Our Top Holiday Packing Tips

Don’t let your luggage weigh you down this year! Instead, follow our essential holiday packing tips.

You’ve planned your holiday trip and are ready for the long lines at TSA. Now it’s time to pack your bags. Of course, that’s easier said than done when you need to be ready for family events, weather, and gift-giving. Check out these holiday packing tips for easy travel throughout the busiest time of the year.

Skip Checking Your Luggage

If your luggage is going to get lost, you know it’s going to be on the busiest travel days of the year. You’ll get to your parents’ house with no clothes and the stores are closed and you’ll end up wearing your mom’s old blouse and blazer for Thanksgiving dinner. Then the pictures will haunt you forever. We say don’t risk it. Instead, fit everything into your carry-on and personal item bags. If you’re traveling with your family, don’t forget that each of you gets a carry-on and personal item. So, feel free to scrounge up extra space from your toddler’s bag. It’s the least he can do for you!

Pack Smart

When you’re squeezing everything into your carry-on, you’ll need these holiday packing tips. Try rolling clothes instead of stacking them to save space. Use vacuum-sealed bags to compress bulky items like coats and sweaters. If possible, wear the items that take up the most space on your travel day. Of course, you must observe all TSA rules for what to bring or risk losing it forever.

Ship Gifts to Your Destination

If possible, don’t travel with gifts! They’re unlikely to fit in your carry-on so you’ll have to check them, which takes extra time. Plus, you’ll risk loss or damage in transit. Instead, have gifts shipped to your destination. You can have them gift-wrapped or also have gift wrap and tape shipped to your destination! If you can’t avoid bringing them with you, then definitely don’t wrap them in advance. TSA doesn’t like what it can’t see and may unwrap them to make sure they’re not dangerous. Also, be sure to wrap breakables well to protect them from damage. You don’t want to spend your precious holiday time filing claims at the airport.

Be Ready to Check Your Carry-on at the Gate

You can pretty much guarantee that your plane will be full. And full planes often mean full overhead compartments. When those bins fill up, travelers have to check their carry-ons at the gate. Of course, this always makes everyone freak out because nobody wants to check their precious carry-on. That resistance slows the line down and it’s a whole big thing. Obviously, you don’t want to check that bag, but if you have to, make things easier on everyone by being prepared.

To get ready, keep a smaller bag of essential items easily accessible in your carry-on. In that bag, pack your prescription medications, contacts & glasses, toothbrush and key toiletries, any expensive jewelry, and maybe even a spare pair of socks and underwear. You can just toss that into your personal item bag and surrender your carry-on without a second thought. Don’t be that guy or gal arguing with the flight attendant and slowing everything down.

With a little preparation, you’ll be ready for anything on travel day. For even more packing tips, click here. Happy travels!

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