In just three more days, I’ll be on an airplane – on my way to Europe!

Today, I’ve spent the last several hours packing. It’s not necessarily the most exciting aspect of travel (those aspects will be coming soon), but it’s equally as important; we all have to do it, right?

I recently learned of a packing tip from a Facebook group that I’m in that has changed the game for me. Instead of folding clothes – roll them up, and stuff them in tight!

I feel like a lot of people probably already know this tip already, but it made packing so much easier for me, so I want to share it anyway – just in case!

This is my suitcase, with all of my clothes packed into it already. Yes, all of them! Plus a fresh bottle of Excedrin (can’t forget that). As you can see, I still have quite a bit of room on top of those rows of clothing for all of the other things I have to squeeze into my suitcase. I’m trying to leave some extra room, so that I can take some new things from Spain home with me, too!

I haven’t even left the United States yet, but I’ve already learned something valuable – research packing tips and start to plan your suitcase and bags BEFORE it’s time to go! The internet has a lot of wisdom to offer, sometimes. Trust me, it will save you lots of space, and probably lots of headaches, in the long run!

Here, you see that my dog wanted to help me pack, but he got distracted by licking his own leg. Thanks, Willy.

Anyway, did you know that UMass Lowell has its own “Health, Safety, & Travel Preparation” page? It has so many helpful tips, from advice on what to do in an emergency, to passport and visa information, to how to stay happy and healthy while abroad! If you’re traveling any time soon, you can check out that page right here.

I’m off – these bags won’t pack themselves! (Wouldn’t it be nice if they did?)