Several years ago I flew into Heathrow (London) Airport alone around midnight local time.
Groggy and tired from jet lag, I slowly waited at the baggage claim.
Red, black, blue. Red, black, blue. Red, black, blue. Red, black, blue.
After 30 minutes of watching the same bags go-round the carosel, it dawned on me.
They lost my luggage.
No problem, these things happen and theyll send it tomorrow right?
It took 4 days!
Half of my vacation with only the clothes on my back.
Luckily I found some department stores to buy temporary clothes, deoderant and socks.
But it took 4 days of hourly calls from pay-phones in a foreign city to locate and arrange to receive my luggage.
Never again.
That night, I vowed to never check a bag again.
Here are some tips on how to pack a suitcase, to make sure youll learn from my mistake as well.
Try to carry on
Lets face it, checking bags is a nightmare.
The new costs alone should make passengers run in horror.
But unfortunately its also super common to lose or damage your luggage, especially during layovers.
So it makes sense (and cents) to try and pack everything in a carry-on suitcase.
However according to the FAA, the maximum size carry-on bag for most airlines is 45 linear inches (the total of the height, width, and depth of the bag).
Check the local weather forecast, and try to pack clothes that you can layer for maximum effect.
One nice pair of pants and a light sweaters or jacket can easily be dressed up or down on occasion.
If you need more room, consider carrying on another personal item like a lap-top bag. You can easily fit books, magazines, sandals, or your toiletries in most lap-top bags.
Wear your heavy or bulky clothing
Sometimes the weather sucks, or you want to bring your running shoes. No problem!
If you have to bring shoes or heavy jackets, then wear them on the plane. This will save a lot of room in your suitcase that can be used for other items.
This is also true when you have items that are a weird, bulky shape.
Uggs are great in the winter, but terrible to pack. Luckily theyre great to wear on a plane because theyre easy to slip off and on when going through security.
Roll clothes to maximize space
Instead of folding your items, roll everything you can. This will give you twice the space and still keep your clothes wrinkle free.
This works great with socks, undies, and other small items. But you can also roll shirts, sweaters, and most pants.
You should also make use of open spaces. So make sure you pack the insides of shoes full of stuff. Youll be amazed at how much room this frees up for other items.
If you dont want to roll your nice clothes, then try to have the dry cleaners prepare them for you. That will make sure they travel in perfect shape. Or you can always have them pressed at the hotel when you arrive.
What are some of your tricks?
Let us know in the comments below!
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