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This packing tip has saved my bacon more than once
- Christine Hardenberger
- 12 minutes ago
- 2 min read
I want to tell you about a packing habit that has saved my husband and I more than once.
Most couples pack the way you would probably expect. I have a suitcase with my things, and my husband has a suitcase with his things. That works fine right up until an airline loses or delays one of those bags. Suddenly one of us has everything we need while the other person has nothing but the outfit they flew in.
We changed the way we pack after having this happen to us, and it has made a real difference. Now every bag we check has some of the other person's clothes in it too. My suitcase always has at least two full outfits for my husband, and his always has at least two full outfits for me. That way, if either bag goes missing, whoever is affected still has three outfits to work with: the one they are wearing plus two backups. That is usually enough to get through until the bag turns up or we can pick up replacements.
I like this better than trying to solve the problem by cramming several days' worth of clothes into a carry-on. I don't want to wrestle an overstuffed bag through the airport if I don't have to. Spreading our clothes between our checked bags gives us a backup plan without having to carry half our wardrobe onto the plane.
The same idea works when you're traveling with more people. When I travel with my kids, every bag has at least one outfit for every person. If one suitcase doesn't make it, nobody is left with absolutely nothing to wear.
One more thing while we're talking about packing: whatever you truly cannot afford to lose belongs in your carry-on, not your checked bag. Medications, your laptop, jewelry, important documents and anything else that would cause a serious problem if it disappeared should stay with you.
Hopefully, your suitcase arrives at baggage claim right along with you and none of this ever matters. Most of the time, it will. But after nearly 19 years of traveling for a living, I’ve learned that a little planning for the “what ifs” can make a huge difference when something does go wrong.
So next time you’re packing for a trip with someone else, trade a couple of outfits before you zip those suitcases. Future you may be very glad you did.
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