I’ve packed my things for our trip to Spain which start Wednesday the 27th of February!

From all the traveling we’ve done and especially this one, some useful tips for packing has evolved. Both to save space and to keep them wrinkle-free. This time I really need it, because we’re sharing one bag and may be gone for around 3 weeks, we don’t know for sure yet.

First, some towels, 2 large and 2 small ones, that take less space and dry much faster. OK, I don’t like them as much as normal towels, but one has to sacrifice something. That’s the pile to the left in the photo.

The little bag with yellow on it is our sheets. So it really takes very little space. The plastic one down left corner is a shoe bag. The plastic bags (with a zip) came in a package in different sizes. I used the large one for my shirts, because it’s reducing the friction which cause wrinkles.

I don’t think that they were so good to roll though, so I think I’ll prefer to use them when we’re having suitcases or one big bag each, in the future. I was thinking of using dry-cleaner bags before that. These zip bags are even useful to put our dirty clothes to keep them separated from our clean clothes later on.

I always think carefully about what to bring with me – then I cut that down to at least half of it or preferably a third of it. I really don’t need all that stuff that badly. If I pack too much all the stuff will be wrinkled and as soon as I search for some item, it will be a mess.

It has been hard learning and took a long time, but I try to remember, that if not going to the end of the world (lol), I can always buy what I need at the location. Sometimes we’ve gone to high risk destinations too, which is something to have in mind. Very often I do’nt pack my absolute favorite items just for that reason.

“Travel light and you can laugh in the robber’s face”. (Uknown author)

Rolling the jeans and top’s is the best way to save space and to reduce wrinkles. I fold the jeans lengthwise with the legs stacked on top of each other, starts rolling from the foot and up to the waist. Folding back the arms of the top’s and then and rolling them up, some of them I’m alsofolding them lengthwise before rolling them up.

We do fold sweaters and shirts, like they do in the stores. All buttons buttoned, lay the shirt flat down, smooth away all wrinkles, fold in at the shoulders, laying the arms along the body overlapping the back side meeting in the middle. Fold up a third of the bottom and then overlap a third from the top too.

So will this be enough – or too much?

• 1 pair of black jeans
• 1 pair of camo pants
• 1 pair of half long black jeans
• 1 pair of half long thin green pants
• 1 pair of very short blue jeans shorts
• 1 green sweat shirt cardigan
• 1 black sweatshirt top, long sleeves
• 1 black top, short sleeves
• 1 white top, very short sleeves
• 1 green multi-colored top, no sleeves
• 2 tanktops, green+black
• 2 thin shirts, long sleeves, green+white
• 1 knitted green sweater
• 4 undies, 4 socks, 2 bra’s
• 1 green summer jacket
• 1 bikini (optimistic)

When it comes to my undies or lingerie I’ve packed them in a cheap mesh laundry bag. Not that I take many with me, it’s so easy to wash up every night, but that way they don’t have to touch them in case of an inspection of my bag at the airport. We also roll up our socks and places them inside our shoes or as other “filling material” in empty spaces.

The last effort in packing is always the big puzzle at the end, to put it all down in the bag in best possible way to take the best advantage as possible of the space in the bag…

I always begin with laying out all remaining objects on our bed to have a overlook of it all. If it’s a suitcase I put my folded clothes down front middle, the heaviest item which often is my toilet bag at what will be the bottom of the suitcase when it’s standing so it won’t mess with the clothes too much.

If it’s a bag, like this time, we have to put the toilet bag in one of the ends of the bag, to be able to find it easily. This time we’re sharing one small toilet bag, with as little content as possible.

Then I filled up the spaces around that with the rolled items. If needed I use to separate a pair of shoes to fill up the holes. This time we’ll use these plastic bags with a handle instead. I’ve put the socks into my shoes.

Did you notice, only flip-flops and sneakers! We’ll have our boots on when leaving because it’s still not exactly summer and we’ll need them when we’re going home too. We’ll not need any party shoes, we plan to have a casual time.

I have to admit again that most of our packing usually is done in the last minute in the middle of night – but not this time: my half of the bag is already packed! Woohooo!

We’ll not take any shampoo and such things with us since we’re only going to Spain and we plan on buying all the stuff we need when we get there.

Does it sound almost too organized?

Well, in my opinion the easiest part is to pack the clothes. The worst part is to CHOOSE which clothes I’m going to take with me and that what’s take all those hours! *giggles*

If possible I’d let the hairdryer stay at home, but with my excessive hair loss the past years and my hair looking like shit, I’m taking it with me. Other times it depends on where we’re going. The hotels or hostels usually has a hairdryer if I desperately need one.

Or I’ll just go around looking like we’ve had a real wild love party night… *giggles*

Stay tuned to read more about our trip!