5 Ways to Stay Organized While Traveling
Our go-to travel essentials that keep us organized—and sane—while traveling
Vacations are supposed to be a time of escape, to relax and be carefree. But there’s nothing that can ruin that bliss like having your suitcase in disarray. That panicked rummage through your carry-on bag for your passport; having to turn around 20 miles into your road trip after realizing you forgot your sneakers—we’ve all been there, and would prefer not to go back. After many years and too many experiences of being stressed on vacation, we picked up some tips on how and what to pack to make our vacations more enjoyable. Here, we’ve narrowed down our top essentials for staying organized while traveling. Read on to find out what they are.
Packing Cubes
Packing cubes are a game changer when it comes to organizing all the clothes on your packing list. They are our secret weapon for not only starting out our trips organized, but staying organized throughout the entire vacation. There are a variety of ways you can use the cubes. You can pack by category, for example—one cube for undergarments, one for t-shirts, one for jeans, etc. You can also pack by outfit so your whole look is easy to find. We also love packing this way when you have multiple stops on your trip—you can just take out the cubes containing the outfits you’re wearing for that stop on the trip and leave everything else in your suitcase. This set from Paravel is a great choice.
Pouches
One of our favorite things about Calin is how we can use our Insert to keep our phone, wallet, and other essentials organized and ready to grab. We love this for keeping us organized on the daily, but it’s also a great strategy when traveling. Just add your hotel room key and you’ll have everything you need. Not only do we keep our everyday items easily accessible using our Insert, but we love using pouches to keep everything besides our clothes organized. We have a pouch for tech items like charges and headphones, a pouch as a toiletries bag, and another for first aid items like band-aids and advil, because you can never be too prepared.
Travel Wallet
While most things are digital these days, there may be a few important documents that you need to keep track of while traveling, like your passport or a boarding pass. Rather than throwing these items loose in your bag, having a designated place to keep everything organized is super helpful. We love this travel wallet from Royce, which can hold your passport, cash, credit cards and any spare documents you may have.
Capsule Wardrobe
Whether you subscribe to a minimalist wardrobe or your closet is stuffed to the brim with options in everyday life, when it comes to travel, packing lightly by sticking to a capsule wardrobe is always a good idea. The key to doing this successfully is narrowing down your clothes to items that can be worn in several different outfits, like a white top that can be worn during the day with jeans, or at night with a silk skirt and heels. Picking items with versatility will help you pack more efficiently and will help you stay organized since you’ll have fewer items. The one exception to this “less-is-more” rule? When it comes to packing handbags, the more the merrier! Our interchangeable Covers make the perfect travel bag since you can bring endless purse options, while barely taking up room in your suitcase.
Laundry Bag
How many times have you stuck your dirty clothes into your suitcase and forgot which ones are clean and which ones are dirty? A much easier solution is to just bring a small laundry bag that you can put all your dirty clothes in. That way, you can keep them separate, and your clothes will feel much more organized and tidy. It may seem like a basic idea, but it really can make you feel so much more organized while on the road. This mesh laundry bag is a great option as it takes up barely any space in your suitcase.
Wherever you end up going, these travel hacks will be sure to make your trip that much better.