Packing to be HomeFree!

I left home in February with the intention of living on the road and becoming HomeFree.  The Universe had something else entirely in store for me, though.  Rather than moving to a new city in the Southeastern U.S. each week as planned, I am sheltering in place instead.   Well, if you want to get technical, I am sheltering in someone’s place (a short-term rental).  While I don’t pack and unpack every week, I am still set up for a mobile life.  Over the last few years, I have learned about a few travel products that make living HomeFree a breeze.  Now that travel is my life, I love these products and travel hacks even more.

Packing Cubes

I read about packing cubes at least seven years ago.  I decided to order some online and I immediately realized that there is simply no reason to live without them.  Ever.  For the cube virgins out there, I will explain that packing cubes are durable fabric pouches in various shapes, sizes, colors and patterns.  They all zip closed securely.  Many of the ones I use have some mesh on the top so clothing can get some air and so you can see what is inside.  I try, for example, to put underwear and socks together in one cube.  Therefore, seeing a sock peeping through the mesh lets me know that I won’t find t-shirts in that cube. I use a larger cube for t-shirts, shorts and one pair of jeans.  I use another cube for exercise clothes and pajamas.  No snickering, please.  Exercise does happen when I travel.  Yes, I mean on purpose.  Currently, I am even using one cube for the toiletries that I need the most frequent access to. 

Working in conjunction with the packing cube is “the roll.”  I rarely fold my clothes.  I usually roll them.  I start at the top of the pants (or shirt or whatever) and I roll the item into a tootsie roll shape.  You can fit A LOT of darn rolls into a packing cube.  When I arrive at a destination, unpacking takes five minutes or less.  I arrange the packing cubes in the drawers or on the shelves or even in the kitchen cabinets as was the unfortunate case with one of our hotel’s in Charleston, South Carolina.  You can read about that ridiculous situation here.  When I am moving to a new hotel every week, packing and unpacking in five minutes is pretty much a necessity.  But even now, as I remain in the same location for weeks (and weeks and weeks), I still just dropped my cubes into the dresser drawers.   The photo below shows a cube that contains a whopping 11 t-shirts, one pair of shorts and one pair of jeans.

Jewelry Organizer

First, I am going to confess that I never had one of these until recently.  A friend bought me a fabric jewelry pouch as a going-away gift when she learned that I was going to be HomeFree.  I had seen pictures of them, but I didn’t know what they were called (still not sure if they have a formal name) or where to get one.  When mine showed up in the mail, I nearly cried.  It is so perfect.  First, the fabric is beautiful.  Second, it is small and easy to squish into extra space without damaging the jewelry inside.  Third, there are a deceptively large number of little earring/ring pockets inside for such a tiny pouch.  My little pouch has eight mini-pockets inside.  I was keeping the jewelry that I wear most often in a wooden jewelry box.  I put that jewelry box inside a Tupperware storage bin in the back of my vehicle with some clothes.  Inevitably, the box tipped from time to time and the contents sloshed all around.  Now, everything will be secure in the pouch.  It will fit in my carry-on-sized suitcase, too.  I don’t believe in checking luggage (except in rare instances) so this is super important too.  Thank you, A.G.  You are the best gift-giver!

Storage Bins

Obviously, I was familiar with Tupperware-style storage bins in my old life.  However, as I prepared for life on the road, I realized the importance of various shapes and sizes.  I also realized how important it is to find ones that snap securely closed.

First, I have 7-8 of the small white/clear bins shown below.  These measure 12 inches long by 6 inches wide and are about 4 inches deep.  The lid is attached, not a separate piece.   You know it is closed when you hear it snap.  They each cost $3.00.  I actually consider that expensive.  As evidence of my frugal life, I did try to find them for less.  I could not.  I keep one of these little bins for a first aid kit and for toiletries one might not need every day.  For example, in the toiletries bin I keep a nail kit, stomach upset medicine, etc.   Since we don’t want to ask at the hotel front desk for every little thing that comes up, we also keep one bin for office supplies. This includes, tape, writing utensils, index cards, a stapler and staples, a ruler, stamps, etc.  Yes, I said stamps.  I know this 2020 and not 1920 but you’d be surprised at how often this comes up.  I have already used three stamps in the four months that I have been HomeFree.

Second, I have one medium bin in the back of my vehicle.  As mentioned in one of my earliest posts, I have a temperature-controlled storage unit for most of the big items in my life that I needed to keep.  I did not want to be forced to return to my hometown at an inconvenient time to retrieve clothes for different seasons, though.  When I left home in February, I placed my summer clothes in the medium-sized bin and put my winter clothes in my suitcase.  When the weather warmed up, I reversed the clothes.  Now, the bin holds my winter clothes.  I selected the specific bin I was going to use first.  This was invaluable.  It forced me to pare down what I kept. 

Lastly, I have one heavy-duty, large bin (27 gallons) in the back of my vehicle.  I found this heavy-duty, stackable item at an office supply store.  It normally costs $12.00 each but I got mine on sale for $9.00.   On a side note, I also used this type of bin to pack up my entire house in preparation for the storage unit.  You see now why the sale price was very important.  Inside this bin, are several of the little clear bins I mentioned earlier.  Lots of miscellaneous household things go in here.  My brilliant husband suggested that I write out a list of what each little bin contained, so we had a master list.  He was right.  I then taped that master list to the inside of the large bin’s lid.  Now, when I need batteries, I open the lid and skim the list.  I see batteries, our multi-tool, our measuring tape and a few other items are in mini-bin #3.  I reach for mini-bin #3.  Ta-da!!

Even if you are not planning to go HomeFree any time soon, I hope you found some of these travel hacks useful.  Some of these items had been right under my nose for years and others are new to my life.  If you travel for one week or one month or maybe you are just trying to organize your stuff, I hope you have fun with it.

Got a favorite travel or organizing gadget?  Share the love in the comments section below.