Posted By 
By Billy and Akaisha Kaderli
Special to the Financial Independence Hub
Travelling is challenging enough with all one has to think about: getting the best price on airline tickets, arranging for lodging reservations, and being sure your passport is up-to-date with no expiration in the next six months. Who will watch your home, pets and garden while you are away?
Then there’s packing.
Are you one of those people who packs everything just in case you might need it? Or you pack something because you like it, even if it’s not seasonally appropriate and goes with nothing else in your bag?
The following tips can help you bring order to packing chaos.
1.) Days before you leave, make a list of what you essentially need for your trip and add to that list as you think of items. Then when you pack, you can confidently check off your list instead of relying on memory and being anxious about forgetting something.
2.) When you travel, wear heavy clothes like your jacket on the plane, including your heaviest shoes. Pack lighter footwear in your luggage. Shoes are the heaviest items, so pack fewer of them and make do.
3.) Pack “mix and match” outfits so that everything goes with everything else. Or choose two basic colors like black and white, or navy blue and khaki. Then have all your accessories, scarves, tops, go together with these basic colors. You can have variety without having so many items in your luggage. Plan to use local laundry service or wash out small items in the hotel bathroom.
Don’t put valuables in check-in luggage
4.) Never pack your digital gear, cameras or your valuables in your check-on luggage. Plan to carry them onboard with you to protect them from theft.
5.)If you have pockets or a travel bag, utilize them for small items like your cell phone, your important medicine (so you won’t be without it if your luggage gets lost), some earplugs in case there is a screaming child or a snorer on the plane and an eye mask so you can get shut eye on your trip.
6.) Carry on a little travel food like protein bars, some mixed nuts, and a couple of pieces of chocolate. If you find yourself a bit hungry, you can avoid paying airport pricing and not be starving or lightheaded when you arrive at your destination.
Packing is one of those travel skills you get better at the more you do it. Start out with these travel tips, and perfect them to your style.
Billy and Akaisha Kaderli are recognized retirement experts and internationally published authors on topics of finance and world travel. With the wealth of information they share on their award-winning website RetireEarlyLifestyle.com, they have been helping people achieve their own retirement dreams since 1991. They wrote the popular books, The Adventurer’s Guide to Early Retirement and Your Retirement Dream IS Possible available on their website bookstore or on Amazon.com.
