LIGHTEN THE LOAD ON YOUR NEXT TRIP BY SPLITTING SPACE IN YOUR SUITCASE WITH A SPOUSE, FAMILY MEMBER, OR TRAVEL COMPANION!
You share an airline reservation, a hotel room, and a rental car with your travel partner, but yet you both bear the weight—not to mention the excess bags fees—that come with carrying your own travel bags. Join the ranks of savvy travelers streamlining how they pack by sharing a suitcase or a gear bag with their favorite travel buddy. Read these tips, then grab your packing list (and your travel partner, of course) and start loading in your stuff!
1. Plan Ahead Before anything goes near the inside of your luggage, create a travel list with your packing partner that includes everything you both hope to bring on the journey. Identify bulky items, such as power converters, electronics, travel guidebooks, and hair driers and decide which items can be shared (or eliminated altogether). If your accommodations don’t come equipped with toiletries, skip purchasing travel-sized items, and share larger-size shampoo, bath gel, and shaving cream (just remember to guard against toiletry leaks with waterproof Pack-It Sacs!).
2. Compartmentalize Your Stuff At no time is a packing system more important than when you’re sharing a suitcase! Before filling your luggage with clothing, section it off with as many Cubes, Folders, and Sacs as it will fit. Divide these travel compartments with your partner so you each know exactly how much space you have when packing independently. Remember: Don’t overstuff your organizers, or you may have a very tight fit!
3. Minimize Your Wardrobe Sharing a bag is not a quest for the chronic overpacker! You’ll need to simplify your travel wardrobe, and minimize your packing list with items that can be layered and worn in multiple outfit combinations. If you are lucky enough to be divvying up a suitcase with someone who wears the same clothing sizes as you do, discuss any clothing or accessories you are comfortable sharing. Prepare to re-wear clothing on long trips by packing a (shared) bottle of travel laundry detergent.
4. Convert Your Bag Need to separate your items at some point? No problem. Select a versatile bag, such as the Morphus 30, which zips off into two full-sized bags. The convertible bag will enable you to duplicate your checked baggage into two full size checked bags. If you and your travel partner like to collect souvenirs, this feature will come in handy for your trip back home.
5. Be Realistic Will you be unhappy on your honeymoon if you don't have a different outfit for every day? Do you need dancing shoes (in every color) to salsa? Does your travel buddy's chronic disorganization drive you crazy? If these concerns or others will diminish the enjoyment of your trip, stick with your individual luggage. If you need your own space, but still want to give shared luggage a try, share your checked bag but pack individual lightweight carry-ons, such as the Tarmac 26.
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