to throw things out. make sure your bag isnt stuffed full so you have space for the things you want to buy, and it is always harder to pack to return - i think things grow in size during the holiday!!

rolling is a good way of packing, or folding to uniform size in a suitcase

Answer 6

you need a LOT less than you'd think. a medium-size suite case should hold what you need, plus maybe a backpack. Rick Steves' travel guides have great packing tips.

Answer 7

We always tell people to pack light.... if you forget something, you'll be able to get it there. Here is our basic packing list with the" amenities and necessities" we generally take: http://www.mousetourstravels.com/basic-packing-list.html Don't forget that you need to pack with today's security alerts in mind: http://www.mousetourstravels.com/travel-security-alert-packing-guide.html

Happy travels... even if you don't travel the world... just remember that life is a journey... embrace and enjoy it! http://www.mousetourstravels.com