It doesn’t matter if it’s two days or ten. It doesn’t matter if the destination is the beach or the mountains. When it comes to luggage, there’s always that feeling of “is it enough?”. This week I spoke to two Personal Organizers about their top tips for organizing your suitcase and dispelling this insecurity once and for all.
1 – First step: planning
To plan your suitcase, you need to have some basic information about your destination, such as your means of transportation, the tours you’ll be taking, whether you’ll need special clothes such as swimwear or ski clothes and, of course, the weather forecast. Then keep in mind the number of days you’ll be traveling, including the transfer, which can take more than 24 hours. You also need to know the means of transport so you know if there are any rules on the quantity, volume and weight of luggage and what to take in your hand luggage. In the case of air travel, it’s always a good idea to check the airline’s rules on baggage allowance and also the safety rules of the destination country or even safety rules for domestic flights.
Personal Organizer Camila Assis points out: “Never get carried away when organizing your suitcase and pick up random items without any planning. Pieces that you rarely use certainly won’t be your favorites during a moment of leisure and fun. Use and abuse wildcard pieces that are practical, versatile and match your style of dress.”
In this sense, Personal Organizer Natália Tófani says: “If you take clothes that have been stored away for a long time due to lack of use, it’s almost certain that they won’t be worn on the trip either”. She also recommends neutral shades of clothing to wear with other combinations and accessories to change up the look.
Camila also recommends choosing fabrics that don’t wrinkle much or that are easy to wash. She says to check out the laundry options in the place you’re staying if you’re going to spend more time there.
2 – Sequence when packing
Don’t think that all you need is a list in your hand and everything in your suitcase. An orderly packing is essential to make things easier during and after your trip.
According to Camila, the ideal is to first check that the zippers and seams of the suitcase are in good condition. In addition, there are suitcases recommended for specific trips such as international air travel and sports and adventure trips. Once this is done, you should first place heavy clothes at the bottom of the suitcase. On top, put the items that can crease or wrinkle the most and fill the sides with shoes and toiletries and beauty products. Underwear can be put in bags and also placed on the side of the suitcase.
Unlike Camila, Natália recommends putting shoes first. “If it’s a wheeled suitcase, the ideal is for them to fit between the irons to save even more space”. Inside the shoes, she says to put small items such as socks or bikinis to prevent them from wrinkling. Coats and jeans go in after the shoes.
Natália also says that you can put together an outfit for each day or take pieces that go together. “The ideal would be for each piece to be combined with three other pieces so that you don’t just wear it once during the trip, and to use accessories to change up the look (scarves, cords, etc.).”
3 – Shoes and bags: comfort, no excesses and a trick for storing them
For shoes, the tip is to choose options that go with the majority of outfits and pieces worn. “Shoes should be comfortable, versatile and already worn. Don’t debut a new shoe on your trip!” warns Camila.
She says that the ideal is to take the style of shoe that you already wear and that is already adapted to your feet. “Shoes are the items that take up the most space in your suitcase, so you need to be assertive when choosing them.”
To store them in the suitcase, Camila recommends using TNT bags (the kind that come with shoes when you buy them) or a shoe bag. However, she points out that organizing products can take up a lot of space in your luggage.
Natália says that if you don’t have TNT bags, you can use disposable hair caps and wrap the shoes. But she points out: “First of all, they should be transported clean and stored in reverse.
As for bags, Camila opts for versatile and practical options. “Preferably choose a single bag that will accompany you throughout the trip, including the transfer.” If you’re taking an extra bag, the TNT or velvet bag tip is also valid.
4 – No unpleasant surprises with burst toiletries in your suitcase
Natália is categorical about personal hygiene items. “Try to take only the necessary hygiene items. Don’t take products that you don’t usually use and pay attention to items that are essential for the climate and the place (sunscreen, insect repellent, etc.).”
Camila recommends assessing whether you need to take the products with you or whether you can buy them at your destination. She advises that if you do choose to take them with you, it’s best to use smaller packaging or transfer the contents of the product to its own travel containers. “If you’re going to use the original packaging, make sure it’s tightly closed and use a sealing tape to seal the lid, just in case.”
Natália also advises using plastic wrap and adhesive tape to prevent leaks and if you are taking these items in hand luggage, you should observe the airline’s rules and, if applicable, customs rules. “You may need the product’s original packaging. If this is the case, try to take a used product, preferably one that is nearing its end but can be used during the trip. That way it can be disposed of on the way back.”
5 – No one deserves a tangled chain
And when we come across a tangle of chains and bracelets in that bag of costume jewelry? Lots of patience!
Against this, Camila advises carrying them in their own boxes or nécessaires. Chains and bracelets that tend to get tangled, she recommends carrying in separate bags or compartments. “Also remember to always carry them buttoned up,” she adds.
Natália advises using a plastic straw for each necklace. She explains that you put the straw inside the necklace as if it were a pendant.
6 – Wildcard items
Who doesn’t like a wildcard item? Camila considers cold-weather jackets to be a wildcard item: “Go for jeans or denim jackets, which are not only versatile but also practical and easy to combine.” As for shoes, she recommends white or black sneakers as a wildcard item. Another item she likes is a scarf or pashmina: “As well as completing the look, they can be used to protect against the wind.
But she warns: “Avoid light pieces (such as white and beige) which, although they are pretty, won’t allow you to repeat the look more often.”
Natália considers neutral pieces that go well with each other and accessories to give the feeling of different looks.
7 – Smell of dying: never again!
Have you ever stopped going to the pool or the beach on the day of your return because you were afraid your clothes would smell in your suitcase or even get moldy? Camila recommends opting for waterproof bags to store wet clothes. However, she warns: “If you’re going to reuse bags or market bags, make sure they don’t stain your clothes with the ink that leaches out of the packaging itself”.
Natália notes that the important thing is to remove as much excess water as possible from the clothes and put them in folded towels. And the towels in turn in their own bags or plastic bags. She recommends placing them on top of the suitcase so that they can be removed as quickly as possible when you get home.
8 – The same jacket, but a different look every day
When the destination has low temperatures, the watchword is minimalism. Camila recommends: “You usually invest in a good, single cold coat and complement it with other layers of clothing, such as a second skin and a windbreaker”. But to avoid appearing in all the photos with the same look, she advises: “Dark pieces can be combined with colorful hats and scarves”.
For storage, she explains that the ideal is to fold the jacket with the sleeves inside and, if possible, use vacuum bags to reduce the volume inside the luggage.
Camila also advises the possibility of renting heavier winter clothing at the destination, “especially in places with snow and that offer skiing”.
9 – What to pack and what not to pack
Can you imagine if you checked in something that you couldn’t possibly misplace? So what you take in your hand luggage needs to be thought out and planned too.
Camila recommends taking heavier items such as shoes, personal hygiene items, coats, pants, blouses, underwear, pyjamas and other non-valuable items that won’t be used during the journey in checked luggage. Hand luggage should include valuable items such as jewelry and electronics, documents and a kit of extra clothes in case the checked bag is lost. She recommends taking a jacket. “Always observe the airline’s allowance for hand luggage, including the dimensions allowed,” she advises.
Natália lists the following items for hand luggage: documents and printed information about the flight and accommodation, a cell phone charger, a universal plug adapter, headphones, socks, gloves and a hat (if you’re going somewhere colder) as well as a heavier coat if you’re going somewhere with cold temperatures.
Like Camila, Natália says it’s important to have at least one change of clothes in case of accidents or lost luggage. She also mentions: toothbrush and toothpaste, hairbrush, routine medicines, mini soaps, hand sanitizer, basic personal hygiene items (up to 100 ml), cell phone and camera, water bottle (to be filled only after the x-ray, books and/or magazines, candies and gum and a pen.
10 – Time to return and the suitcase seems to have multiplied
If you’ve never felt desperate when packing your suitcase, you don’t know what it’s like to regret not having played lego as a child.
Camila says that you have to think about this at the beginning, when you start organizing your luggage. She also recommends never using the suitcase extender on the outward journey. “Always leave this extra compartment for the return trip”. Another tip is to plan your shopping before you go and avoid items that will make the journey back difficult.
She recommends folding clothes carefully, even if they are dirty. And the golden tip is: “Take the opportunity to fill shoes and empty spaces with dirty clothes. You can work miracles with this tip”.
Extra tips, but no less important
Camila uses trunks or bags to organize the items in her suitcase by category. But always observing the rules of weight and volume. “Go for bags made of lightweight materials such as nylon and TNT”. She also recommends avoiding excess items that you don’t usually wear. “Nobody wants to feel uncomfortable when they’re out and about, do they?” Make-up and cosmetics, she says, should not be overdone, as well as jewelry and accessories. “Assess whether it’s worth taking the whole dressing table”.
In addition to what Camila has already said, Natália advises weighing your suitcase before going to the airport to avoid unforeseen circumstances. She also says to take a spare padlock in case of unforeseen circumstances.
Camila says that the destination of your trip will dictate the profile of your luggage. She concludes: “A well-organized suitcase will help you during and after your trip. Think that your luggage should go back and forth with you. Therefore, what you take in excess and unnecessarily can compromise the final volume of the return trip.”
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