It is finally that time! The final pack! The summer has flown by and I really cannot believe the next time I write to you all, I will be in Scotland! In my last blog post, I expressed my excitement that I managed to fit everything into only two suitcases. Well that excitement was short-lived. While packing all my things up for real, I realized I need about two and half suitcases (which is obviously impossible). So now I am bringing three suitcases and a backpack for an entire year abroad. I personally think three bags is still a job well done compared to the two car loads of stuff I brought for my freshman year of college. During the five hours it took to pack everything up, I realized a few helpful packing tips that may help others during their travels:
1. Use a paper towel roll to pack necklaces: When I moved all my jewelry to my dorm during my first year of college, I chose to use the cling wrap method of packing and it turned out to be a disaster. The cling wrap did protect my necklaces from tangling with each other but then I could not detangle the cling wrap from the necklaces themselves! That stuff really sticks! I ended up breaking two of my favorite necklaces. When I went to pack my jewelry for going abroad, I knew I was not going to fall back on cling wrap again. I saw on Pinterest that some people use a toilet paper roll to transport jewelry which I found really smart. I modified this idea a little bit and used a paper towel roll instead (cut down a bit). I cut notches at the top of the roll and put all my necklaces around the roll and through each notch. The notches will hopefully prevent everything from tangling and removing them from the roll will be much easier than the cling wrap!
2. For soft fabric suitcases, pack your things inside a bedbug protector: I had the bad luck of having bed bugs during my first year of college and it was absolutely awful. I would not wish it on my worst enemy. Now I am very afraid of getting them again which is why I am taking every precaution possible. Hard case luggage has a natural protection against bedbugs with the plastic exterior but soft suitcases do not. One of the bags I am bringing is a soft case, so I used a bed bug mattress protector as an extra defense. I put the protector inside the suitcase and put everything I am packing inside the protector. After everything was in, I zipped up the bedbug protector, so (hopefully) no critter can get into my things. The bedbug protector also added extra padding for fragile items!
Tips to avoid bedbugs: Open all packages ordered through the mail outside and discard the packaging immediately. Do not keep any cardboard in your room!!!
3. Pack a few days ahead of time and let things compress on its own: After stuffing as much items as you can inside the suitcase, zip it up and let it sit for a day or two. With my top loading cases, I let the bags sit on its back, so everything would compress the way I packed it instead of everything moving down if I stood the bag up. Doing so might just let you fit a few more items in!
4. Wrap your shoes and liquid items in bags that can be reused: The shoe bags stores sell might be stylish and helpful, but trash bags and Ziploc bags are functional. Using trash bags and Ziploc bags to hold shoes and bathroom liquids will allow you to then reuse them. This is especially helpful for studying abroad. For shorter trips, you can always reuse the bags for dirty laundry, wet clothing, or extra padding for souvenirs.
5. Be prepared for a dry and cold flight: During my first flight ever, I was not expecting the plane to be so cold and dry! So so dry! Now that I have my first flight under my belt I know what to do differently: use wet wipes and not hand sanitizer since sanitizer will dry out your hands even more; use eye drops liberally; bring nasal spray and lotion as well; bring or wear layers like scarves and sweatshirts (jackets can always be used as blankets!); put all liquids, food, and medication in a clear plastic bag so that going through security is easy and quick; and bring your own earbuds for the complimentary movies provided by the airline (one of my favorite parts about flying!).
Currently, I am a bundle of nerves, excitement, and fear. My bags are packed, room is cleaned, laundry is done, and my to do list is (almost) complete. I am so very grateful for this opportunity to study abroad for an entire year and I am extremely excited to share my experiences with you. The support my family and friends have shown me has made this experience much less daunting and I will miss them terribly.
I will write again soon, but next time from SCOTLAND!
Wishing you warm drinks and new adventures,
Maria
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