Tips for Packing for Holiday Travel

Nicole Eveleth

Posted on November 15 2018

Part of the magic of the holidays usually includes traveling somewhere.  If you're planning a trip to the in-laws or an exotic getaway, leaving town over the holidays can be stressful.  Here are a few tips to keep you sane on your excursions.

  1. Avoid busy travel times - if you can manage to travel on the actual day of the holiday (Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years), you will have less congestion and possibly lower prices.If you can't travel on those exact days, consider which days of the week would be less attractive to the majority of other travelers (leave on Tuesday and return on Friday for instance).
  2. Plan for delays - whether traffic congestion, connecting flights or bad weather, delays seem to be inevitable during holiday travel. Keep realistic expectations about the time it might take for you to arrive at your destination. Giving yourself plenty of margin for error will ensure you keep your wits about you in the chaos.
  3. Leave early - the earlier you are out the door and on the road or ready to check in at the airport the better. Much like planning for delays, leaving early helps minimize the frustration of running late.
  4. Pack as little as possible - whether you are traveling by car, plane or train, the less baggage you have, the better! If you can pack everything in your carryon and avoid checking a bag, you will significantly simplify your traveling. Cottonways clothing is excellent for this kind of packing.  Lightweight and wrinkle-free it all fits neatly in small baggage space.
  5. Have a travel itinerary - keep a list of all your travel details at your fingertips. Driving directions, airline tickets, phone numbers for hotels and pet sitters, everything you might need to reference on one single sheet. That way you can quickly locate all the information at one glance.