Travelling is one of my passions.
I love meeting new people, seeing how they live and just talking to people from all over the world.
It can quickly become overwhelming co-ordinating all the details and organising all your clothes so this is how I organise my travel:
1. Start making lists well ahead of time. These can include lists of things to pack, things to do, things to see, meals to try, etc.
2. Always take extra plastic bags for dirty laundry, shoes, etc.
3. You don’t have to plan activities for each and every day but at least if you have a rainy day, you can look on your list and choose an indoor activity.
4. Count on buying things while you’re on holiday so plan for this and take less with you. Plan to take 10kg less than your baggage allowance so that you have plenty of space for all your shopping.
5. Decide on a colour palette and stick to it. I usually pack autumn colours like brown, yellow, orange and green. Each pair of pants will match with each of the tops.
6. Count the number of days you’ll be away and plan just enough sets of clothes, remembering that you always need more tops than bottoms. Even so, you won’t use all your clothes. Make a note of all the clothes you didn’t use so that you don’t overpack next time.
7. Pack travel-size toiletries or if you have some old hotel toiletries, use those. I keep my toiletry bag permanently packed and restock immediately when I return from a trip. This saves such a lot of time because all I ever have to do is pack clothes.
8. Always take a backpack. There is a reason why these are so popular with tourists – your hands are free to eat, browse, carry your water, etc.
9. If you read the Bible, next time you go away, don’t take the whole Bible. Simply go to an online site and print out a chapter for each day you’ll be away. You can try a different version of the Bible you usually use for added variety. The added convenience is that you don’t have to bring these pages back with you.
10. Whether you’re flying or driving, take any magazines or ebooks that have piled up around your house. You can catch up on your reading and again, leave the magazine or ebook in the airport lounge. I love doing this and it is the best way I catch up on magazine reading.
11. Take a notebook with you to journal or make some notes about the places you visit. It will help you remember your holiday with greater clarity especially once you’re back home.
And now that you’re organized, have a wonderful time and enjoy your holiday.