Split Suitcases

We’re getting ready for a 2 week trip to Israel, for weeks I’ve been making mental and physical lists of what I want to pack for the three of us. Soon I’ll get around to sharing packing lists, especially for a toddler! Below is how I assure we will be okay if a suitcase gets lost!

• Lay out all clothes to be packed, divide completely in half

• Roll like clothes together, use packing cubes if you like!

• Pack 1/2 of her clothes with 1/2 of his in one suitcase

• Repeat in the second suitcase!

• Assure that if a suitcase gets lot, you each still have 1/2 of your clothes

I’m the packer in our family. Ever since my husband and I have been together I’ve done the packing for both of us – it’s much easier to do it myself (I get to be quality control!) as well as appropriately packing what he needs. If he packs for himself and forgets something, it always happens to be my fault …

So, I’ve devised quite the system! I’ll admit, it’s a touch OCD. Once I figure out what I’m packing for each of us, I take all of his clothes and all of mine and then divide them in half. Completely in half – from undergarments, casual clothes, bathing suits, work-out clothes, fancy clothes, shoes, etc. I do my best to coordinate the clothes in each section so they match, if there’s a top that only goes with one pair of pants, make sure they go together! Then I roll the clothing, by rolling you are really able to fit more and the clothes get less wrinkly. I roll in groups, typically all of my shirts together and then bottoms. There are some exceptions – if it is a larger item, like a maxi dress, I’ll roll it alone.

Then, I pack half of my clothes in one suitcase with half of his clothes and then I repeat in the other suitcase. This way, if a suitcase gets lost (which Murphy’s law would be mine), we each still have appropriate clothes to get us through until our suitcase is returned!

If I’m not unpacking our things when we get to our destination, I’ll re-divide the clothes so that one suitcase holds my items and the other his. That way he isn’t rummaging through, unfolding my things looking for something!

For our past couple of trips I’ve tried packing cubes, however, I’m not completely sold. I don’t see how they truly increase space in your suitcase as they claim. However, they do make it very easy to separate our clothes and keep things more organized. I think they have a huge role if you’re traveling to different regions that require different attire – ie: clothing for a few days at a conference in one cube, stuff for a few days on the beach in a second and then the last holds casual attire for exploring a new city!

Has anyone had good luck with packing cubes? Let me know what you think!