Isn’t it exciting to know that you are scheduled for a vacation or to travel somewhere? Perhaps you’re used to it already, or maybe you rarely travel, knowing the pandemic situation is only limited because of the safety protocols. Packing your stuff is one of the things you should do when you must travel. However, packing can be quite challenging because you wouldn’t know what you should and should not bring for the trip.
The packing light is hard. You’re torn between leaving or taking a thing behind, but the thing is, packing light is worth it and less stressful. Because once you learned already how to pack lighter and smarter, your experience during the trip would be much easier. You will feel like a bird, who can move freely whenever you carry your bag. To know more about organizing a backpack for travel, in this article, you will get tips to know what you should and should not bring with you for the coming trip.
Preparing Backpacks for Travel
As a traveler, there’s this kind of dilemma regarding packing and carrying a bag. But regardless of what kind of travel you will have or where it will be, the best way to prepare yourself is to pack lightly. And to achieve this, you must know how to organize backpack for travel so you can travel with ease wherever you go, and regardless of the location.
Here are some of the tips to consider when you pack your things for a trip.
1. Weight Limits
First and foremost, you need to consider what you should and should not take on a trip. When you carry out much, it’s just easy to under or overpacks. But the problem is when you’re in the airport; if you take everything even if it’s not necessary, there’s a big chance your hand-carry backpacks would excess to the required limit. If you know how to organize backpacks for travel, airport scenarios are less likely to happen.
2. Layout your Things
One of the best ways to organize a backpack for travel is to lay out every item you need to carry for the trip. It will give you a clearer picture of the items you need and the ones you don’t. If you already know what must be in your bag, you will see it more in a reasonable way.
3. Keep Necessary Stuff Packed at All Times
If you want to get smart in learning how to organize backpacks for travel effectively, you must minimize the time you usually spend on packing. Pack clothes, medicines, footwear, and underwear. Or should I say, pack only what you think is needed most and prevent packing it randomly in your backpack moments before leaving. You have to focus on items that will be useful to you during trips.
4. Always Choose the Right Bag
If you are a person who keeps on traveling, then perhaps you have more than just one bag at home. That said, it’s important to choose the right bag because even if you have numerous backpacks at home, there’s a big chance that you’re still getting the wrong one and, perhaps, outdated.
Consider getting bags that have enough pockets and are equipped with hip and chest strands. Also, choose a bag that has padded areas to secure gadgets like tablets and laptops. More so, get a bag that comes with an extra pocket for water bottles. Modern backpacks usually have these features, and once you have them, you don’t have to switch bags as often, like what you’re usually doing.
5. Use Packing Organizers
Packing organizers such as packing cubes can be a big help for organizing backpacks. You can put large items, and these were designed to keep clothes all in one place. Choose organizers that are designed with handles along the edges. This will make you pull it easier out of your backpack. Perhaps purchase them in different colors, so you will know easily what items are inside.
>> Find the best deals for packing cubes here.
Organizing Backpacks for Business Trips
Business trips are usually very professional that sometimes require you to fly around the globe. You need to talk to prospective clients or attend conferences, whether solo or in a group. But why it’s preferable to use a backpack rather than briefcases for business trips?
That’s what you need to know in this section, along with tips on how to organize backpack for travel. But first, here are the pros and cons when you use backpacks for business trips.
Pros:
- Backpacks are changing the way you travel
- Easy and convenient to carry since it’s lightweight
- Can store important documents and gadgets needed for work
- Secure, efficient, and comfortable to carry
- Comes with compartments
- Carry-on size compliant
Cons:
- Not designed for heavy gadgets and things
- Spaces can be limited
- It gets bulky when stored with clothes and gadgets
Tips on How to Organize Backpacks
One advantage of being connected to a big and known company is the privilege of traveling abroad not for vacation but work-related matters. You will experience meeting human resource officers, managing directors, learning and development managers, and possible customers or suppliers.
Traveling for work may be glamorous, and it could sometimes turn out to be the chance to explore new places. However, the right preparation will make business trips enjoyable and fun.
Pack only what is necessary
Just because you’re packing light does not mean you can’t put all your essentials in a backpack. It would be an advantage when the venue for conferences or meetings are held at hotels, as you can check in that hotel and put all your things while having a meeting. Don’t bring too much vacation outfit, as you’re not going to have a vacation. One or two vacation clothes will do and the rest are for working clothes already.
Most hotels, like Marriot Hotels, will ask for your travel documents and valid IDs upon arrival, so you need to bring travel documents. Or, if possible, you can obtain a soft copy of the files on your cell phone and show it to the receptionist. Also, bring clothes and shoes that are versatile so you could pack light.
Have your working tools in one place
For most average travelers, this will not be necessary. But in your case, since you are going on a business trip, you should know how to organize a backpack for travel, especially for work. You will travel with so many cables, batteries, electronics, chargers, and hard drives. These could make your backpack so messy if it’s not kept in one place.
If you’re going to a beach near your conference location like in Boracay, for instance, you’re probably taking with you the electronics you’ve used for the conference. If you have it organized in one way inside your backpack, you can enjoy the beach and have some fun time with your colleagues and eat in some fine dining restaurants or enjoy lounge bars in Boracay, like +36, The Lind Lobby Lounge Bar.
Find little time to entertain yourself
Business trips usually mean long waiting hours at the airports or hotel lounge. Some never-ending agendas and conflicts will come your way. Once you’re all set in your hotel, to reduce the stressful situations that may be harmful to your health, it’s always a good idea to take breaks like exercising or hitting the spa.
Make use of your company’s travel resources as they are paying for these services for a reason. If your business trip is in the states, you may head to Myrtle Beach and unwind. That’s why, for some reason, you need to pack for some bathing suits for that quick beach getaway when you’re on a business trip.
Organizing Backpacks for Family Trips
Traveling with your family means that you need to carry much for a vacation. However, if you’re the type of person who wants backpacking rather than traveling with luggage, it could still work when you travel with kids.
The thing is, every member of the family should carry their backpack, or if your backpack is big enough to accommodate everyone, then it’s good. But the idea here is the convenience of everyone. Here are some of the pros and cons when you travel using backpacks with your family.
Pros:
- Anyone can carry a backpack
- Large backpacks’ capacity can carry almost every essential of each family member
- Teaches kids to take care of their things on their own
- You can easily find what’s important to you when you use the compartments
Cons:
- Some items were hard to find inside the backpack if everyone’s things are in one backpack only.
- Not very convenient as other items can’t fit in a backpack.
- Too many compartments that are not that useful.
Pack only one to wear, another one to wash, and another to spare
This packing method is good, but it only works for trips that last only one to two days. With this, you can manage to carry one large backpack for the whole family member, especially when your trip is on some beaches or just want to go camping for the weekend. Ensure your destination will allow you to wash clothes so you can wear them again the next day.
Pack Less, Buy More
There are always places that will require you to wear the appropriate clothes. For instance, you’re going to New York City for the winter, you and your family don’t have to shop like crazy before the departure.
The clothing industry in New York is endless. You may go to Hudson Yards and visit their shops and restaurants. You can buy absolutely what you need for the winter. Just make sure you have some extra space in your backpacks for the winter clothes when going home.
Carry-on Only Travel
In as much as you choose to bring a large suitcase for a family getaway, there’s something about backpacking that you want to do if your baby’s clothes are too many, as traveling with babies requires you to bring more than what you pack for yourself.
You can always purchase an airline baggage allowance to Skyscanner for your baby’s clothes and some other things you bought from your trips like clothes, souvenirs, and more. Because ideally, backpacking is preferable for city, train, buses, and hostel trips only, and with your family, you need to pack more and might need some luggage.
Organizing Backpacks for Solo Trips
One of the best reasons why travelers go for solo trips is that it’s ideal for backpackers. You will know how to organize backpacks for travel and travel at exactly the pace you want to with ease and comfort.
You will not end up worrying about your companions because you are alone, and the things you put inside your backpack are all yours. Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages of carrying a backpack while traveling.
Pros:
- You feel free and comfortably glide from one location to another with backpacks
- All your important stuff is within arm’s reach
- It encourages you to cut down many unnecessary things on a trip
- Convenience and support because of its greater mobility
Cons:
- Not ideal if you plan to buy lots of things and bring them home
- Bulky items will not fit inside the backpack
- Quite challenging to organize
Use Cubes for Packing to Sort Clothes
Suppose you’re on a city tour in The United Kingdom and you have your itinerary already; you will probably end up bringing lots of clothes. With packing cubes, it prevents your backpack from being messy. You can set your clothes from the first day, until the last day of your trip.
Bring a Laundry Bag
Since you don’t want your dirty clothes mixing with your clean clothes to prevent cross-contamination, then a laundry bag would be a great help. You can always keep your dirties in one place until you find a laundry shop in your next destination. That said, some hotels offer laundry services to their clients, so find one and book that room in advance.
Fold Wrinkle-Free Clothes
One of the best ways to organize a backpack for travel is to roll clothes rather than folding them. Some destinations like a Europe Tour allow participants to a single bag are not weighing more than 20 pounds. That’s why a backpack is encouraged. That said, learning how to roll clothes when packing is a big help when backpacking. It saves space inside your bag in an efficient manner.
To Wrap It Up
You are learning how to organize backpack for travel offers a lot of benefits for you. Regardless of your destination and the number of days being away, an organized backpack will always save the day. Backpacks put less strain on your body compared to other bags like large tote bags or luggage. The weight does not pull on one side of your body.
As long as you organize the things inside, perhaps with the help of some backpack organizers, it will evenly distribute the load on your hips and shoulders. It makes it easier for you to carry it for several hours. I hope the tips have helped you in properly organizing backpacks for travel. May you have a fun and adventurous trip and always stay safe.
What’s Next?
Do you want to know how to organize a travel bag when traveling in big groups? Check out these helpful guideline and tips for group travelers here!