Pack for a Trip to Chicago
Chicago is an interesting city, filled with many things to see and do. A certain amount of trip planning must be done ahead of time, particularly in regard to packing. Airlines limit the amount of luggage you can take, plus no one wants to spend a trip to Chicago struggling with a lot of bags. Knowing how to pack for a trip to Chicago will make your trip much more enjoyable.
Steps
- Make a list of what to pack for a trip to Chicago.
- Check the weather. Remember that Chicago has earned the title of "Windy City."
- Also know that Chicago weather is notorious for changing.
- Clothing items that you can layer works well for Chicago's unpredictable weather.
- Bring winter gear (coat, hat, gloves, and scarf) if you plan to travel to Chicago from late autumn to early spring.
- Thermal underwear makes chilly winter days easier to withstand.
- Choose mix-and-match clothing items for greater versatility and to save space when packing.
- Plan to do laundry during if your trip to Chicago will last three weeks or more.
- Roll or bundle clothing instead of folding.
- This provides more room in a suitcase and clothes are less wrinkled.
- Another trick to limit wrinkles is to roll clothing in tissue paper.
- Stick shoes, belts and other rigid items in the outer edge of the suitcase.
- Let no space go unused.
- Pack for a trip with a backpack if you want your hands free.
- Packing heavier things on top and lighter things on the bottom allows the backpack to rest on your lower back, which is much more comfortable than having it cut into your shoulders.
- Place items that you need most often at the top of a backpack or in one of the zippered pockets so they are most accessible.
- Limit toiletries to what is truly needed.
- Ask yourself what you know you will need, not what you think you might need.
- Pack items like shampoo in small containers.
- Trip planning should always include plastic bags, such as Ziplocs. This keeps toiletries from leaking onto clothing. Plastic bags can later be reused for dirty clothes or garbage.
- Split your group's clothing between various suitcases if travel to Chicago means flying with family.
- Everyone still has clothing if one suitcase is lost.
- Remember to pack a carry-on bag for important papers, valuables and can't do without items. Diaper bags are usually a safe place for important items. Things to keep with you might include:
- Electronic items.
- Visa or passport if you're coming from outside of the U.S.
- Chewing gum may help your ears if you're flying.
- Change of clothes for long flights.
- Jewelry.
- Identification, credit cards.
- Prescription medication in original containers.
- Tickets, travel itinerary and trip planning notes.
- Important contacts and phone numbers.
- Take no more than two pairs of shoes to save space when you pack for a trip.
- Make one pair of shoes fancy and the other casual.
- Save even more space by wearing one of the two pairs of shoes and packing the other.
- Place a business card with a cell phone number in the baggage label.
- You don't want anyone to know that your house will be empty, so a business card is a better choice than a home address.
- Write your cell phone number and destination address on a self-adhesive label to stick inside your suitcase. This is helpful to the airline in case the baggage label comes off.
- Consider extra items like guidebooks and maps. Other items you might need when you travel to Chicago include:
- Camera with additional memory, and if you're coming from outside the U.S., you may need an electrical adapter and plug converter.
Tips
- Make sure to carry some small bills for tips at the airport.
- Divide your financial assets (cash, credit cards) into different pockets and bags. This may help if you lose a bag or are a victim of robbery.
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