COVID-19 Once you’ve winnowed things down to what seems like a manageable amount, it’s time to determine whether your bags will hold everything that you want to pack. If you want to ensure that you have enough room for all your things, the best approach is to take your luggage for a “test drive” by actually packing it with what you plan to take on your trip south. Here are a few tips for fitting the maximum amount into your suitcase: Roll, don’t fold. Although folding is the go-to for most packers, rolling allows you to fit more clothes into the same amount of space. If you’re worried about wrinkles, choose wrinkle-resistant fabrics or fold only those items that might wrinkle and place them on top of the rolled items, separated by a plastic dry-cleaning bag. “Shrink” your clothes with space saver bags. Also known as “vacuum bags,” these are a Make use of packing cubes. While they won’t compress your clothes, packing cubes do help to keep the contents of your suitcase organized. Be sure that you have cubes of different sizes to hold different types of clothing or other baggage. It’s probably a good idea to buy more than one set, since most sets consist of only three bags. Wear the heavy stuff. If it isn’t too uncomfortable, make room in your suitcase by wearing heavy, bulky clothing on the plane. Coats, heavy sweaters, wraps, boots and similar items are a bit awkward, but can be placed in the overhead bin once you’ve boarded the plane. As a bonus, that sweater may keep you warm if (like many people) you find it chilly at 30,000 feet. Play Tetris. Turn packing into a game! See if you can make use of every cubic centimetre of space in your suitcase. lifesaver when it comes to bulky items such as coats, sweaters and jackets. You don’t even need a vacuum to suck out the air; there is a version of these bags that allows you to remove the air by rolling the bag after you’ve packed it full of clothes, and before you seal it. Use your shoes. Left empty, the inside of your footwear is wasted space. Stuff your shoes with small items such as sunglasses, socks, underwear and even jewellery. (If you do pack jewelry, be sure to place it in Ziplocstyle bags for protection first.) Ditch the toiletry bag. Whether you use a lunchbox-style zippered bag or a larger one that resembles a small garment bag, toiletry kits are space hogs. Place your toothbrush, comb, razor and other bathroomnecessities in small Ziploc-style bags for protection, and then place these in a couple of slightly larger bags. It’s a compact and less expensive alternative to the usual approach. That’s a great question. If you fly south this year, you won’t be driving home. You have three options: sell things you’ve purchased, give them away or store them. If selling your stuff sounds like too much trouble, consider donating it instead. Women’s shelters, church groups and some charitable organizations accept donations of small household items. Or you could just give it away for free online. Would you prefer to keep your things for next year? If so, consider the option of self-storage. You may not need a whole locker to yourself, but you could pair up with another couple (or even two!) to share a unit and save yourself some money while you’re at it. Step two: make sure that it all fits But what do I do with it (the toaster oven, crockpot, coffee maker, etc) when I head back to Canada?! 50 | www.snowbirds.org
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