Week 14 & 15: The 5 Basic Steps of Packing (Or, "Packing for Idiots")

While most of my friends gallop off into the sunset for vacations at the beach, I'll just sit here and type an article on a more easy way to pack neatly. And cry. And watch Mad Men. And wish I was elsewhere....

So! Here we go:

The easy way to packing can artfully be condensed to 5 simple steps.

First you must have clean laundry. Essentially, you want both your whites and darks separated at the beginning of the laundry cycle process so colors won’t run and you have a quicker way of finding just the items you need to pack.

Once your laundry is completed, fold it entirely. Except for socks or panties unless your the Laundry Nazi. Fold shirts, shorts, and pants by folding in half (long ways or short ways depending on the item) and stack in neat piles, preferably on a top of a couch like most Americans do. As long as pets/little kids/dust bunnies keep off, your piles will stay organized. Usually.

Now get out your bag or luggage. Unfold or unzip all compartments. Starting with your clothes, pick out the items you wish to pack. Lay out shirts, pants, underwear, socks, hats, and lastly, shoes. Shoes should be packed in a separate bag than your clothing, due to the fact they might have grass, dirt, or grime on them and unless you want a dirt-mark the size of Wisconsin on your new white shirt, I’d suggest putting your trusty sneakers in their own carrier. Trust me on this.

Next, roll up folded shirts into rolls. This conserves space and doesn’t wrinkle them too bad as long as you unpack them as soon as you get to your destination. Put the rolls of shirts in the bottom of your luggage in neat rows. A normal sized bag can hold two rows of 6 or more shirts if folded properly. Do the same for the pants and place the obviously larger rolls of pantaloons on top of the shirts. Tuck in underwear and socks on the sides of the other clothes in the small spaces on the sides of your suitcase; unless you iron your underwear, no one’s gonna see the wrinkly undies. This method is very efficient so don’t worry.

Lastly, add your shower stuff, shaving kit, bath bags, electronics, swim gear, snacks or anything you wish to take with you on top of your clothes. Your personal items are safely and neatly ready for your journey.

Bon voyage! 

In jest,