Packing for Vacation

Every January, when the weather is especially dreary, Matt and I start dreaming of summer vacation.  We always have the same debates – where to go, what to do, what would entertain Gray.  When Gray was little, we would just drag him along wherever we wanted to go.  Now, at the ripe old age of 8, he has opinions.  Two summers ago, we visited Williamsburg, Monticello, and Mount Vernon.  At one point he asked, “How many more old houses do we have to visit?”

So we are trying to make vacation more Gray friendly.  That typically means some sort of beach-y, water-filled adventure.  But this year, we’ve decided to go on an Alaskan cruise.  That means I’ve got to pack a lot of stuff into one bag and make sure it doesn’t go over 50 pounds.  Yikes.  Now, I’m certain that I’ve mentioned my tendency to over pack.  I’m also sure that I’ve mentioned how fastidious I am about the condition of my clothes.  My husband travels – a lot, and he recently taught me something about arriving with wrinkle free garments.

Under normal circumstances, we tell you to remove your garments from our plastic poly bags as soon as you get home.  But there is one exception to that rule – vacation!  Did you know that our plastic poly bags are the perfect cure for packing wrinkles?  Here’s how – the plastic traps air around the garment, which hinders wrinkling – even in tightly packed suitcases.  So if you are heading out on vacation and need to pack both casual clothing and evening wear, here are a few tips:

• Roll jeans, shorts, and t-shirts and line them in the bottom of your suitcase.
• Place your delicate items – suit jackets, trousers, dress shirts, skirts, blouses, dresses – in their own poly bags. Lay those items out and fold them.  For instance, on the jacket, button it, put it inside the bag, lay it out flat, fold it in half length-wise, and then fold it in half again the opposite direction so that it is ¼ of its original size.
• Neckties should either be put in a tie carrier or roll them up, place them in Ziploc bags, and then inside your packed shoes.
• Pack your more delicate items in the center of your suitcase, avoiding the edges.
• Pack other rolled items on top of your more delicate items to create a cushion.
• While it is bad to over pack, it is also bad to under pack.  Empty spaces allow clothes to shift around.
• Tuck your shoes and toiletries (remember to put those in plastic bags) around the edges of your suitcase.

When you arrive at your destination, be sure to unpack your bag and hang your more delicate items.  If there are a few wrinkles, you can always hang the items in the bathroom for about 10 minutes with the shower on hot so that it creates plenty of steam.  Now pack those bags and enjoy your vacation.