by Melissa Morello
With spring break trips around the corner, it is about that time to start considering the most essential part of the trip – packing.
This process, if executed correctly, can be a tedious and complicated endeavor, seeing as successful packing tactics include extreme attention to detail in order to occupy one’s suitcase with only the necessities.
Not only are women typically more skilled than men in the “attention to detail” department, but the packing process is in fact more difficult for the female traveller who is often ridiculed for her annoying and seemingly insignificant obsession with planning every detail of the trip in advance.
Through inquiring about specifics such as each vacation day’s itinerary, the woman gains valuable knowledge regarding what to bring – knowledge that is useless to the male traveler who has fewer options and fewer worries when it comes to keeping his luggage under airline weight limits.
That being said, a woman is justified in her obsession with details prior to a trip and should not be mocked by her unenlightened male counterparts when in planning mode.
There are several essential questions a woman must ask before writing the ultimate packing list, something men don’t even need to consider:
What is the temperature going to be?
The temperature is quite possibly the most crucial detail in terms of deciding the type of clothing to pack. While men and women both have to consider the weather, men have fewer options in terms of layers than women. Especially when traveling to a warmer destination, women have fun particulars like tank tops and bra straps to consider, and the combinations are endless. Didn’t think about that, did you gentlemen?
How many days will I be gone?
This is a biggie. While men are able to wear the same pair of pants two days in a row, a woman is less likely to wear the same dress twice on a trip. Unlike men, a woman typically does not outfit repeat unless completely necessary. Therefore, she prefers to know the number of days to pack for, in order to plan out each day’s particular outfit. (Let’s not forget about jewelry to match as well.) This pre-planning also significantly decreases outfit selection time while on the trip and ensures enough clothing is brought to avoid wasting vacation time doing laundry.
Furthermore, men tend to forget that women have double the amount of underwear! Keep in mind, men, an extra day or two most likely means four or five extra pieces of clothing.
Aside from clothing, the length of stay is important for deciding the quantity of toiletries and products to bring. Even a woman with shorter hair still has three times as much hair as a man, which might mean two travel size conditioners instead of one…
Will I be wearing a dress?
Quite simply put: Do I need to bring a razor?
What am I going to do that day – Nice dinner? A hike?
So many male clothing items can serve multiple purposes and double as both casual and nice outfits. On the other hand, the female traveler who packs a low-cut black dress for a Friday night out is unable to wear this same outfit for Saturday morning’s stroll down the beach.
The type of activity also determines the type of shoe a woman wears. Men don’t have nearly as many options in the shoe department and not only are colors and matching crucial, but comfort as well. Not to mention, a size 12 woman needs to consider how much room four pairs of shoes takes up in a suitcase.
How close is the nearest CVS?
You never know what you forgot or what you might need. From safety pins, to lint rollers to the dreaded “feminine supplies,” without a nearby convenience store, these things need to be packed ahead of time.
Women like to prepare for every situation. So men, next time you laugh when your mom, wife, girlfriend or sister packs a lint roller in her suitcase, just remember to thank her after you find out the cat took a nap on your laundry pile.
CougarBuzz 