How to Pack Efficiently: Know What You Absolutely Need

Packing a suitcase is rarely ever a fun day at the park, but if you had to, really had to, could you do it with only one suitcase? Some people already do, but the majority of us--well, let's face it--could pack all of our cramped stuff into two houses comfortably. So what if you had to avoid a natural disaster like a hurricane and had only days to prepare--or less? Would you be able to choose between what stays and what doesn't? Would you know what you absolutely needed and be able to pack efficiently enough to make it count?

We all know that people in the path of Katrina had to make this decision in a hurry. It could happen to any of us anywhere for all sorts of reasons. Fire threatening our homes. Floods occurring as we speak. The list goes on. Here's what I've learned from my travels in and out of the U.S. and what it takes to pack your life up in a hurry.

I don't know who said it, but this system works: pack your suitcase, and then take out half of what you packed and put it back away. This is always one of the hardest things to do. But I've found it to be better on my back than carrying a heavy load. And there is truth to not really needing all of those items that are left behind.

Here's some suggestions for packing efficiently and taking only what you absolutely need.

Most of us need at least two changes of outer clothing. Wear the bulkiest to cut down on overloading your luggage. Add in three to four changes of underwear. You can always clean them in the shower with you and they dry relatively fast. Now, ladies, the efficiency part really applies to this. Pack only one extra pair of shoes. They take up a lot of space and are very bulky because they can't be broken down. Skip extra shoes altogether if you can. However, most people need both tennis shoes and dress shoes.

Remember to take personal toiletries of various kinds. You know what you need. Go for the trial sizes. This includes things like Band-Aids. Don't skip meals (or snacks). Take healthy snacks such as nuts, seeds, granola and energy bars. Along with this, take bottled water. At least one. You can refill later at a water fountain if you have to. If not, bring two and stuff them into pockets on the outside of your luggage or into deep coat pockets. Some airports may restrict liquids altogether now. Check ahead first if you are flying.

Choose one book or a few magazines for those long lines and road trips. Magazines are great because they are thin and easily slide into skimpy spaces. Bring only one thing of sentiment. This is the hardest, but by choosing only one item you save a lot of space and still get to hold onto something from home. Plus, if you lose it, you've only lost one thing and not your whole living room full of family pictures.

Go for plenty of pens and paper. You can never have enough and they are never there when you need them. Along with this, don't forget the address book. And, finally, a map of where you are going sure is nice. I find this especially helpful in foreign countries. Major book stores carry foreign maps in English with lots of great color. It helps you to feel a little more familiarized with the place before you even leave the ground. Having that extra psychological boost doesn't hurt if you get the jitters upon arrival.

You shouldn't need to take out half of anything mentioned above because it is a pretty sparse list. Unless, of course, you just packed a snow suit for a change of clothes. It took more than 3 years, but I finally have this down to a science for life as I know it and I rarely have to pack anything beyond what is on the list. Of course work related items will add to your space and may even be in a separate bag. But as for absolute essentials making it into your life's luggage, this should suffice. It's all about efficiency.

None of us hope to ever have to prepare for a disaster--natural or otherwise--but many already have experienced this firsthand. Knowing what you need versus what you think you want can save loads of time and even make a difference to your own survival in worst-case scenarios. Simply put, know what you absolutely need ahead of time and save yourself time and energy in the end.