Packing for a trip doesn’t have to be stressful or time-consuming. With the right travel hacks and packing tips, you can get everything you need into your luggage without scrambling and worrying. Check out these time-saving, stress-reducing packing hacks for travel and make sure your next vacation is enjoyable and awesome.
Travel with less stress when you use these travel packing hacks
Get ready for your next trip by making sure you have these travel essentials ready to go! Whether you’re staying local and travelling close to home or you’re excited that the world has finally opened again and you’re ready to go far, these travel packing hacks are for you.
Hint: if you are missing some of these items, now is the perfect time to add them to your holiday or birthday wish list so you’re ready to go when you feel safe travelling again.
This post contains affiliate links. When you make a purchase using one of these links I may receive a small commission that enables me to continue providing you with awesome and informative blog posts like this one.
These aren’t the same old travel packing tips you’ve read a million times either, they are much better. We all know by now to roll our clothing so I won’t bore you with tips you’ve already heard a million times. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.
As women, we not only want a vacation to be a fun and relaxing experience, but we also want epic photos while we’re away. Plus, we want packing to be stress-free. What can we say? We want it all! The good news is, with these six travel packing hacks, you’ll know what to pack and how to do it.
Try these awesome travel packing hacks for women
1. Pack Dresses
Hear me out on this one. Not only will your pictures look waaay better, but you no longer have to lay out your tops and bottoms and ensure you have coordinating outfits with lots of items that mix and match. While travelling, you simply grab a dress and you’re out the door ready to explore!
I pair mine with cute running shoes so it’s both fashionable and functional for a day full of adventuring. With fall here and winter on the horizon, try pairing yours with a sweater and a pair of boots.
My absolute favourite dress to bring travelling with me is my convertible infinity dress. You can tie this dress over 100 ways! I haven’t mastered that many different ways yet, but I guarantee that you can figure out a few different variations.
Pictured below, this is THE BEST way to bring one dress and have several outfits. Especially if you switch up your shoes and accessories. I always bring this dress on my all-inclusive vacations because it’s so versatile I can wear it multiple times.
2. Purchase Cute Walking Shoes
As mentioned above, I love to pair my dresses with cute runners when travelling. We all know that proper footwear is super important when travelling and runners are often the logical choice. Nothing ruins a day like blisters!
I used to wear actual running shoes, but I have come to realize that my Adidas Originals are king when it comes to marrying fashion and function. These have taken me all over Cartagena, Europe and my home city of Vancouver. Not only are they comfortable for walking all day, but they also look cute when paired with dresses 😉
More travel packing hacks to try for your next vacation
3. Use Packing Cubes
If you haven’t jumped on the packing cube train yet, now is the time! These are an absolute game-changer and I cannot imagine travelling without them. Even if it’s just a weekend getaway, I always use my small packing cubes.
These magical cubes ensure that you never again rummage through your suitcase looking for anything. With everything in its place, you quickly and easily navigate your items, finding exactly what you want with ease.
When you roll your clothing items inside each packing cube, they stay wrinkle-free and easy to locate. It’s a win-win! I resisted for years, thinking they were a silly gimmick, but I was wrong. These gems are a definite travel packing hack.
Some packing cube sets come with a laundry bag, which I also highly recommend travelling with. I always like to keep dirty clothes separate from my clean clothes.
4. Invest in a Designer Belt
Nothing creates an instant outfit like a designer belt. Dress too baggy? Belt it! Jeans and a white t-shirt need to be dressed up for dinner? Belt it! This classic high-low fashion trick of pairing your favourite jeans and a plain shirt with a designer belt is popular because nothing ties an outfit together quite like it.
For a more sustainable and wallet-friendly option, visit your local second-hand store and grab one or two before your next trip. You can thank me later 😉
5. Pack a Foldable Tote Bag
No matter how many trips one goes on, we never seem to leave space in our suitcases for souvenirs. It’s okay, I never do either. That’s why this packing tip is the bomb!
Simply slip a tiny, foldable travel tote bag into your suitcase and grab it when you realize that you can’t zip that sucker up for your flight home because you just had to have (insert amazing souvenirs here).
No judgment from me, I have ACTUALLY had to sit on my suitcase more times than I’d like to admit to force it to close. I have even opened the expandable zipper and then lay on my suitcase to get it closed. Ugh. With this travel packing hack, those days are behind you. Your foldable tote bag will be a lifesaver. Once you have one, you’ll wonder how you ever travelled without it.
6. Bring a scarf or two (or three)
Depending on where you are travelling, scarves can serve several purposes. These fashion accessories come in handy under numerous circumstances. For instance, if you’re in Europe and wish to enter a Cathedral you are often required to cover your shoulders. Wrap your scarf around you and voila – you’re ready to go!
Unexpected cool evening? Wrap that scarf around you during cooler or windy evenings. You might be surprised to learn the number of times I’ve worn mine around my bare shoulders on windy nights in Mexico. That ocean breeze can be quite cool at night.
Scarves also make great belts when wrapped around your waist, instantly updating your LBD. Scarves are awesome for altering the look and feel of your dresses, providing several outfit options for one dress.
See what I did there? I told you that dresses were a must to pack. They are versatile and can be paired with a scarf to create a whole new look or take you from day to night.
If you are going somewhere hot, longer scarves can serve as a quick beach cover-up. They also make excellent head wraps. If you have long hair, and especially if you have extensions or braids, wet your scarf with cold water and wrap it around your head to keep you cool. I learned this trick at Burning Man and it came in handy almost every single day.
I hope you’ve enjoyed these amazing travel packing hacks for women. I’m sure that most of us will be taking road trips for the foreseeable future, but if the next vacation you’re planning entails a flight, be sure to check out My Top five Airline Travel Must-haves. Number 1 has become a non-negotiable for me and makes flights SO much more enjoyable.
(Feature image photo by STIL on Unsplash)
