Guide to Travel: Questions to Ask Yourself for Fool-Proof Packing

As you can see, even as a kid I wasn’t exactly a light packer.

If I left it up to my anxieties, I would over-pack every trip. You never know when you might need a snorkel…in Denver…in the middle of winter.

My anxiety over health wants to be prepared for any illness or catastrophe. Anxiety over safety wants triple backups of every important document I have. And my social anxiety wants to be prepared for any and all potential clothing situations so that I don’t feel out of place.

It still makes me uncomfortable thinking about hiking through streams in the Negev Desert in Israel in sneakers – and then melting their soles later that night in a fruitless attempt to dry them by the fire before the following day’s hike.

Why does this memory make me so uncomfortable? Because everyone else had brought Tevas or other fast-drying hiking shoes on the trip. But not me. They hadn’t been on the suggested packing list I had so carefully followed.

Stupid, thought my brain, as I removed my shoes and headed toward my sleeping bag. Stupid stupid.

As I’ve grown (in age and *ahem* wisdom), I’ve learned how to be a better packer and to better cope when I do forget something.

My love of lists and color-coded spreadsheets particularly shines through in this area of trip planning.

I maintain a general list that includes anything I’ve ever needed on a trip – which I add to after each trip if I find that I had forgotten something. This list includes clothes, identification and documentation, toiletries, basic medical supplies, and technology-related gizmos like plug adapters, SIM cards, and downloaded maps.

Then, in the weeks leading up to an international trip (or a week or so before a domestic trip), I ask myself questions to focus my packing list for that specific trip.

Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Pack

What will the weather be like where and when I’m traveling?

I looked at a lot of suggested packing lists for Peru before making my own list and they all had one thing in common – they were for the opposite season than what I needed.

We went to Peru in January, Peru’s summer, but most tourists visit in its winter or spring. This meant that I needed to do my own research into weather and temperature patterns to make sure we were prepared.

I’ll admit, this doesn’t always help. When traveling to Iceland in May 2017, the anticipated weather was in the 40s (Fahrenheit) and rainy, but we ended up with several days that were 70s and sunny.

Curveballs like this are how you live and learn.

I applied this lesson to preparing a packing list for Peru, prioritizing things that could be layered to accommodate both the heat of the desert and the chilly nights in the Andes. We also made sure to pack fast-drying footwear and clothing suitable for the heavy rains that seem to appear out of nowhere in the mountains during Peru’s rainy season.

What do I wear and use on an average day?

Do you wear sunglasses even at night? Need a clean pair of socks every day to feel complete?

I wish I could be like some of my friends who take the smallest of backpacks and are somehow good to go for months. But I’m just not that kind of person.

I get cold easily and overheated easily, too – often within the same hour (thanks poor circulation). So I know that for most trips, I need two sweatshirts – a light zip-up and a heavier hoodie. If I don’t need them for a chilly evening, then I’ll get cold in the air conditioning. If I don’t bring both, I’m going to regret it. I know this about myself.

To make a general packing list, pay attention to what you wear and use each day throughout each month. This includes clothing, accessories, and toiletries. Think about when in the year you use them and why you wear them. You can categorize your spreadsheet or packing list by things like season, activity, and priority.

What will I realistically need?

Once you know all of your potential needs, look at the list again with a discerning eye.

Are you sure you really need that clean pair of socks every single day? What can you re-wear? Will there be affordable laundry services where you are? Or be in a hostel long enough to wash and dry your own clothes (check hostel rules for this one)?

Then again, don’t undersell your list, either. If you unexpectedly have to wade through water (which really has happened SO MANY times in my travels), you don’t want to be stuck with only one pair of socks, either.

At home, many people don’t feel complete without their makeup, cologne, or choice of shoes at their disposal. But are they really worth taking up space on the road? My close friend has a 30-minute makeup routine at home. Traveling? One tube of mascara and tinted lip balm for “special” occasions.

What activities are on my itinerary? What surprises might pop up?

One thing I wish I had brought to Peru was a summer dress. They’re small enough that they don’t take up much room and whenever I don’t bring one on a trip, I usually end up buying one or regretting not having one.

For the most part, my casual wear fit right in with our planned itinerary: hiking, lengthy city strolls, touristy tours, and cheap eats. But we did eat at one “splurge” restaurant in Cusco. One that (apparently) has a long waiting list during peak season.

It would have been a nice opportunity to get dolled up, but I didn’t have anything to doll up in.

I should have learned by now to expect the unexpected, but if it’s unexpected, how can I expect it?!

What are my packing priorities?

Is fashion or comfort your priority? Are baggage limitations a consideration? Will you be somewhere with access to pharmacies or do you need a basic med kit with you?

Adjust your packing to your needs and priorities. There’s no packing list that fits perfectly into everyone’s travel style.

One thing that I’ve done on several trips is pack things that I wouldn’t mind saying goodbye to along the way. Old socks and underwear that can be thrown away. Shirts and pants that have been sitting in my closet that I can donate before heading back.

This way, I can clear up room for souvenirs for friends and family and – depending on my souvenir shopping, come back with less than I started with.

An Incomplete Packing List for Peru During the Rainy Season

Of note:

• Enough clothes for half the trip, to wash halfway through because laundry service is inexpensive in Peru
• Rain boots, sturdy sneakers, and flip flops for the showers
• Rain jacket plus a rain poncho and water-repellent pants
• Wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, sunscreen
• A roll of toilet paper (public restrooms don’t always offer it. Also, be prepared to throw away your toilet paper rather than flushing it)
• My standard med kit: antibacterial cream, anti-diarrheal, ibuprofen, bandages, prescriptions, allergy medicine, etc
• Bug spray

What I wish we had packed: anti-itch cream for bug bites in Arequipa and Machu Picchu, neck pillows for the overnight buses and red-eye flights, a summer dress

The Wrap-Up

When it comes to packing, stay realistic but also open-minded. Things won’t go as planned, but you probably don’t need to be prepared for every little thing. That’s what local stores are for.

When we needed more ibuprofen, we had the pleasure of experiencing a Peruvian pharmacy. Ate all your snacks on the plane? Visit a local grocery or outdoor food market.

Ask yourself the questions above to be as prepared as you can, but part of experiencing travel is learning to roll with the punches. Sometimes it even becomes part of the adventure.

What’s your packing style? What do you always want on you when traveling? What’s something you’re happy to leave at home? Let me know in the comments!

Until next time, Mel

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