The Tropical Dweller’s Guide for Packing for a Winter Holiday | Luxury Travel Blogger

Going on a winter holiday is a novelty for anyone who’s used to living in tropical areas. That being said, it can be difficult to adjust to the unforgiving cold and the swathes of snow, especially if you’ve never really experienced it before. To be prepared for the biting cold of winter, you’ll need to bring practical weather-appropriate items to ensure a hassle-free vacation. With all of that in mind, read on for tips and tricks on packing everything you need for your winter trip.

A List of Essentials for Chilly Weather:

From the usual warm clothing and accessories to unusual products you may not have heard of before, you can’t go wrong with bringing the following items along:

Winter Clothing

Sweaters and jackets immediately come to mind, but so should garments that you can wear under your pants for extra warmth and comfort like leggings, compression socks, and opaque tights. These stretchable form-hugging garments also promote better blood and oxygen circulation in your lower limbs. They greatly minimize the risk of developing muscle soreness in your legs, which is especially helpful if you’ll be walking or standing all day. A heavy-duty coat is also a good idea, as it can shield you from the gusty winds outside.

Footwear

You wouldn’t want your feet to get wet while walking in the snow, and you certainly don’t want to get frostbite on your toes. So don’t skimp out on your footwear and invest in a pair of sturdy, high-quality boots. Make sure to match them with a nice, thick pair of socks, too. These will keep your feet nice and toasty while also keeping your skin from rubbing against the material of your boots.

Accessories

Many newbie travelers often overlook or completely disregard accessories when packing for their winter trip. Some examples that you absolutely must bring include scarves, beanies, and earmuffs, and gloves. All these are great for keeping your head and your hands warm while protecting them from the elements.

Heat Packs

Pocket heat packs are a great way to quickly warm up your hands for times when the weather gets a bit chillier than usual. They’re also good for creating a warmer environment in your bag or pocket for your gadgets, as their battery life can be drastically reduced by long periods of exposure to very cold temperatures.

Moisturizers and Lip Balms

Exposure to extreme cold can cause your skin to crack and your lips to split and bleed. This is not only unsightly, but it can also feel quite uncomfortable and painful. To prevent either of these things from happening, make sure to apply moisturizer to your skin and lip balm on your lips every once in a while during your trip.

Medicine and Supplements

It’s quite a hassle to be in the middle of a vacation, only to find out you’ve run out of medicine and have to look for a drugstore in the middle of a snowy area. As such, make sure to bring enough of your important medications in a small but organized kit. To be on the safe side, you can bring a little extra in case your flight back home is delayed for any reason.

You’ll also want to bring some first aid medicine, such as paracetamol for inevitable aches and pains as well as diarrhea medicine in case you get an upset stomach. It’s also a good idea to pack some vitamin C supplements to boost your immune system, as you may need some time to adjust to the colder weather.

Sturdy Luggage

The last thing you’d want is for your trusty luggage to suddenly break and spill all its contents onto the floor while you’re rushing to board your flight. Avoid this potential nightmare scenario by investing in durable, high-quality luggage. Specifically, you’ll want to pick one that can handle larger pieces of clothing, snow boots, and any souvenirs you’ll be bringing home from your vacation.

How to Make Your Belongings Fit in Your Luggage:

Packing for a winter holiday can be extra challenging given the bulky winter items you typically have to bring. If you find yourself running out of space in your suitcase, these hacks may just help you:

Use Vacuum Storage Bags

Does it ever seem like there simply isn’t enough room in your luggage for everything you need? You can minimize the amount of space your clothes take up by using big vacuum storage bags. Put your sweaters, jackets, and coats inside of them, making sure to squeeze the air out of each bag, and then suck out the remaining air using a vacuum cleaner. You’d be surprised just how much space you’ll free up by compressing your clothes using this trick.

Roll, Fold, or Bundle Your Clothes

Properly folding, rolling, or bundling your clothes can go a long way toward saving luggage space. Don’t do any of these things hastily, and try to press and smoothen out your garment at every stage of the process. Make sure to put each folded or rolled item inside of your luggage one at a time, making sure to maximize every inch available. Packing them together as tightly as possible can also keep them from moving around and wrinkling or creasing.

While you can roll some clothes to save some luggage space, you can’t do this to every item lest you want to leave them looking creased and wrinkly. Thus, only roll clothes that are likely to stay wrinkle-free, such as those made from thick and heavy material. This may include your sweaters, jackets, and coats. For garments made from lighter materials that tend to wrinkle easily, such as T-shirts and scarves, you’re better off folding them to keep them in pristine condition.

Store Some of Your Items in Your Boots

Maximize the space inside of your boots by rolling up and stuffing your socks and underwear into them. Doing so will not only ensure that you use up every square inch of available space, but will also guarantee that your boots will keep their shape. Make sure you cover the soles of the boots in a shower cap or a plastic bag so that it won’t accidentally soil the rest of your clothes.

Packing for a winter holiday may seem daunting, and it can certainly take a bit more planning than usual for those who are used to warmer weather. But as long as you do your research and prepare as early as possible, you’ll be just fine. As a final tip, make sure to prioritize comfort over style and function over fashion whenever possible. While there’s nothing wrong with wanting to look great, you won’t enjoy your trip as much if you’re freezing or can’t move around as freely as you want.