Whether you’re planning a stay at Bocage Plantation or you’re headed somewhere else, it’s important that you pack properly for your trip. To help you out, we’ve put together a list of great packing tips that we’ve learned from years of managing a bed and breakfast and traveling ourselves.

1. Take a look at the weather forecast—A simple visit to Weather.com can give you a good idea of what the weather will be like at your destination for at least the next 10 days. This information will help you determine what type of clothes you need to bring (for hot weather or cool).
2. Pack some plastic bags—Plastic bags are good for packing toiletries, and it’s also helpful to have a few extra bags on hand for storing your dirty clothes.
3. Bring only the things you know you’ll use—Pack only the things you know you’ll use. You don’t want to be lugging around your entire closet in multiple suitcases, when you’re probably not even going to wear half of it. One easy way to avoid this is to pack clothes that serve multiple purposes (e.g. a polo shirt that could be worn during the day or at night).
4. Leave a little extra room for souvenirs—You don’t want to stuff your bags to the brim, because you won’t have room to bring anything extra back. Chances are, you’re going to buy some souvenirs while on your trip, so you need to leave a little extra room for these items.
5. Split up clothes when traveling with others—Sometimes, bags get lost. But a lost bag doesn’t have to mean your trip is ruined. If you’re traveling with someone else, put some of your clothes in their bag and vice versa. This way, if one of your bags get lost, you’ll still have some clothes to hold you over until it gets returned.
6. Roll rather than fold—For some reason, rolling clothes takes up less room than folding them. This lets you maximize your suitcase space.
7. Don’t wait until the last minute—When you wait until the last minute to pack, you’re either going to forget something or have to run to the store at an inconvenient hour to buy something you just found out you don’t have.

What are some of your best packing tips? Share them by leaving a comment.