Figuring out how to pack for a regular vacation is one thing—but even those smaller trips can be just as difficult to figure out.
Videos by TravelAwaits
In fact, I’d argue that figuring out how to minimize your packing list for a weekend trip is one of the toughest travel feats out there. Only minimalists will find the task fun.
Toss in travel factors like black-tie events, hyper-cold temperatures, solo travel concerns, and even stressful events like meeting the in-laws, and packing gets a whole lot harder.
My standard packing advice still applies for these types of speciality trips; I recommend using compression packing cubes, taking a minimalist approach, and relying on the right types of travel products.
Beyond that, here are even more packing tips for life’s most common specialty trips.
Packing tips for all types of trips
Business trips
When you’re packing for business trips, you have two main priorities. First, keep your most important tech and documents with you in a personal item—don’t check them and risk losing vital business information. Second, rely on wrinkle-resistant clothes to keep your formalwear in good shape during transit.
Aside from that, remember that you should always hang or fold your suits, blazers, and formalwear. You can roll other items, like denim, to keep them less wrinkled. Toss ties and pocket squares into shoes so they keep their shape.
If you’re crossing multiple time zones, consider getting ahead with these business traveler jet lag tips.
Meeting the in-laws
This isn’t a packing hack so much as a reminder that you need to leave space for gifts and make sure to bring along any gifted items, like a watch or a hat. It’s always good form to bring a gift (or five) when meeting your in-laws for the first time.
And if you’ve received any gifts from them prior to the meeting, don’t forget to pack them—they’ll be touched that you showed up wearing the items they’ve gifted you before.
Destination weddings
The vast majority of destination weddings are formal, meaning you need to get your suits and dresses to the venue without getting them dirty or wrinkling them.
Unsurprisingly, that means you need a solid garment bag that will protect your formalwear during the long flight and/or drive. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
Call ahead to your lodging to make sure they offer dry cleaning. If not, this is one of those times I actually recommend bringing a steamer. I also advise bringing a spare set of clothes, even if they’re not quite as formal. That protects you in case of a total wardrobe disaster, and prevents you from overspending on a replacement in a pricey resort.
Lastly, if you’re expected to show up with a gift, don’t forget that you can always mail it ahead of time. No need to lug around a heavy and luxurious gift with you to the destination. There’s a courier service that can handle it for you, like FedEx or UPS.
Concerts/sports events
You might already be aware, but many large stadiums and arenas that host major concerts and sports events have bag size limitations.
Remember to pack a small and efficient bag that you can stuff the basics into—and consider bringing a collapsible water bottle if you don’t want to splurge at the concessions area.
My last packing tip for concerts and sports events is to bring along a charging bank for your phone. The larger the event, the more likely it is that you’ll get separated from friends. The more excited you are about the event, the more likely you are to spend your phone’s battery taking pictures and videos. I’m sure you see where I’m going with this.
Winter travel
Want to dive into the ins and outs of winter travel? Start here. If not, here’s a quick summary of how to pack for winter travel: wear your heaviest gear on the plane, take fewer items and make plans to do more laundry, and try to purchase a few heat-smart pieces of clothing to keep your overall packing weight at a minimum.
Multi-week trips
The longer your trip, the more tempting it is to stuff your suitcase to full capacity. My advice is to keep it simpler than usual if you’re heading abroad for more than a few weeks. There are two key areas to focus on: shoes and layering.
Of all my packing tips, this is the simplest and most powerful: Don’t overpack shoes. You only need one comfortable, functional pair and one semi-formal pair. That’s all. You can buy a pair of flip-flops at your destination if needed.
Aside from shoes, look for pieces of clothing that you can mix and match. Usually, that means avoiding bright colors and statement pieces. Keep it simple so that you can mix and match every item—it’ll give you more flexibility between laundry days.
Solo vacations
If you’re heading out on a solo trip, it might be a multi-week adventure. In that case, the above advice stands: bring as many mix-and-match clothing pieces as possible, and limit how many pairs of shoes you bring.
I also recommend bringing along a few security-focused gadgets and a portable charging bank just in case your day trips take a little longer than expected.
However, the most important packing tip for solo vacations is to focus your energy on finding a lightweight and functional carry-on. Many solo vacationers stick to bus and train transportation, which is when an overly heavy suitcase or backpack will get you into trouble. (You’ll tire out fast lugging an overweight piece around.)
