Winter Travel Packing Tips and Hacks

Winter travel can be an expensive hassle, especially if you’re visiting more than one location throughout your vacation. If you plan and organize yourself, however, winter travel doesn’t have to be stressful or frustrating; it can be fun!

If you want to know how to make sure your winter vacation goes off without a hitch, check out these winter travel packing tips and hacks.

First things first - How wintery is the destination you are traveling to?

Skiing in Colorado, US? A trip to a rainy but not snowy European city? Snowboarding in Sweden? If you are traveling to a destination that isn’t as wintery as your current location, How exactly is winter in the destination you are traveling to? Is it a ski vacation or a city vacation, very cold but not snowy, all this and more can affect the way you pack and before you purchase an entirely new wardrobe - The first thing you need to do before you even start packing is to check what exactly the weather (temperature, precipitation and more) is on the dates you plan to hike and pack just according to that time?

Use Packing Cubes

If you’re going to go on a winter vacation, it’s a good idea to get yourself some packing cubes. It will help you keep your outfits organized and easy to access, which means less stress when trying to get ready in a hurry!

Roll your clothes instead of folding them

Rolling your clothes instead of folding them saves room in your suitcase. The more you can pack into a given space, the less likely you are to end up paying for an overweight bag. So roll those pants!

Double up on winter clothing

One trick is to bring two of each of your heavy winter clothing items, like sweaters and jackets. That way you’ll be able to wear one while doing laundry in your hotel room (most hotels have washing machines) or while at a laundromat during downtime. It can be nice to be able to change it up a bit from time to time, especially when you’re traveling with friends or family.

Bring a plastic bag for wet items

Bringing a plastic bag can come in handy during your trip, not just for a winter vacation. If you forgot your umbrella, had a bit of rain or snowfall on you, got caught in an unexpected shower, have wet clothing or shoes after a day at a theme park (like Disney World), then you’ll be happy to have brought one. It can also help with dirty laundry if you’re staying somewhere long-term like an apartment rental.

Stuff Your Shoes and Bring Waterproof Boots/Shoes

If you’re traveling in winter, you should know that a layer of warm socks is almost as important as a good coat. If you’re headed to countries with snowy weather or slushy road conditions, it might be wise to stuff your shoes with newspaper or a roll of toilet paper (to help pad them) before you put them in your bag.

As for waterproof boots or shoes—they’re worth their weight in gold on a cold, rainy day. Tip - Fill them with socks, it saves necessary space in the packaging!

If it is possible to rent equipment and not bring it with you, it is better

Do not go on a holiday with a duffel bag full of things, especially if you are going to spend money. Before planning your trip, check to see if equipment such as skis or ski boots can be rented in one place and returned in another - more often than not it can.

This way you don't need to lug all those things around with you when you travel!

Pack items you can wear more than once

If you’re planning on going somewhere that isn’t within driving distance, it’s a good idea to be mindful of how much space your winter wardrobe will take up in your suitcase. You should plan accordingly by packing only what you can wear multiple times.

Do you really need three different sweaters? Or how about those fancy new boots? Unless it’s necessary, you probably won’t wear those items more than once during your trip.

Protect your luggage

Luggage is expensive. Protect yours by using bags designed for harsh weather conditions. They won’t only protect your belongings, but they’ll also make your luggage easier to identify at baggage claim.

Stuff inside your suitcase with winter-specific gear like scarves, gloves, hand warmers, ski goggles, and even bathing suits if you plan on stopping somewhere tropical.

Most importantly, do not forget your passport, and of course what are the travel restrictions on the destination you are traveling to.