What is your favorite packing tip?

I also highly recommend Packing Cubes (I use the Eagle Creek version in various sizes). They're not only an ideal shape for fitting my Backpack, but using different colours allows some degree of "colour coding" so that I can find items quickly.

I also try to put items that I might need during the trip close to the top so for easy access. One example is toothbrush and shaving gear. On longer trips I like to "freshen up" in the airport while waiting for flights.

I use "packing cubes" or what we used to call ditty bags. They keep me organized and make it easier to pack up in the morning. Also, I'm less likely to forget something as everything has its place. Pam

Doesn't that make it hard to adjust when, for example, you're stuck in a hot, stuffy subway car, or do you just throw modesty to the wind & peel off the outer layers? LOL-j/k
Mine is to have a "permanent" list that you use every time & constantly hone.

A series -- pack on paper first, pack a week early, and, on the flight home, evaluate the packing list so that is is ready for the next trip.

I use packing cubes too. I also take a variety of sizes of ziplock bags.

Silk underwear is great, but I found that traveling in winter with multiple layers I did have to take off way too many clothes when I would go indoors. If I take another winter trip I will bring a warm down coat that I either carry on or pack in a compression bag. That way I will only have to take off the one warmer layer, and still not be overheated while inside.

Why purchase packing cubes when you can use the zippered plastic bags so many products now come in - underwear, linens, etc. Various sizes make for easy packing...all the socks in a small one, the underwear in a similar, folded shirts in another larger one, etc. Also I use a plastic tuperwear type container inside the bag. Great for packing any breakable in plastic for safe keeping. And, do not forget the large and durable shopping bags, especially those from Trader Joe's - great to put any overweight items in and carry on as hand held...in Madrid last spring, I pulled out one and gave to a stranger who was having to unload his suitcase, and had no way to carry the items as a unit...what a smile on his face!!! Keep them near the top of the bag for easy access..

I have two:

1. Gallon-sized Ziploc bags, as others have said. We pack a bunch and use them to compress dirty laundry until we have time to stop at a laundromat.

2. Using plain old key rings to secure zippers together on our daybags. They deter any would-be thieves more cheaply and almost as effectively as those TSA locks.

Frank, I like the idea of assessing your packing list on the flight home. I wish I had the work ethic to do that, but my head's usually still in European la-la land at that point. :)

1) Continually refine your packing list.

2) Packing Cubes keep me organized. I prefer them over lots of little bags all over the place. Make sure you get ones you can see into. Makes it easier at security.

3) Pack a few days early to make sure any changes you made to your list hasn't caused problems with fitting everything in or the weight. This also helps if you forgot to get something. You have a few days to buy it.

4) Never pack electronics on top of each other. Makes it harder for security and then they take your bag apart.

5) Carry a copy of your packing list with you.

I use large Zip-Loc bags as well, for everything. They make 2 gallon size as well, harder to find though.

Packing cubes ROCK! Makes packing easier, I can easily tell what's clean and what's not, and since I usually share a suitcase with my daughter, I can keep our stuff separate.

BTW the reason to buy packing cubes is that you can re-use them. I bought my ten years ago and if you combo in my business travel I have used them on 150-200 trips. I also like that you can have different sizes and colors that I use for different things. I carry zip lock bags too, but they do wear out. Pam

Instead of trying to juggle a purse and a carry -on, I use a small longchamps bag as my purse - it folds up flatand I slip it into the carry on so I only have 1 bag. I have a small organizer that holds my wallet, phone, keys, etc. that goes into the carry on and then I just transfer it to the longchamps bag when I get to my destination.

My favorite packing tip is to see how many outfits you can make with a few items of clothing. For example, I love love love leggings. They are super comfy, super cute and very easy to pair with shirts. Because leggings are small and not bulky, you can take a few pair without losing valuable space. If leggings aren't your thing, take 2 pair of jeans that won't lose their luster after the first day and just pair with layering shirts, this way you can have enough outfits for the duration without packing too much.

For cold weather travel, I agree with the problem of getting too hot in long underwear.

I've solved the problem with a 3-in-one Marmot or REI coat. It has a zip-in liner, so you can wear the outer shell with the liner, without the liner, or wear the liner separately. It gives me three options for comfort.

Maybe I go to the extreme but I use compression bags and then stuff them into packing cubes. Makes my suitcase symetrical for more efficient packing. It's a great system when you travel in the winter and you are dealing with thicker clothing.

Packing cubes (along with assorted ziplock bags), I like the cubes that are mesh on top and solid material on the bottom. Pull out your gear and sit them on table tops or place the cubes in drawers without worrying about what was there last. As Frank II states: continually refining packing list before and after trip. I have several packing lists that are adjusted to length and type of trip. They give me a piece of mind and less worries.

Some of my favorites that haven't already been mentioned:

1. Purell anti-bacterial wipes, individually wrapped and mini (1 per day).

2. Baby wipes, no fragrance, to use for the face, etc. to freshen up. Were very useful in Peru & Morocco, where sometimes, there was no toilet paper.

3. Downy/Bounce drying sheets. I place them between clothes to keep them smelling fresh and use them up for laundry as our trip winds down.

4. Medium-sized mesh envelope where we throw in memorabilia we (I) collect during the trip: coasters, museum/excursion flyers, small maps, restaurant/hotel business cards, etc. When we get home, I put them in a manila envelope and label it with date/location of the trip. Hope to use one day for scrapbooks. Right.

5. I always buy a new pair of new cotton slippers (foldable, washable) at Target for $6. I wear them to walk around the B&Bs and hotel rooms. They are comfy & look cute!

6. Contact lens containers for my eye/facial creams & sunscreen. Label them with a Sharpie.

7. No matter the weather, I take a soft & nice light scarf, warm enough when it goes around my neck a couple of times, large enough that I can use as a blanket on the plane, as a shawl for dinner, and as a cover-up in churches & mosques.

8. I do the packing, so everything goes back in the same place all the time.

9. Finally, I always like to take a little treat (usually Godiva chocolate) for the plane ride over... pair it with some free vino...

I keep some things rather permantely packed. My 3-1-1 bag stays in the suitcase. I refill anything that needs it as soon as I get home, then re-pack it. Same with the "cleaning" kit(hand and stain wipes, soap powder), first aid and sewing kits (these aren't big- just baggies with a few emergency supplies). Then if hubby surprises me with a special week-end get-away, or I have to rush over to stay with my mother-in-law (her health is not good and I am her care-giver)or mom (she, too has health issues)all I have to do is throw in a few items of clothing. It also came in handy when I was injured in a car accident. Hubby was able to just grab it and bring it to me- had eveything I needed.

1. Put 3-5 shirts or tops, buttoned, on one hanger. They don't wrinkle that way and easy to hang up in hotel closets.....2. Fill one plastic baggie with socks, another with underwear. Squeeze out all of the air, then close with little plastic bread thingies. These fit into your suitcase anywhere you have room, no need to buy cubes......3. Use a kitchen scale to weigh items you want to take, because it isn't how many, but how much each item weighs...sometimes one pair of pants or shoes weighs twice as much as a similar pair......4. When you remove your jewelry and watch at night, always stash it in your purse, not on a hotel surface, this way you never forget it.....5. For packing jewelry, check out the various pill storage and organizing systems available at most supermarkets; many of them are excellent for sorting and stashing small pieces of jewelry in minimal space.

There have already been a lot of good tips. Maybe I can add one general tip for packing light.

Think in terms of how little you can pack.

Often, I hear people talking about how much they can get into a bag. Just because there's a little extra room in your bag doesn't mean you have to add something. A little extra room is a good thing. Your load tends to expand as you pack less carefully and/or buy souvenirs throughout the trip.

Like Frank II I have a pack list. I refine it before and after every trip. After is the big one, when what I needed, and didn't, is still fresh in my mind. When I pack, the closer I stay to the list, the happier I end up being.

I use Michael's wife's method, only in reverse. I pack as light as possible and usually end up buying something for warmth or to sleep in at a consignment shop or budget store. Half my wardrobe at home now is made up of these odd pieces bought while traveling. They are souvenirs. When I look at that green wool vest, I remember my stay in Haarlem, etc.

I also like Michael's method of discarding old stuff along the way. I've done that on several trips, mostly with socks and underwear. I do the same with my reading material, bringing only cheap reads (usually 25cent novels from bargain bins and yard sales) as my travel reading, which I don't mind donating as I finish them. On my latest trip I even did this with a pair of shoes. I travel with one good pair of walking shoes, but sometimes my feet just want a "change of pace" so I brought a second, beat-up pair that I wore on travel days (flight over, long train journeys, days on bus tours). I liked having the chance to wear different shoes every few days, didn't mind giving them away since they were old and worn anyway, and you'd be amazed how many souvenirs you can fit in their place on the flight home.

I take a mailing tube.On way there I pack it with socks etc. on way back it can hold prints or small glass items.

Here in Boston we have local TV show called 'Chronicle.' Tonight it featured local new stories about what's new in shopping. It briefly featured a Travel Gadget Holder on a local shopping website which helps organize electronics, cords, etc. I haven't tried the 'Cocoon' yet, but it looks pretty cool. Hope this helps someone pack:

http://www.dailygrommet.com/products/255-cocoon-grid-it-cocoon-innovations-grid-it-organizer

[By the way I have no interest in this product, do not know anyone involved in this company,etc. I just thought it looked cool]. :)

Like it matters what you pack. By the last day of your trip it will be in a wad in your bag, with no hope of looking like clothes until you dump it out in the laundry room when you get home.

My best travel discoveries:

Clock or Ipod to use as an alarm

Laundry detergent in those travel packs. I wash undies and socks in the sink. I never pay to have my laundry done. They always throw it in the dryer and it shrinks. Jeans take forever to dry if you are washing them yourself so beware.

Scarf for looking good and/or covering up. It's amazing what a scarf can do for a tank top and jeans

Take less than you think you will need. Usually by day 10 of a trip, I'm looking at a sundress I brought and think, why did I bring that?

My daughter told me this one: a small empty spray bottle, tucked into a corner. You can fill it in the hotel room, spritz anything which has wrinkled, and the wrinkles hang out of it.

I have a pack list on the computer which I print out after each trip and stick in the zippered flat compartment, so if I have to travel without much notice, I just go down the list and put everything in.

Only take three changes of clothes, plus one dressy blouse for evenings. And only ever go carry-on.

I like the "cubes" also.

I only wear cotton, I find any fake fabrics uncomfortable, even those ones that are supposed to "wick the moisture away".

And of course an empty folded zipped tote-type bag, for checking purchases on the way home.

I really like the laundry detergent that comes in paper like strips in a small plastic case. I get it at REI.

Although we use bar soap at home, I've decided I don't like traveling with soap. Body wash is my choice. A travel size bottle doesn't accomplish much so I buy it when I'm in Europe.

I do pack a small shampoo. It's enough to last me a couple of weeks. If my wife is with me, it will last one day so I pick up a full size shampoo on arrival day in Europe too.

I bring a small bottle of alcohol-based hand-sanitizer. I'm not a hygiene freak; I wash my hands before eating and after using the bathroom. But sometimes there's no soap, esp. in public restrooms on the street.

I also bring a couple of travel Kleenex packs for improvised toilet paper, wiping up spilled liquid, etc. And I keep napkins or paper towels in my backpack and put a few in my day bag.

Earplugs are a must, not only for the plane but also if your hotel room faces a busy street or if you have loud neighbors in the next room.

Take half the stuff and twice the money.

Bandanas! Too many uses to list. Always have at least one in my purse. Washes and dries overnight.

Campsuds brand peppermint scented, highly concentrated liquid bath, shampoo and general purpose soap. This biodegradable product is excellent and I prefer it to other similar ones tested over the years.

Bring shirts, underwear and socks that you can wash in a sink and that will dry overnight. You can travel for weeks with only two pair of everything. Tilley's has the best collection of such clothing that I've found.***www.tilley.com

Hi Kat, lots of terrific ideas here - thanks. I would add to take along two or three "clothes pins". They are useful to close and keep closed window curtains during the long summer days/short nights.

I pack my clothes into two plastic bags and then squeeze most of the air out. I wear only black and white clothes, so everything matches. Also, a couple of colorful scarves add a touch of color and can serve a multitude of purposes.

Many pieces of luggage have two zip sections on the front. I leave the lower, larger one empty on the way over. While I am at my destination, I put every scrap of paper--receipts, admission stubs, brochures, etc., in this section. When I get home I put everything in a "Memory Box". When I get my credit card bill I have the receipts ready to check with the bill.

Safety pins and extra shoelaces.

Just be careful putting credit card receipts in an easily accessible place, I've noticed in Europe that some places put the entire CC number on the receipt!

I love the Packing Pro app!
http://www.quinnscape.com/PackingPro.asp The most useful thing I pack is a headlamp! It's really come in handy as a flashlight outdoors; in reading in bed when I don't want to get up and turn off a lamp; in finding the way to the bathroom at night. Because I can't stand checking a bag (especially when there's a plane change and I worry my bag will be lost or misplaced), whenever I travel in the U.S. for more than two weeks (usually renting a cabin at a lake for a month or more), I mail my clothes, shoes, lotions, books, etc., to my destination. That way I don't have to stop and buy anything. I bring one change of clothes, laptop, coat, sweatshirt, pillow, anything bulky in a carry-on. Then I mail everything back home again, including souvenirs. I send by UPS and the cost is usually $25 or so each way.

I have two that I'd like to share. Our situation is a bit different as we travel to an island in BC each year for several weeks. We stay in the same B&B and have lots of friends there so we have lots of social events and our hostess washes for us but we still pack light. I keep our travel kit packed but use a 6-pack cooler as the outer bag. Since we use this daily at the beach it does double duty. Inside I have two smaller firm plastic bags that originally held hair products. Our items are divided between medical and toiletries. I also add a sewing kit, book lights, and a small travel clock. A small hairdryer will fit but usually stays home as most locations supply one. This cooler fits perfectly in the bottom of one of our daypacks and we add books, snacks and sweaters for travel. The second suggestion is an envelope styled plastic folder that I purchased from Target for $1. It has clear dividers and sticky tabs. My husband makes copies of all our travel info - plane, car rental, ferry info, hotel, B&B, etc. and keeps them in this folder which slips into the outer pocket of his daypack.
Happy travels!

Great ideas from others. I never travel without flip flops-great if the hotel has a pool and also good to wear to breakfast in a B&B or small inn. I bag (roll each item)all my underwear and sleepwear into a huge plastic zip bag and add a pouch/sachet of lavender. A lightweight magnifier is great for reading detailed maps with small print. Another item that comes in handy is a tiny theater flashlight. Depending on where I will travel, a scented candle is nice to take along-comes in a small tin with lid.

Rule of thumb: Take only one wheelie and one small bag, never check ANYTHING. If you can not lift the wheelie over your head you have packed too much. Remember anything you need you can get in Europe, so pack just enough to get you there. Half the fun of travel is mingling with the locals and what better way to learn about a country's culture and life style than to visit the local grocer, pharmacist or whatever and chat awhile.