Only my best friends know that I am not the most organized traveler. It’s a secret that I managed to keep pretty well. But when I tried to check into a hotel in Cape Town, South Africa recently, the truth came out.
I unlocked my passport holder and a tsunami of flight tickets, grocery store receipts, and COVID-19 test results swept over the counter. Scraps of paper have betrayed the length of my flight, from my Qatar Airways boarding pass to my expired PCR test result from Lisbon.
“Take your time,” a receptionist at the SunSquare Cape Town Gardens Hotel encouraged me as I fumbled to get my passport. But this made matters worse. The passport was stuck between scraps of paper, and the hotel employee’s reassurances made me spin my wheels.
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I know I know. I should have been ready with my identity. I should have submitted these receipts weeks ago.
How do you keep all your belongings organized while traveling? This question is more difficult to answer than ever because travel has changed since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Now you have to reconcile your ID or passport with your boarding pass and COVID-19 papers, including vaccine documents and PCR or antigen testing, if they are still required.
It’s no small task. I saw travelers approaching the airline ticket counter with piles of papers. They don’t seem to know what ending it will end in. To make matters worse, many hotel and airline workers are relatively new and not always sure what to read or what to check. It’s a mess.
“Travelers need to prepare and pack more carefully before their trip,” says Rajiv Shrivastava, CEO of VisitorsCoverage.com, a global marketplace for travel insurance. “It can be easy to forget things when you’re packing your handbag with everything you need for the trip, updating your travel documents and checking the weather and COVID alerts for your destination.”
Traveling with carry-on bags
To be organized, you need the right bags. Frequent flyer Mia Clark would prefer any travel-friendly handbag or backpack. Make sure it has a front zip pocket.
“This will ensure that you have the flexibility to easily access your cosmetics, medication, and other items,” says Clark, who founded a company that makes transducers. “Keep some of your toiletries, such as toothpaste or toothbrushes, a water bottle, and travel-friendly hand sanitizer in the side pocket of your bag so you’re always handy.”
I’m a part of the backpack because in general, no one will bother you about that on a plane, even on one of the big discount airlines where they charge you for carry-on baggage.
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Use packing cubes
This is what organizational expert Kate Hart does before she travels. She loves packing cubes, which allow her to organize clothes, cords, and electronics into separate compartments.
“For example, put toiletries in one place, a warm dress or jacket in another, and towels in the third cube – you get the idea,” says Hart, director of the Resettlement Service UK.
You can take the concept of units a step further. Standard luggage allows you to stack a backpack or duffel bag on top of the plank. This allows you to transport your luggage anywhere, except for cobbled roads. If you can stack your luggage and use packing cubes, you are on your way to being more organized.
Make a checklist and use it
“Preparing for a trip requires tracking an enormous amount of information,” says Chris Emery, editor of Ordealist.com, a guide to vehicle-based adventure travel. “The checklist will keep you organized when things go wrong.”
The checklist should contain a list of essential items. Take pictures of your luggage and its contents too, just in case you have to file a travel insurance claim.
Regulatory experts like Emery point to their list to make sure they haven’t forgotten to pack something — or left nothing behind when they get home.
Pay attention to the details
Here’s one detail you’ll want to keep on hand: your passport number. They will ask for it again and again when you travel abroad. You almost saved me. If you can’t do that, keep it somewhere on your phone.
Robin Klein, founder of Cline & Co., says: “It reduces the chance of your passport getting misplaced, too.”
There’s one more thing you probably need to memorize: your phone number. I know it sounds silly, but you never really call yourself. Almost every form requires that you put your phone number on it. Don’t forget the country code “+1” if you are abroad; Otherwise, calls and text messages will not reach you.
Make digital copies of important documents
“Get accessible documents either on paper or digitally,” says Annie Sisson, a travel consultant for independent travelers and founder of Into the Bold. Create a file folder on your phone and keep PDF copies of your documents there.
You may never need the document. But if for some reason you can’t retrieve your passports, your hotel or cruise line may accept a photo emailed – this has happened to me.
Digital backups are also important in case you lose your passport. Note: Frequent travelers who need to apply for visas should consider obtaining a duplicate US passport.
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Bob Bachler, managing director of medical transportation company Flying Angels, also recommends a backup wallet with a government-issued photo ID such as a Universal Access Card, passport card, or other TSA-accepted on-flight ID.
“If you have to replace your passport, it will be much easier to provide a copy of the passport and a valid government-issued ID,” he says.
Yes, there is an app for that
Some travel advisors use an online spreadsheet, shared calendar, or software called Axus to create and share itineraries. If you are designing your own trip, you can also download TripIt, an itinerary management app that organizes all your travel reservations in one place.
Taryn White, Chief Travel Officer at The Trip Wish List, loves TripIt because it also has general health and safety guidelines, cancellation policies, new travel advisories, and country-specific travel information.
“Document uploads are very useful for storing online photos of your vaccination cards, mobile QR codes, passport copies, and photos of your luggage,” she adds.
I’ve used TripIt, Axus, and the best online calendar flexibility. But to each of them.
least is more
Notice a thread here? The professionals will tell you to combine all your belongings into a handbag, make a simple list, bring all your important papers back online, and pay attention to detail.
It boils down to this simple tip: less is more. If you want to stay organized, lose some luggage before you leave.