A work trip this upcoming weekend that you just found out about this morning. A seat sale on a cross-continental flight leaving in two days. A family emergency. A spur-of-the-moment decision. There are a number of reasons why you might have to pack up and leave in a moment’s notice, without the luxury of taking time to prepare every last detail. Life sometimes throws you a curveball, and if that’s the case we’ve got you covered – here are a few tips on how to pack for a last-minute trip.
Start By Making A List
With so little time, there’s a good chance you’re going to get frazzled if you don’t write things down. Your immediate plan of attack should be to write an exhaustive list of things you might potentially need on your trip, and then revise to pare it down to the essentials. Things like essential toiletries, electronics, merino wool clothing and footwear should top the list of things you need to pack. Make this list once and SAVE IT on your computer, your phone, and keep a hard copy folded in your go-to carry-on. That way, you'll always quickly know exactly what to pack at any given notice.
Quickly Check the Weather. Pack Accordingly.
Once you’ve got your basic list down, check out the weather at your destination and see if you need to add any specialty items. Is it going to be rainy? Pack a rain jacket and Ziploc bags for your electronics. Is it going to be unseasonably warm and humid? Pack sweat-wicking, breathable Merino clothing.
Go For Versatile Clothing.
You have neither the time nor the bag space to create an exhaustive wardrobe of options, so you need to be smart with what you take. Versatile, sophisticated like the kind we offer at Unbound Merino is a great option because it can be dressed up or dressed down, and is suitable for a range of different temperatures.
Roll Your Clothes.
This one is a tried and true hack that travelers have been doing for quite some time. If you’re unfamiliar with the concept, basically, rolling your clothes allows you to fit a great amount of clothes in a bag as opposed to folding, since you’re decreasing surface area and increasing density. It’s the if you want to maximize space.
Travel-Sized Bottles.
Most drugstores sell travel-sized bottles for you to decant your shampoo, soap, hair product, etc. The last thing you want is to be stopped at security and made to dump out your toiletries. Then again, if you can’t find travel-sized bottles, don’t panic. Everywhere in the world sells toiletries, and unless you’re really brand loyal to a type of product you’re confident you can’t get abroad, it’s just as well that you buy your toiletries at your destination.
Ensure That All Electronics Have Their Chargers.
This may seem like a simple step, but it’s easy to overlook, especially in a last-minute effort to stuff everything in a bag. Carry each of your electronics alongside its charger, that way you’re not left in the dark.
Weigh Your Luggage
A simple hack for determining the weight of your luggage is to get on the scale without your bag, then again with your bag, and subtract the first number from the second. This is handy if you’re worried about going over the weight restriction for your flight (which you can ). Alternatively, there are handheld digital luggage scales you can buy to quickly determine your bag’s weight, but we’re guessing if you’re hurrying for a last minute trip, you won’t have time to pick up one of those. But let's get real, for any trip if you're traveling light and packing accordingly, you'll be way under any restriction and feeling free to move anywhere.
You don’t have to look sloppy or pack heavy if you’re going on a last-minute trip. Roll up a T-shirt from Unbound Merino, a crew neck, a couple pairs of Merino wool underwear and socks and you’ve got your outfit covered. Pack a couple weather-appropriate accompaniments, some essential toiletries and electronics and you’re set. Who said being spontaneous had to be difficult?
