Research Travel 2019—Preparing for Travel

Years of traveling has made me a very efficient packer. I use packing cubes to sort my clothing. When I first arrive, I like to have a single outfit ready to change into after a very long flight. Packing cubes makes it easy to grab necessities, even when I have to check my suitcase at the hotel lobby while waiting for my room to be readied.

Using Marie Kondo’s folding method, I can fold/roll my clothing to fit neatly into small spaces. I also bring an assortment of shirts made of fabrics that do not require ironing. I usually find that it is necessary to buy one or two additional shirts during my travels, but this is much easier than hauling a large suitcase or bringing two!

I also read several blogs on packing for summer in the U. K., including special focus on the newest leg of my journey, a train ride to Scotland! One of the blog sites that helps me get inspiration and provides practical tips for travel is travelfashiongirl.com, which provides some basic packing lists for various seasons around the world and travel tips.

It’s about one month before my flight and I have prepared my suitcase and written out my research travel itinerary. I will likely remove some items, and add others over the next few weeks. But, my bag will be packed and zipped one week before my flight.