If there is one time in your life of packing you can not afford to forget something, it is on an international flight. Be prepared to handle any traveling Snafus with these 3 packing tips!
#1 Make A List
The key essential to packing well and efficiently is making a list. This list is not going to come off the top of your head however, the more research and effort you put into writing it, the better off you are going to be. For example the weather is going to play a huge factor in all items you pack, you are not going to pack the same headed to Ocho Rios, Jamaica as you would headed to Moscow. Another factor is the duration of the journey, most of the time you wont need 5 suitcases for a 3 day trip.
#2 Research your destination
Looking into anything from clean drinking water to voltage and plug-in systems is vital to a successful trip. The more you know about your surrounding environment the better. It sounds elementary but topics such as what language is most prevalent are commonly forgotten. For example in the UK there are so many different languages spoken by bordering countries that it is easy to be caught off guard if someone in Italy is speaking German or French. Always remember to have an App on your phone to translate or at the very least a translation book to communicate.
#3 Check the Airline and use Space Bags
You always want to make sure to check how much your bags can weight and how many you can bring on the international flight. Standard rates usually include two free 50-pound bags but better safe than sorry. Also I highly encourage the use of Space Bags, yes the space bags from the infomercials. These allow you to put your clothing and pillows into a vacuum sealed bag, vastly reducing the amount of space taken up. I’ve fit over 35 jackets and 2 large pillows in one Space Bag. You can find these in a lot retail stores and are more of a help than you can imagine when trying to save room.
While this list is certainly not the know all be all of what you need before an International adventure it can help you in critical situations. Remember to always write a list, research your destination, check airline rules/pricing, and use Space Bags!