How to Pack a Suitcase

Packing on the last evening before a flight is a classic that ends with a forgotten charger and three dresses too many. It’s better to spend half an hour on a list a few days before the trip and then pack calmly from it.

Step 1. Find out your baggage allowance

Before packing, check which baggage and carry-on are included in your ticket: weight, number of pieces, dimensions. That decides how much you can take. More about carry-on in our guide what you can take on the plane.

Step 2. Make a list

Split it into categories: documents, clothes, shoes, toiletries, first-aid kit, electronics, children’s things. It’s handy to keep the list on your phone and reuse it for every trip, adding to it as you learn.

The basic list

Documents and money (in your carry-on)

• international passport, visa, tickets;
• hotel and transfer vouchers;
• insurance policy;
• bank cards and a little cash;
• copies of documents on your phone and on paper.

First-aid kit

• any medicines you take regularly, with some to spare;
• something for fever and pain;
• remedies for an upset stomach and motion sickness;
• plasters and antiseptic;
• allergy medicine;
• sunscreen and after-sun.

Electronics

• phone and charger;
• power bank, in your carry-on only;
• a plug adapter if the country uses a different standard;
• headphones.

Toiletries

Travel bottles for shampoo and shower gel, a toothbrush, deodorant. Many hotels provide basic toiletries, so you can leave large bottles at home.

Clothes: the capsule approach

Choose basic colors that go together and take items you can combine. That way 10–12 pieces make more than a dozen outfits.

For the beach

• 2–3 swimsuits or pairs of swim shorts;
• light T-shirts and shorts;
• one or two dresses or shirts for dinner;
• a light sweater for the evening and the plane;
• a hat and sunglasses;
• beach shoes and one comfortable pair for walking.

For a city

• comfortable shoes for long walks: the most important thing;
• layers: T-shirt, sweater, light jacket;
• an umbrella;
• clothes for visiting religious sites, covering shoulders and knees.

For countries with conservative traditions

In the UAE, Saudi Arabia and when visiting mosques elsewhere, take clothes that cover your shoulders and knees, and a headscarf for women. Umrah has its own preparation requirements, covered in our guide to Umrah.

How to pack compactly

• Roll your clothes: they take less space and crease less.
• Use organizers and vacuum bags.
• Put shoes at the bottom along the sides, with socks and small items inside them.
• Liquids go in a separate bag; tape the caps or pack them in small bags.
• Heavy items go closer to the suitcase wheels.
• Wear your bulkiest shoes and jacket for the journey.

With children

• a first-aid kit with children’s medicines;
• enough nappies for the first few days;
• snacks and water for the journey;
• toys and books for the plane;
• spare clothes for the child and for yourself in your carry-on;
• a sun hat and children’s sunscreen.

Many children’s things can be bought locally, so you don’t need to bring supplies for the whole trip.

Final check

1. Passport in your bag.
2. Suitcase weighed.
3. Power bank and medicines in your carry-on.
4. Offline maps and documents on your phone.
5. Room left for shopping.

Everything else is in our pre-flight checklist.

After you get back

As soon as you’re home, update your list: what you took but didn’t use, and what you were missing. Next time, packing will take less time.

Packed but haven’t chosen a tour yet? Send a request or message us on Telegram @GlobalDestination1, or call +998 99 760-82-88: a manager will find a trip for your dates and budget and tell you what to take for that particular country.