How to Pack Light for Your Next Vacation Without Sacrificing

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Our family loves to travel. Before heading out for a trip there is always so much to do. From getting the house ready for the pet sitter to packing for a large family, things can get a little hectic. Usually there are six of us traveling on each trip, which made it important to learn how to pack light.

We love our dogs and always miss them when on our travels. When taking local camping trips we try to take them with us, but that is not always a possibility.  Meet Cooper, our Great Dane. Cooper sheds more than any cat I’ve owned.

When preparing for a vacation, I rush around trying to straighten up the house. Besides the fact that it feels nice to come home to a clean house after traveling, which is exhausting in itself, I like to leave things tidy for the pet sitter.  The first step is trying to manage all the dog hair.

We use our Scotch-Brite™ Lint Roller almost daily.  Besides using it on our clothes before leaving the house, we lint roll the couches at least once a week. The only lint rollers with Scotch™ adhesive, guaranteeing removal of lint, fuzz and pet hair.

While grocery shopping at Walmart I pick up my lint rollers in the cleaning section of the store.  You can also find the Scotch-Brite™ Lint Roller in the laundry/closet aisle.

I seriously would be lost without our lint roller. I could not imagine going out in public with Cooper’s hair all over my clothes, but the biggest embarrassment is having guests get covered in dog hair by sitting on our couch.

The lint roller quickly and easily rolls away the dog hair from our couch and throw pillows.

I was excited to find the new Scotch-Brite™ 50% Stickier Lint Roller in the closet section of my Walmart. Plus, it comes in a two pack! Each lint roller comes with 60 count + 10 bonus sheets. This was perfect for packing one to take with me on our trip and leaving one for the pet sitter.

How to Pack Light

I always recommend rolling your clothes instead of folding them to pack in your suitcase or overnight bag.

I used to work in retail so breaking the habit of folding my shirts was not easy. Especially when it comes to the sleeves. The old-fashion way instilled in me was to fold the sleeves over first and make a crisp crease. That’s great when stocking a shelf at the department store but not so much when traveling and avoiding wrinkles.

Always roll your shirt with the short sleeves out.

By rolling your shirts you not only avoid wrinkles but you also save space in your bag.

Some shirts, specifically cotton ones, may pinch and wrinkle while rolling. Take time to pull and straighten the wrinkles as you roll.

See how small three adult-size tops can roll up?

Now it’s time to start packing your bag. I always put my shoes down first. This avoids the dirty soles from touching my clean laundry. But don’t waste any space! Fill your shoes with items to take. It is perfect to hold my lint roller. You can also store your socks inside your shoes – rolled up, of course.

Then lay your bottoms or jeans on top of your shoes and your rolled shirts on top of those. This way your shirts are always on top. I was able to get three full outfits in less than half of the bag. I put my pajamas and undergarments on the opposite side with my small bathroom essentials bag on top.

Usually I’m packing a hard-shell suitcase, unless it’s a quick road-trip, and the same strategy applies.

Finding someone to care for our dogs is a blessing. Cooper and Nicki mean the world to us and it’s always sad to leave them behind. Now our pet sitter can stay dog hair free while taking care of our lovable fur babies.

Click here for more ideas and inspiration on ways to use Scotch-Brite lint rollers.