Zen and the Art of Packing

When it comes to packing for a trip, experience tells us that most people over do it. They ignore common sense and pack for winter, spring, summer and fall.

South America in December… do I need a sweater? Better take one (or 6) – just in case.

Me? I under pack. I often drastically miscalculate the key underwear vs. number of days ratio. But hey, I am a copywriter not a Math professor.

In an Ad hoc effort to educate myself I’ve come up with these five packing tips:

Roll’m up – This is a trick I learned from some backpacking friends. It saves tons of space.
Paper or Plastic? – Pack things in ziplock bags. This will help you stay organized and those bags come in handy whether you are in Antarctica or Yellowstone.
One and done – If you are only going to wear it once (and it’s not a special occasion) dump it. Space is precious.
Let there be light – My utilitarian nature surfaces when packing. It can’t hurt toss a tiny flashlight in your bag.
Learned this one the hard way – Joseph covered this in his Tech on Tour column but it should be repeated. Reverse the batteries around in electronics. That way they won’t turn on and run out of juice.
Research – This is uber-important. Know the destination and plan along with your itinerary.