7 Common Traveler Struggles When Packing Clothes for Trips

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Traveling is fun and exciting. There’s no question to that. But for sure, travelers have a fair share of dilemmas before going on the actual trips. One of the most relatable of them is all about packing clothes and other stuff to bring. 

Regardless of whether you are going on a trip that lasts a whole day, overnight or a few days, you have to pack the things you are going to use away from home. Needless to say, the most essential and inevitable of these items are your clothes. Even if you will just have a daytime trip and will go back home the same day, you need one or a few if you have planned exhilarating adventures on your trip. 

Although this task seems simple, it’s easier said than done. The list below proves that. Here are 7 common traveler struggles when packing clothes for trips.    

1 – To Bring Extras for Extras or Not

This is number one for a reason. It is every traveler’s dilemma. You think more than twice whether or not you are going to bring extras and more extras! You’ve been there, and you’ve done that! 

You are not sure if you should bring one or two extra shirts, shoes or socks. There are uncertain parts of your travel schedule, some are tentative, so you are having a hard time deciding if you will bring extra clothes or not. 

There could be a possibility that you will extend your trip, 3 days instead of 2 days for instance, but it’s just a possibility. You can just take extras with you, but another question is how many extras you would actually need.  

2 – To Wear Comfy or Fashionable 

For sure, this is a headache. It is always a struggle to choose between packing comfortable clothes or fashionable ones. 

Because your comfortable clothes are mostly not fashionable, not fit for your travel photos, not good-looking for your travel itineraries, you are thinking about sacrificing comfort. On the other hand, your fashionable garments are mostly not so cozy for you and for the activities on your trip. This makes you consider just forgoing the aesthetic travel photos you have in mind.

3 – To Pack Thick or Thin, Long or Short

Your destination and the weather there answer this. Are you going to pack clothes that are thick or that are thin? Long apparel or short apparel?

This becomes a hard decision to make for people who are comfortable only in specific lengths and thickness of clothing. If you are not so sure about the exact feel of the weather in your itinerary, this can be a worry.   

4 – To Take More than 1 Foot Wear or Not

Not everyone notices, but some people think hard whether they will take more than a pair of foot wears or not. This is especially when it’s a trip that lasts for more than a day, where you will visit various attractions and do various activities. 

This is not a big issue if you will just stay in the hotel accommodation you booked since you can always change your foot wear, but if you will move around and do adventures, this might be. 

You think of bringing a pair of slippers, a pair of sneakers, and a pair of rubber shoes. Sometimes, if your trip is because of a formal event, like a beach wedding or a company party abroad, you will also need to bring formal shoes, such as high heels for females and leather shoes for males. 

This tests travelers’ clever packing skills because shoes are bulky and not easy to store if there are many of them.    

5 – To Bring a Jacket or Not

To bring a jacket or not is a country-specific and weather-specific matter, yet it’s a serious one for many. If you are somebody who easily gets cold, you certainly need a jacket for your trip. And if you are going abroad, yes, it is a must. Meanwhile, if you easily handle cold local temperatures, you might not need one, however, you are having a dilemma now because you might regret not bringing a jacket once you get there. 

6 – To Take A Lot of Undergarments or Not

Undergarments can never be forgotten when you are going on trips. Forgetting and leaving them behind is like leaving everything. The common traveler struggle here is taking a lot of undergarments or not. 

This happens because you wonder if you will need more than enough or just enough. You are also considering your laundry and the laundry facilities, which are either present or absent, in your lodging. 

If you will stay in a hotel accommodation, no worries, there are facilities for washing clothes. However, if you will have an outdoor camp in the middle of nature or something like that, you will really have to think well.   

7 – To Bring Iron-Requiring Clothes

Last but not the least, one of the biggest travel packing dilemmas is here! Bringing iron-requiring clothes! 

You have clothes you need and want, but they will inevitably be squeezed and crumpled in your luggage. You may bring a portable iron, but it presents hassles to most travelers. 

The best possible solution for this is choosing clothes that do not get easily wrinkled and creased. Find those that look alike to the ones you actually need.     

PACK. WEAR. TRAVEL. 

Surely, packing clothes for trips is not a piece of cake, especially when there are garments you want but do not need and vice versa. It’s difficult and a hassle to carry heavy bags, but it’s also difficult and wrong to leave behind essentials. 

For a correct and comfortable packing of clothes for traveling, write down a list of all your trip necessities. These are the apparel that you truly, inevitably need, that if forgotten, you will certainly regret. As for the quantity, the duration of your trip and the activities within your trip are the crucial considerations to take into account. 

Be wise! Pack smart. Wear smart. Travel smart!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Nicole Ann Pore, a content writer from the Philippines, is the author of this article.