Vacation Time? Perfect Packing Secrets

Planning a trip can be lots of fun. Packing for a trip – not so much.

Ellen Paderson, founder of Smiles and Miles Travel (www.smilesandmilestravel.com) based near Boston, Mass., with over 20 years in the travel business, has sent thousands of people of all ages on vacations, cruises, and traditional and destination honeymoons and weddings. She’s visited nearly every Caribbean island and stayed in scores of hotels and resorts. “I only recommend to clients the places I like and that I’d recommend to my own family,” she says.

In addition to ‘where to stay,’ clients often ask their travel maven for packing tips, tricks and secrets. Here are Ellen’s ‘Top 10’:

1. Roll your clothes — Tightly roll most items into compact pieces. Fold stiffer and dressy ones.

2. Use soft-side travel bags (e.g. Packing Cubes ^TM from Eagle Creek) – uses every square inch of your travel bag. Compresses when zipped. Minimize wrinkles, maximizes space.

3.  Inflatable hangers -  for hand laundry; pack with individual packets of Woolite. Vinyl folds small, inflates with a few breaths so you can drip-dry creaselessly.

4. Plane sheets- aircraft seat covers make your seat more comfortable and germ free.

5.  Silk travel blanket — as warm as a regular blanket, yet takes up much less space. Pocket at bottom keeps feet toasty; blanket rolls up and tucks into a 12 x 4″ pouch you can toss in your carry-on.

6. Wet Wipes to sanitize seats and trays on the plane, and for a million other uses in your travels.

7. Sealable plastic bags, different sizes—handy to store snacks, small electronics; keep them safe from the sand and sea.

8. Pack as few clothes as possible. Take a pair of black, beige or white pants and tops that will go with all three colors.

9. Collapsible cooler – pack snacks when out on excursions (can pay for itself in one day!)

10. Comfortable shoes – Try to limit each person to two really comfy pairs.

 

Ellen Paderson knows travel. She’s a member of The Affluent Traveler Collection, a hand-picked, elite group of independent travel advisors. She serves on the Editorial Advisory Board of Travel Market Report, representing leading travel agencies from around the U.S., and last fall was named one of the top 15 travel agencies by the prestigious Network of Entrepreneurs Selling Travel (NEST) consortium representing 500 member agencies.