“Before anything else, preparation is the key to success.”
-Alexander Graham Bell
There’s nothing more exciting than visiting your S/O. There’s nothing like being able to hug them and spend time with them. It’s something we look forward to and count down to. There are many things that can affect the quality of a visit, today we’re going to talk about one of them. Packing.
Packing is important for many reasons. Bad packing makes it harder to enjoy your visit. Not having what you need is distracting. If you forget the essentials then you’ll be worrying about what you need instead of enjoying time with your S/O. You could even wind up spending more than your budget amount because you didn’t bring everything you need. This could even take away from your souvenir money.
There are lot of different ways to prepare for a visit. Let’s take a look at some real long distance bloggers who have shared their favorite packing tips.
1 – Plan early.
I always leave it till the evening before, or even the morning of my travel, however I always have things planned in advance, usually a week or so. Making sure all the clothes I want to take are picked out, and the odd thing already thrown in my case. That way, over the week, if you think of something else, at least it can be added sooner rather then later.
2 – Pack heavy items at the bottom.
Anything like shoes or boots, toiletries, hairdryer anything like that is easier to be packed at the bottom of the case. I find that way, when your case is stood up and wheeled about, your clothes and delicate things do not get as crushed or creased! Been there, done that.. haha.”
If you’re like Carley and you hate packing, read her blog for 5 tips on how to pack for a visit.
If you have to travel more than 5 hours you might want to pack a travel-size toothbrush, toothpaste, and some mouthwash in your carry-on luggage. Just make sure you follow TSA guidelines regarding the sizes and put any liquids in a small, clear, plastic bag. You may also want to bring some tissues and Band-Aids, just in case! You will also want to pack any medications you have in your carry-on. If the airline loses your checked luggage you want to make sure your health won’t be affected by it. Play it safe and bring your prescriptions on-board in your personal bag.
Read Christie’s blog for more tips on how to prepare for a long flight.
I hate summer clothing. I just do not feel nice sporting shorts and a t-shirt. I would rather wear a nice knit, jeans and boots. You may just imagine my frustration when I started packing. 99% of my wardrobe consists of warm clothes. That 1% is just an ugly bag full of something that keeps me cool if I really need it.
The first time I was flying to visit I decided to purchase new clothes in California. It worked. The second time I had those previously purchased clothes and a changed style. I wasn’t happy in some of my clothes but decided to just live in them! It’s just for a couple of months anyway! I don’t know if I ever will make that mistake again. Wearing clothes you don’t feel comfortable in is horrible.
Anna gives a few tips on how to feel comfortable with what we’ve packed when we’re visiting someone.
Make your suitcase easily identifiable. If buying a new suitcase I recommend buying one that is a bright color and maybe even one with a design. In a sea of all black and navy blue suitcases on that carousel, your luggage may be hard to find! For those who cannot buy a new suitcase, like me, add something bright and colorful to it so it is easier to spot. What I do is buy some bright cute duct tape and wrap it around the handles so I can see it coming from far away. Another option is tying some ribbon to the handle and/or a bright luggage tag.
Check out Taylor’s blog for more handy packing tips.
I went out and bought a medium sized suitcase and tried to look up the guidelines for the maximum measurements that my suitcase had to be in order for me to be able to check it in. The weight restriction was 50 lbs, and if I went over than the $25 fee would become a $100 fee. I went out to Walmart and bought myself a luggage scale. I highly recommend buying one! Mine was about $10, but getting on a scale first and then a second time holding your luggage will work as well.
Brenda talks about packing and her first time flying solo to see her S/O.
Reading about how others packed for their LDR visits can help us to pack more efficiently so that we can enjoy our visit. Did any of the posts, tips and experiences of these bloggers help you out? Hopefully they did!
If you’d like to read more tips and experiences from other real long distance couples on how to prepare for an LDR visit, you can find even more valuable tips and experiences from even more long distance bloggers by clicking the image on the right.
And if you’d like to share your own packing tips and tricks, you can do so by leaving a comment & sharing your own valuable experience with us!
