Pack Like a Pro: Essential tips for Latinos about to move to Australia

Packing a suitcase for a weekend is quite easy, but packing to live for 6 months or more in another country, with distinct seasons, is a serious matter. As I mentioned in one of my previous articles, it's all about strategy. You'll need to be very selective with your items and make decisions about what comes with you and what doesn't.

Here are some tips that will help you pack your suitcase wisely, so you can leave worries behind before your trip and not expend all your energy on just this one task.

Let's get started!

Tip 1: Buy a good suitcase!

This one is essential. Having a good suitcase is very important because, besides protecting your belongings (you know how suitcases are treated at airports), it will be very useful once you are in Australia.

Why? You may move houses several times initially until you find your place, necessitating moving your belongings from one place to another in your suitcase. You might have to make several trips if you've bought more things in Australia and can't fit everything in one go.

My personal experience: My old suitcase was damaged during the initial trip - the upper handle broke, and honestly, it made every subsequent trip super way more difficult. I moved house three times in the first six months before finding a permanent place and getting the suitcase on the tram by myself in that condition, believe me, it was quite complicated.

I ended up buying a new suitcase, but it wasn't until a year later when I could save some money and invest in a very good quality one - that I still have today.

Tip 2: Personalise your suitcase

Put a distinctive mark on it that only you can recognise from a distance. With so many similar suitcases, it's better not to confuse yours with another by mistake, or prevent someone else from picking up yours by error.

It could be a braided color strap or maybe stickers; I've seen people use fabric patches, but you decide what resonates with you.

Also, these days things like 'airtags' are often used, which are a tracking device that allows you to track where your suitcase is with your phone. You place the device inside the suitcase and can see on a map where it is located. I recently discovered this, and it's very useful in case your suitcase does not arrive on time or is left in another country, so you know where it is and can have backup when talking to the airline.

Tip 3: Pack good quality items

Try to pack things that you know will last a long time. If they are disposable items, I recommend not packing them because they will quickly wear out, and you will have to buy a new one to replace it. This will cause you to waste weight and volume in your suitcase that you could have used including something else.

Also, prioritise quality over quantity. If you bring 5 pairs of good socks, it's better than bringing 12 that will tear after three washes. We go into more detail on on this topic in out article on the 10 essential things to bring with you to Aus.

Tip 4: Don't pack anything 'just in case'

If there are things you never use or that you wear very occasionally (either because they are uncomfortable or just for fashion), it's better not to bring them. From experience, I can tell you that you will not end up using them.

It's better to pack things you like, that you know you will wear, and that you can combine with other garments.

Tip 5: Do not add anything that is a 'waste of kilos'

Sheets: they are heavy, and you won't know what size the bed you will have is. They are inexpensive at Target, Kmart, Big W (three major home goods stores).

Towels: Same as above, they are very inexpensive at chain stores. The only thing is if you will be staying in a hostel, you might consider packing a small-sized towel.

Toiletries: they are available at reasonable prices in Australia. Bring your toothbrush and the rest of the things (toothpaste, deodorant) bring them in the smallest presentation.

Clothes hangers: they are very cheap at Chinese stores. Don't waste space packing this.

Tip 6: Organise as best you can

Being organised is always advised, but here's a few key things to consider:

• Pack in organising cubes so that you can easily find things and minimise the space occupied in the suitcase. It also makes it easier to separate dirty from clean.

• If you bring packaged food, try to keep it separate or at least know where it is. Why? It is very likely that at customs you will be asked to open the suitcase and show the content of what you are bringing (which you have previously declared). This makes it easier to locate the packages, instead of searching through the entire suitcase.

• Pack well in advance, this will help compress the clothes and remove the air, and thus you can fit more things.

Tip 7: Be aware of the customs system in Australia

We cover this one in more detail in our article about getting through immigration, but you need to be ready for customs checks at the Australian border. Fresh food, fruits, vegetables, and animal products are not allowed in hand luggage or checked baggage when entering Australia.

Australia takes the protection of its flora and fauna very seriously, so they are very strict about what tourists bring, not just food items but also wooden articles, boots that have mud, plants, seeds, honey, and other items that also have restricted entry to Australia.

The Australian Border Force have a very detailed site with a list of items you can and can't bring in that you can check for anything you are worried will cause problems.

Tip 8: Check the weight of the suitcase when you finish packing and check your luggage limit

Weigh the suitcase before the day of the trip; you won't want surprises at the airport that it has extra weight and you must pay the price per kilo.

I recommend buying a small handheld luggage scale that they sell on Amazon. With this, you go for sure and are not worried on the last day.

Another trick if you have a bathroom scale at home is to stand on the it with the suitcase, and then stand again without the suitcase and calculate the difference between the two weights. This way you will know the weight of the suitcase.

Wear the jacket or coat while you do the check-in, then take it off on the plane. This way you don't add weight to your carry-on luggage, another point is that it gets cold on the plane.

Summing up

Well, with these tips, hopefully you are now an expert at packing your suitcase for Australia! Now let the adventure begin! Remember to buy things with time so you will have time to pack them and to double check everything.

If you have any other tips that we haven't included, please leave them in the comments.