Use a Packing Net so You Have Everything You Need for Your Trip
When was the last time you went on vacation and were sure you had everything you needed? For some of us, traveling means spending our first night away from home at Walgreens or Walmart, buying sunscreen or flip flops to pack.
I spent hours packing up my things, trying to remember everything I needed: shampoo, extra pairs of underwear, pajamas. On the eve of my big vacation, I left notes for myself, reminding me that the next morning I need to collect my toothbrush, and not leave it in the bathroom.
But a few years ago, I started collecting things differently. Instead of having to come up with a new packing list every time I went on a trip, I created a spreadsheet template that I called my “clothes grid”. It was originally created to help me decide what clothes to wear for every day of my vacation. It now helps me remember all the things I usually forget to pack and makes sure I have everything I need before I head out the door.
How does a packing net work
My packing net is split in two. The left side lists every day I will be away from home, as well as any scheduled activities and weather forecasts.
Under it every day I write down everything that I am going to wear. If you follow me on The Billfold , you may have seen how I explained my grid using this figure:
By “major” and “minor” components, I mean shirt and pants or dress and tights. I also consider any jackets or coats I might need, as well as shoes and jewelry.
It may seem daunting to you to plan every element of your daily outfit, right down to underwear, but at least I know that I will have enough underwear for every day of the trip – and none of them will match the color or style for what I plan to wear.
Making this grid also helps me pack things easily; Do I really need this extra pair of shoes if I’m only going to wear them once? Can I change my clothes so that I only need one pair of jeans or one jacket?
But the real magic of the packing grid is what happens on the right side. Here I list what I need on every trip, no matter where I’m going: toothbrush, toothpaste, sleeping mask, phone charger, etc. Etc. Etc.
The packing net helps me remember to pack the things I use every day – I only check each item when it goes into my suitcase , which means I can’t mark “toothbrush” or “deodorant” until the morning I leave – and the mesh also works to catch those items that I don’t use every day, but I still don’t want to forget: Band-Aids. Advil. Umbrella.
The right column can also be copied / pasted into the next packing grid as it rarely changes. I’m going to need headphones, an extra pair of socks, and at some point I’ll need patches so I can throw them in my purse.
This is how the packing net works for me and how it might work for you if you pack it for it.
How a packing net can work for families
I guess not everyone in your family will be as excited about planning every outfit ahead of time as I am. But the basic principles of the left side of the grid still apply: if you list each day that you are away, the weather and the planned activities, you will probably have a good idea of what clothes to pack and how much of it.
Even if you’re not planning your daily outfit, you can fill your grid with the types of clothing you need every day: shirt and shorts or shirt, shorts, swimsuit, cape. Anything you think you and your family members, especially children, can wear every day of your vacation. Then you can count everything: does my son have five T-shirts in his suitcase?
The right side of the grid is where this packaging checklist really shines. You will create your Pack Every Trip list and then copy it to every future packing net. All sunscreen bottles, wet wipes, and iPad chargers only need to be written down once, and you’ll have a checklist that you can revisit with each vacation.
Yes, you may need to add special items meant for just one trip to your packing net – like Disney MagicBands for those Walt Disney World vacations – and you will definitely need to update this list from time to time, especially when your kids are older. and their needs and interests change. But having a master packing list can save you a lot of time and stress, not to mention traveling to Walmart for emergencies.
Summer camps often include checklists of what to bring (and what not to bring), and these checklists can also be entered directly into a spreadsheet. You can even add two more columns: “already there” and “need to buy before camp”.
Your packaging grid template
At this point, you probably want to create your own packaging grid template, right? I went ahead and created one for you, which you can view below. I’ve made this template family-friendly, but you can scale it up and down depending on how many people you’re looking for.
When it’s time to pack, remember that whatever is on your net should fit in your suitcase – and when it’s time to leave your hotel / camping / parent’s house, you can check your net again to make sure everything is you brought it back in your suitcases.
When I tell people that I pack on a grid, they often ask how much “extra time” it will take or what happens if my travel plans change. If I’m planning an upcoming trip, it will take me about ten minutes to fill out my grid, decide what to wear, add extra clothes in case I need them, and update the Pack Every Trip list. Your grid may take longer, especially if you’re putting together packaging for several people, but it’s still better than having all that packaging information in your head, right?
And if your travel plans change: well, it’s good to have extra clothes, and I washed my underwear in the hotel sink, and on my last trip I rushed to Walgreens to get something I didn’t know I was. would need. It happens to the best of us, but it happens much less often with a packing net.