Suitcases, Lists & a Little Overthinking: How We Prepare for a Trip

From outfit photos and printed itineraries to AirTags and our evening-before ritual — this is what getting ready for a trip really looks like in our house.

Dear readers,

For us, preparing for a trip is part of the excitement. We genuinely enjoy making lists, organising things and knowing that we’ve done what we can before we leave.

We’re both very involved, although we naturally have different jobs. Bernhard takes care of much of the logistics, while I usually take over the packing and outfits.

Emotionally, we’re a little different too.

Bernhard is usually the positive one. He’s excited and somehow convinced everything will work out.

I am excited too… but my mind sometimes has other ideas.

What if we miss the flight? What if I forget something important? What if one of us gets sick? What if a reservation goes wrong? What if the weather ruins our plans?

You get the idea. 😄

Planning ahead gives me peace of mind. It isn’t about trying to control everything — I know that’s impossible. It’s simply about knowing we’ve done what we can before we leave.

And there is no right or wrong way to prepare for a trip. This is simply what works for us.

I usually start packing about three or four days before we leave.

Packing Starts Days Before Departure

I make a list of what still needs to be done: checking the weather forecast, doing any necessary laundry, seeing whether we need to buy something and, of course, packing.

By the day before we leave, the clothes, shoes, medicines and beauty products are usually already in the suitcases. Only a few last-minute things are left to add.

Seeing those almost-finished suitcases gives me a real sense of relief.

The important things are done.

Minimalist Packing? Definitely Not

I have to admit something: I am definitely not a minimalist when it comes to packing.

And I’m perfectly fine with that. 😄

I like having more outfit options than I will probably need. The weather can change, our plans can change, or I might simply feel like wearing something different.

I plan our outfits around the weather, what we’re doing during the day and any special evening plans — a theatre performance, rooftop bar, nice restaurant or anywhere else we might want to dress up a little.

And when I say our outfits, I really do mean both of us.

Packing clothes is mostly my department, including Bernhard’s. He’s very happy with this arrangement. He always says I’m the one with the fashion sense, and since we’ve been together, he has started paying much more attention to what he wears.

Which is true. 😄

The Outfit Photo Trick That Saves Me Time

One little system has helped me tremendously.

If I’ve worn an outfit before and already have a photo of myself wearing it, I use that as my reference. If it’s a new outfit, I lay everything out on the sofa — usually including the handbag — and take a photo.

I often do the same for Bernhard’s outfits.

I don’t photograph the shoes because I normally choose two pairs that work with almost everything.

When we’re travelling, I can simply look at the photos on my phone instead of standing in front of the suitcase wondering what I had planned to wear.

Do I still pack one or two extra outfits?

Of course I do.

I said I was organised. I didn’t say I was a minimalist. 😄

Bernhard: Head of Logistics

While I’m surrounded by clothes, handbags and packing lists, Bernhard takes care of the other side of our preparation.

And he checks everything.

If we’re flying, he makes sure our boarding passes are ready. We have them on our phones, but he prints them too.

He works out when we need to wake up, how much time we need to get ready, when we should leave home and how long the drive to the airport should take.

Because we usually drive to Munich Airport, he also books our airport parking in advance and checks exactly where we need to go when we arrive.

If we’ve rented a car at our destination, he makes sure everything is sorted there too. He checks routes, reservations and all those little logistical details that suddenly become very important on travel day.

The day before we leave, he prints the itinerary that we’ve created together, along with our tickets and reservations.

Technology is wonderful, but batteries run out, phones can be lost and sometimes technology simply doesn’t cooperate.

We like having a backup.

An Itinerary, Not a Military Operation

Our itinerary might look very organised, but we do not plan every hour of every day.

Anything with a fixed time goes into it — flights, museum or attraction time slots, dinner reservations and other bookings where we actually need to be somewhere at a particular time.

The rest stays flexible.

We want to know where we have to be and when, but between those things we want time to walk around, take photos, change our minds or stay somewhere longer because we’re enjoying it.

We are on holiday. We are not robots.

For us, that’s the balance that works.

The Little Things That Always Come With Us

I usually take travel-sized toiletries, skincare and makeup products. Shops such as dm, Rossmann and Müller make finding smaller products quite easy.

We also make sure our phones have plenty of free storage before leaving because we take a lot of photos when we travel.

I pack a small medicine pouch with the things we personally might need — painkillers, cold medicine, wound cream, disinfectant spray, probiotics and a few stomach remedies.

That’s simply our little travel medicine kit. Everyone has different needs and should pack whatever is appropriate for them.

For the journey itself, we’ll usually bring a few snacks too. We like some of the enerBiO snacks from Rossmann, along with simple things such as bananas and nuts.

If we’re flying, we might buy a Brezel or something from the bakery at the airport. For a road trip, we’ll often stop at a bakery before starting the drive.

We also use packing cubes and shoe bags. They’ve become part of almost every trip because they make it much easier to see what’s where inside the suitcase.

Why There’s an AirTag in Every Suitcase

We always put AirTags in our suitcases now.

That habit started after a flight home from Rome.

When we collected my suitcase, it was clear that someone had been through it. My toiletry bags had been opened and things inside the suitcase had been moved around.

We don’t know exactly what happened.

Thankfully, nothing was missing. My jewellery and other valuable things had been with me in the cabin.

But the experience stayed with us.

Since then, we put AirTags in our suitcases whenever we travel. Depending on the trip, I sometimes put one in an expensive handbag too.

Thankfully, we’ve never actually needed them to find lost luggage.

And we’d very much like to keep it that way.

The evening before a trip is when everything starts to feel real.

The suitcases are almost completely packed. Bernhard has checked the logistics. The documents and itinerary are ready. Usually, only a few last-minute things are left for the morning.

And this is when I try to quiet my mind a little.

I often do a yoga practice or meditation, and I like to read a good book before going to sleep.

Bernhard, meanwhile, is usually just excited and positive about what’s coming.

That’s Bernhard. ❤️

For me, thoughtful planning isn’t about believing that nothing will go wrong. Something always has the potential to change when you’re travelling.

Planning simply gives me peace of mind because I know we’ve done what we can.

And Then… We Go

Once the suitcases are packed, the documents are ready and the alarm is set, there really isn’t much more to do.

Except go.

Are you someone who starts packing several days before a trip, or are you still throwing things into your suitcase the night before?

Do you plan your outfits, print your documents and make lists — or would our preparation process drive you completely crazy? 😄

Until next time,

Irina & Bernhard