We’ve previously penned down a list of EVERYTHING that goes into our suitcases in our post Packing For Long Term Travel
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Travel as much as you can
As far as you can and as long as you can
Life’s not meant to be lived in one place
I’ve seen this quote working its way around the internet a fair few times now. While it sounds dreamy on paper, the reality is both fun and amusing in equal measures. After all it’s not easy to pack your entire life in a suitcase. I’ve already written a whole article on every single thing we pack in our suitcases but we recently upgraded our battered suitcases to Samsonite’s Cosmolite Spinners while we were in the US. I have to say these are some of the lightest and most well-designed suitcases we’ve ever used! I can’t wait to take them for a spin around the world 🙂 As I was packing our new suitcases, I thought I’d pen down 5 tips that will come in super handy if you, like us, enjoy travelling light.
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Packing Cubes
The number of times I’ve mentioned packing cubes on Bruised Passports is beginning to get kind of embarrassing. But I’ll say it again – packing cubes are godsent when it comes to packing. I wish I’d discovered them earlier. I use 3-4 of them every time I pack my suitcase – 1 for lingerie and swimwear, 1 for dresses, 1 for tops and trousers. This makes it easy to pick and choose outfits. It also keeps the suitcase looking neat and tidy, which can only be a good thing right? After all who wants to fumble through a pile of clothes when one has exactly 10 minutes to get dressed and rush out of the door – to see the wonders of this crazy world of course! 🙂
Here’s a photo of my 3 packing cubes snugly fit into one half of my suitcase:
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Pack loads of Multi taskers
I touched on this briefly in my last post on packing for long term travel but this is one of my most frequently used travel hack. Pack lots of basics – black tees, white tops, striped dresses – go with everything. Also feel free to improvise – for instance you can use a sarong as a head-wrap, kimono, beach coverup, picnic blanket, or scarf!
Here I used my Mandala picnic blanket/sheet as a cover up:
Time stands still at sunrise over The Taj Mahal. That sun – I can’t even … ??☀️☀️
A photo posted by Savi and Vid (@bruisedpassports) on
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Resort to Cute Cases for EVERYTHING!
If there’s one thing I hate more than anything, it’s fumbling for something – it could be earrings or body lotion – in a suitcase full of things. So I don’t stop at packing cubes. I use a few cute & quirky cases for our toiletries, make up bits and bobs, medicines, and jewellery.
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Pack some winter warmers (even in summer!)
Here’s the thing – there is no bad weather, just bad clothes! You’ll enjoy a destination so much more if you’re well clad. If you’re travelling to Europe, US, Australia, or New Zealand even during summer months, chances are you’ll run into plenty of thunderstorms, grey days, and unexpectedly cold days Always pack a really warm down jacket and a lighter cover-up and you’ll be sorted, irrespective of what a country throws at you.
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Fret a little less 🙂
In today’s day and age it’s easy to get carried away by seasonal trends and adverts telling us what to wear and what not to wear. Social media just adds to that pressure of being holiday ready – truth is you just need to pack whatever pieces reflect your personality well and suit you. Don’t hanker for that elusive holiday wardrobe and just throw together pieces from your suitcase and have fun with them – that’s the shortest recipe to a being a happy traveller 🙂
On that note, here’s how to rock bedsheets when you’ve run out of clothes – try this at your own risk 😉
What is your favourite packing tip? Tell us in the comments below 🙂
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Want to see a list of everything that goes into our suitcases? Read our Guide to Packing For Long Term Travel
Want some travel fashion inspiration? Check out our Lookbook from New Zealand here
Wonderful guide guys! I am seriously considering buying cubes now. They look like they declutter the bag a lot. Thanks for the advice!
Nisha they’re super helpful for sure 🙂 They help declutter like nothing else
I agree! I Love organizing stuff.
some great tips. my hubby packs ours as I tend to just throw stuff in and hope I have enough stuff!
Hehe Sarah – that’s a good strategy for packing you have going on there 😉
Great tips and I love the look of those packing cubes, genius! I’ve always wondered when people travel how they manage lol because I would assume you may pick up on the way too!
Thanks 🙂 Packing cubes are a saviour – I can’t seem to write an article on packing without mentioning them 🙂
So smart to pack something winter even during summer, you just never know, especially if you are traveling halfway around the world! Of course, those packing cubes are genius, wonderful tip. I love your Mandala picnic blanket/sheet, it is beautiful!
Thanks a ton Sarah – just picked up that Mandala throw and I’ve already used it tons 🙂
Scarfs have so many uses they are the perfect packing hack. I like to use them as sarongs as well to create a cover up.
Touché Ana – I always carry a couple of bright colourful scarfs where we go 🙂
I’ve never heard of packing cubes before but they look awesome, definitely something I need when travelling. Jo x
Hope you pick some up soon 🙂
I am heading off to Nice this coming weekend and I shall utilise these tips especially about packing cubes. How awesome
So great to hear you found our packing tips useful Anosa 🙂
I must get my hands on some of those packing cubes they look like a great idea. Love that dress it’s very pretty 😉
Thanks a ton Melanie 🙂 Hope you pick them up soon
Great tips! We like the sound of the packing cubes! Hopefully we can travel more as a family in the future 🙂
I’m sure they’d be especially useful with a toddler in tow 🙂
Great tips – packing multi-wear clothes is something I’ve started trying to do to cut down on the amount of stuff I take and don’t end up wearing!
It’s the best isn’t it – I’ve been doing it for ages and love it! 🙂
Some great tips here! I love the shots of you and your suitcase 😀
Thanks Tara – gotta love Samsonite luggage 🙂
I need to invest in some packing cubes as I’m sure they’d be a god send when packing x
Hey Rhian – I’m sure you’d love them given you’re such a frequent traveller 🙂
I need packing cubes! I can *usually* fit everything in one suitcase but then it gets turned completely upside down upon arrival because I can’t remember where I’ve put anything!
Hehe Laura – I hear you!! I’m hell bent on keeping our new Samsonite suitcases as clean as I possibly can 😉
I used packing cubes when I went backpacking round the states and they were so handy.
Oh that’s awesome Dannii – where, in the US, did you go? 🙂
Those packaging cubes look like an absolute genius of an idea x
Thanks Rachel – they do come in really handy 🙂
I’m a great believer in packing light, as often as possible I try to make do with carry-on luggage only. I think some of those packing cubes could help keep things organised in a tiny space.
Absolutely Teresa 🙂 Hope you enjoy using them as much as we do
My brother is going traveling next year so I will have to show him this post.
Hope this helps him out Jemma 🙂
wow some very helpful tips here, my sister is going travelling next year so will show here this post:)
Oooh that’s awesome Melissa – hope you sister has an incredible time travelling the world 🙂
What a fab post. I love that multi tasking scarf.
Right? I’ve ended up putting each of my scarves to such good use while travelling 😉
WOW! I love this post and everything in it! I love your style and just love all the tips! have i stressed enough on how much i love this post?
I need to invest in the cube thingi! I always throw stuff in my bag like no tomorrow!
So glad to hear you enjoy Bruised Passports so much Ayesha 🙂
ive been eyeing up packing cubes for ages. i definitely need them now
You definitely do Nicol – they make packing so much simpler 🙂
Luved the simplistic yet utmost useful details 🙂 I read your previous post on packing too and wanted to know which travel Iron do you take along. I was trying to find one too , to pack along on my travels but couldn’t really find a compact suitable one. If you can let me know the one you guys use wd be super helpful 🙂 Thanks
So glad you found our tips helpful Anu – it’s always the little things that help in decluttering. We have a Black & Decker iron that we picked off Amazon. You could also buy a portable steamer for your travels 🙂
Thanks for the tips.
After reading about packing cubes here at BruisedPassports, I bought them too and I am now hooked. Can’t imagine packing without them anymore. I have my family hooked to it too!
All the other tips too, it has made travel packing so manageable and enjoyable!
So amazing to hear that Sheetal 🙂 Packing cubes for the win eh?!
Awesome tips for me. Thanks for sharing so much, Savi. They are very helpful for me
Hey Richard, we are so glad this post was of help to you…we wish you happy travels:)
Hi savi & vid. ☺ i want to invest in a good packing cube. Have been reading a lot of reviews about products. Some said they were too small, some were of a bad qualityand stuff like that. So super confused. Would love to know which packing cubes you guys use?!
Also just a suggestion – maybe it will help us readers like me in the long run. You guys can mention the product details of say ur clothes, packing cubes, suncreens etc or some stuff like that.
Hi Prajakta,
Thanks a lot for that suggestion 🙂 We’ll definitely keep that in mind!
We have been using packing cubes from Cabin Max and they have been serving us well 🙂
Hello Savi and Vid,
Love the blog it’s awesome! Totally agree about having little bags for bits and bobs and make up to declutter. But also I think it’s also awesome to have a small bag with all tech wires we need with cameras, to phones and those of us that have to carry our laptops. I wonder how you pack your tech stuff. Especially with vid’s camera in hand.
Hey Nars,
All our tech stuff goes in Vid’s camera bag (handbag) – we’ve written about it in our post titled ‘Packing for Long Term Travel’ 😀
Cheers
Hi savi n vid,
Well that was a helpful post but i had a curiosity, how do you deal with hectic long flights?
And yes please keep up the good work with your posts about the places, loved how give in minor details about everything.
Hey Harry – we are used to long flights and actually really enjoy them 🙂
Hey, please do write on how to manage finances while travelling !
Hey we have written a post on it – please check out an article called ‘5 Tips for Bloggers’ 🙂
Such a useful piece of information. Thank you so much Savi. Can you please also share a link to the packing cubes, I tried to look online but there are no reviews for almost every product, so can’t decide whether they are a good purchase or no. It would be great help if you can share. Thank you!
You’re welcome Krutika 🙂
Here’s the one I have: https://cabinmax.com/en/home/177-163-packing-cubes.html
Really so helpful and informative post. I like this post. Thanks for the good post to sharing it with us.
I use Dakine luggage. They have built in packing cubes. The case is divided into sections with sides that can either expand or contract into the neighbouring section. I’m a huge fan and can’t imagine using any other case now. They’ve lasted well too.
Stumbled across your site looking for California road trip itineraries. AMAZING. Really pining now for the day the current madness ends and we can all start travelling again. Stay safe everyone.
https://www.dakine.com/products/split-roller-110l-bag
Really well put. I always like to carry a portable power bank for my cell! during travel. I think it’s very essential for me during long trip.
Gillian
https://dygreencard.com/