Packing checklist – the general preparation

Posted on by exploramum

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Packing checklist to go overseas on your lifetime trip!

Start early – and I mean way early – start your packing now!

Seriously – if you can put away what you think each of you will wear on the trip, then you will have new items you won’t be tired of wearing all the time, once you go and it will help you to create that perfect Packing checklist (Remember that children will most probably be up a size). If confused about this, I advise you seek the guidance of luxury travel experts. I have to admit that such consultations have helped me in my family travel before, specifically in single parent travel since I am a single parent.

Then, sell your excess clothes, shoes and toiletries and other bags etc. Especially sell your business suits and corporate clothes.

List them online – set up a store if you have a lot. That way you can list them as 2nd hand and continue to wear them until they are sold.

Towards the end, you will have to open up your luggage and pack the few clothes left in your wardrobe: It will be easier to do that.

Don’t save many clothes, as, by the time you come back, the fashions will have changed. We ‘tried to’ 10 things a day. It was easy! Soon we had sorted our clothes.

After you have copied your CD’s and DVD’s to your computer, or ripped to a USB, sell off what you don’t really want.

Remember if you have a child, they will be older in return and not want ½ of them. We went through this two or three times as well as toys.

Luggage and Bags – Backpack / Suitcase

I suggest 2 rolling backpacks as your main luggage. Or a good large rolling backpack, and an old rolling suitcase you can discard along the way. You can easily sell for a few $$ once you have used the contents up.

Buy a rolling backpack that is as light and as big as you can handle, and that has lots of pockets especially a separate pocket for shoes and wet items.

Our friendly repairer – The Bag Doctor, enthusiastically helped motivate us for this trip. Plus he made sure our luggage was the right quality for the trip and gave us some great tips.

He recommends a wide strap around your bag as it adds as an extra handle. He also added a pull-out base so the backpack can stand up using the rolling feature.

We would love to feature a link to the supplier here but are awaiting confirmation as there are great products there. Such adjustments make your bag easy to identify.

 What Luggage and Bags to Pack & what requirements

Ultra strong and lightweight extra large tote bag

Great to use for moving short distances if you have beddings etc.

Add to your bag – Locks

Use airline friendly locks or tie thread through the zippers so you know if your bag is tampered with.

Add to your bag – straps

Refer The Bag Doctor recommendation above

Backpacks for planes and buses

We both have small rolling backpacks with lots of pockets for the plane. A smaller one for the child.

Always buy quality bags – I bought a new one for my son off eBay at a fraction of the original price.

Lunch cooler bag

I found 2 small rectangle insulated ones that folded flat – great for keeping lunches cold when hiking.

Day backpacks

Buy a separate backpack again with lots of pockets (you pack in your luggage). Try to get slash-proof.

You can pre-pack with day items in your luggage. Make sure the daypack has pockets for your water bottles on the outside and preferably elastic lace thatch area you can stuff a jumper etc.

Add to your bag – Sew on Aussie badges

I have been told in some countries it is safer to be an Australian than someone from the States – eg: Cuba etc (not wishing to offend).

External Money Belt

I still suggest the safety of a money belt for both child and parent. Though be aware that these are dead easy to pickpocket in a crowd, same as your backpack. My son has to carry his iPod and camera in his, though I sometimes take when we are in dubious places.

A tip – never let them play with electronics in 3rd world places like café’s where you can be a target for robbery.

Parents – be responsible and set rules before the trip on how often and where the gadgets can be used. My son is never permitted to play and walk as he might be easily distracted, his hands can’t be held, and therefore he becomes a target for robbery.

I have also discovered that it is good to attach Velcro to your daypack or money belt front. You will hear it if someone tries to open it. Make sure it is not in an area that sticks to your clothes.

 Internal pouch or thin cloth flesh colored Money Belt

I carry one for my valuables. Sometimes though, it is hard to access, so be practical as you can expose it unnecessarily.

And finally, before you go… Test everything!

This point has been sent to me by my sister BJ tonight by iPhone from the Aussie Bush. She has a new folding shovel and is out camping.  And alas it will not open.

She has reminded me to TEST EVERYTHING. That zips work, locks function, and all gadget open and close.

Thanks for the tip BJ!  It will help with our Packing checklist to have it all checked too.

 

Questions and Comments

  • How do you get ready for a trip?
  • Aside from the mentioned, What items do you include in your packing list?
  • Kindly share your ideas an comments below.

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