Apart from a gung-ho and a healthy attitude, the main factor that will make or break your trip, is your baggage and how you pack it.
It is important to pack for ultimate portability, versatility and necessity. The most important rule: Do not bring more than you have to.
When I go on vacation I absolutely recommend to use rolling duffle bags. The best way to organize your luggage is to layout every item which you want to bring on your trip and consider if it will fit into a rolling duffle bag. Start removing all items that are not necessary. This should be around half of the all the items, leave the rest of the items at home, you will not need it. I use these tips to pack my bags as efficiently as possible:
* If all items do not fit in my rolling duffle bag, I have to many items with me.
* If I cannot lift the rolling duffle bag above my shoulders and hold it for 15 seconds, I have to many items with me.
* If I cannot carry it and walk 6 times around the street without getting tired, I have to many items with me.
Trust me, you will be thank me later when you have lightweight rolling duffle bag as you sit on a chair in the airport, while you see a woman walking around, getting back problems just from carrying his luggage..
Remember: Clothes and shoes take up most of the room in your rolling duffle bag. so watch out what you take with you. Trust me, it’s a lot easier to do laundry on your vacation than carry around a lotof stuff.
Try to bring small size or travel size toiletries: shampoo, toothpaste, mini soap, etc. also make use of hotel gifts while staying in a hotel, and if run out of items, the European malls and convenience stores, have most major U.S. brands plus their own products that are just as good if not of higher quality.In fact, a bottle of foreign shampoo or another product makes a pretty original gift for your friends.
No-one but your fellow travelers can immediately recognize if you have had the same pants for the last two states. Socks, T-shirts and underwear clothing items that get filthy quickly are not difficult to clean and dry during a warm day. To be honest, you can wear the same shirt for a while before really need to be cleaned.
It is very important to leave space in your luggage for storing gifts. You will notice that you will return with more items than when you left. This is why a duffle bag, or rather, a rolling duffle bag is always a excellent idea to carry your luggage in. Rolling duffle bags make sure you can store a large amount of items, while at the same time you can use wheels for added versatility. Lightweight duffle bags or special travel duffle bags are also recommended if you do not like duffle bags with wheels.
If you notice that you are running out of room on holiday you can also head to a local post office to send home the personal items that you’ve found that you cannot carry with you. You could even send your dirty clothes to yourself, just before you head home. This way you can carry the smaller items in your rolling duffle bags at all times.