You have arrived at your destination, your open your bag and look for the charger, where is it? You had packed it and then you finally recall that you left the charger on the table. How could you do this, now you need to go try and borrow one and maybe just buy one, but first you need to find a store.

I am pretty sure this has happened to you on one of your trips. It was either a charger or a toothbrush, or a towel or something else. Whatever you do, you forget something and its just a hassle going out to get the thing. What if I told you I have a hack for you that will ensure that you don’t forget anything on your next trip. I don’t have a specific name for it but let’s just name these techniques as Head-to-toe, what electronics do I have?, and what else do I need?

Yes, as the names suggest, these are simple questions to ask yourself when you pack. I personally prefer to be packing while asking these questions because you might leave something next to kitchen sink or on the table or on a shelf if you aren’t packing when carrying out these techniques. Without wasting any more time, let’s go in, the first technique:

1. Head-to-toe

For this technique, all you need to do is start with your head and go down your body and tick of things you would need on your trip. For example: For me its, Head – Turbans and other headgear as required, its a 5 day trip so 2 turbans should be enough. Next is eyes, okay I need to pack a pair of sunglasses. Ears, I need to pack some Q-tips or Cotton buds. Teeth, I need to have my toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwaste and Floss.

I think you get the trick. It is as simple as picking everything you will either use to clean that body part of what you need to wear on it or cover it with. This ticks of all the items you need to pack that you will use.

2. What electronics do I have?

This is just a simple question to ask yourself and then tick off items that you will need with the electronic. Again going in to my example – I am going to need a laptop and mobile on this trip. What things do I need to carry to ensure these items function – for the laptop I need a charger, same for the mobile. Now let us not stop at that. Are the sockets at the place I will travel to that are different from the place I reside in? If yes, I will need a universal adapter. Am I going to be going for water sports and will need my phone to take photos while doing so? If yes, I need a water protective cover for my phone.

The point of this technique or question is to ask yourself leading questions and ensure you have everything needed for that electronic to function throughout your trip.

3. What else do I need?

This question is pretty open ended and would be more precise to the nature of your trip, what you are doing on the trip and will be the list which changes the most as compared to the first two. It is more closely related to activities you would do or something you might want to do and need to pack for it. For example, I know I am going to a place with a different currency and I will be driving, so I will surely get some currency and ensure I have my license packed. Always carry an ID apart from your passport, just in case you need one on your person when travelling. Another one could be, it rains a lot where I am going, maybe getting a poncho or a raincoat packed will be a good idea.

So that’s it, simple techniques or questions to ask yourself when packing. I can say that during my last 8-10 trips, I have not forgotten anything I really needed. These trips included international solo travel, international travel to meet family and also local trips.

Try these tricks and let me know how it works out for you.