How to Pack a Backpack for Travel - a Guide to Packing

Packing is the most exciting part of a trip! It creates an air of anticipation and excites you like nothing else does! Whether you are one of those who pack everything a week before or someone who packs one night back; no matter if you are one of those who pack extra to be sure or someone who believes carrying light luggage, packing for a trip is equally exciting for everyone.

As most people advice, it is best to travel light for a trip. Packing light is not only comfortable but also makes you feel less tired and focus on the other aspects of the travel, like observing the landscapes and being aware of pickpockets.

With that, backpacks are the most comfortable and convenient type of luggage. They are ideal luggage because:

• They are comfortable to carry
• They fall easy on the shoulders and avoid strain in any part of the body
• They leave your hands free for other things like holding your phone or a camera
• They fit comfortably on the shelves of trains and buses
• Some airlines allow carrying backpacks in the flight

You are wondering how to pack a backpack?

Here are some tips for packing a backpack.

Organization of Your Backpack

The organization means how the bag is packed to fit in everything well and weighs evenly throughout. It is essential that everything is folded in the smallest way possible. Imagine that your bag has invisible layers.

• The bottom-most layer should have woollens or heavy materials, like towels, sleeping bags and the like.
• Above that starts the regular clothes packing. The ideal way is to pack according to what is to be worn when. For example, if it's a three-day trip, the layer above woollens will have the night suit for day 3, followed by the daily wear for day 3, night suit for day 2 and so on. It ensures that the contents of the backpack are intact and not haywire or scattered.
• Above that comes the essentials, like sunglasses, food items, a pouch of medicines, the diary, the ticket, etc.
• Shoes and undergarments must be on the side of the backpack.
• The inside pocket of the backpack can contain cosmetics and other miscellaneous things preferably organized in smaller pouches.
• A water bottle must always be there in the bottle holder of the backpack.

Let us have a detailed look at each component.

1. Shoes and socks

Sports shoes are often bulky and occupy a lot of space. Slippers are more comfortable to place in a backpack. It is advisable to wear sports shoes and put a pair of sandals and other shoes in your backpack. If that is not possible, you can wrap the shoes in a newspaper or a cloth bag, roll up the extra space of the wrapper tightly around the boots, put it either at the bottom of the backpack or in the side. It is essential that the shoes occupy as less space as possible. Socks can be placed inside the shoes. 

2. Money

It is ideal to not keep much cash with you during travelling. Umpteen number of frauds take place every day. Thieves and pickpockets prefer to steal money, rather than a debit card or a credit card. Regardless, keep your wallet safely. If you are not keeping it in your pocket or your hand, it can be placed smartly in the backpack. The safest and most convenient way is to keep the cash that you need on the road in your pocket and tuck the wallet in between the clothes. 
Experts advise that a traveller should keep money in different places - pocket, wallet, inside the pockets of your jeans or pants in the backpack, in one of the pouches, etc.

3. Edibles and water

Edibles must be in the topmost layer of the backpack. Doing so will not spoil or compress them, and also make it easily accessible for you.
Water is mandatory during travelling. A bottle of water must be kept in the bottle pocket of the backpack. In its absence, you can place it in the corner of the main pocket, which ensures that it is kept straight, is easily accessible and does not disturb the packed clothes and other components.

4. Clothes and undergarments

First of all, it is advisable to carry minimum clothes, avoid bulky and heavy clothes, and fold them in a way that they occupy the least space. Rolling clothes is the best way to pack them using less space. Undergarments can either be put in a small bag or placed in the sides. These are to be kept in the second last layer of the backpack.

5. Toiletries

Toiletries can be in a pouch or a bag, and if you need these along the way, keep them in the top layer, or tucked in the inside pocket.
Avoid carrying toothpaste that comes in a big tube, big bottles of shampoo, etc. In case you have big bottles, empty the content in smaller containers. A smart way to pack shampoo, body wash, etc. place them in water bottle covers, and placed in the side of the backpack.

6. Medicines

It is essential to keep a strip of all the generic drugs, like painkillers, cold relief, pain sprays. These can be placed in a pouch in the front pocket since medicines can be required any time, without warning at times.

7. Expensive items

First and foremost, avoid carrying expensive items. If you are taking them, they must be in a wallet - in between the clothes. It is safest here, away from the reach of thieves.

8. Cosmetics

Again, avoid cosmetics which come in big bottles like moisturizer, sunscreen etc., which can be in smaller containers. Experts advise travellers to creams in a contact lens case since this avoids excess and saves space. Cosmetics can be placed in a small pouch and tucked in the inside pocket of the backpack.

Convenient? It is possible to fit in everything in a neat, clean and organized way in a backpack. And it is easy to carry a bag anywhere. Travel anywhere, comfortably, conveniently and most importantly, aware of yourself.