Every trip used to start the same way: I’d pack half my wardrobe “just in case,” somehow forget something important anyway, and spend the day before departure mentally running through an endless checklist. By the time I zipped up my suitcase, I wasn’t excited about the trip, I was worried about everything I’d forgotten. So I did the only thing that felt natural. I built a spreadsheet for it. As a self-proclaimed spreadsheet girlie, turning my chaotic packing habits into a neat little tracker was probably inevitable. Nothing complicated. Just a simple spreadsheet that tells me what I’ve packed, what I haven’t, and whether I’m actually ready to leave the house.
Over time, it’s become the first thing I open whenever a trip is on the calendar. One of my favorite features is the Trip-O-Meter, which counts down the days until departure. There’s something surprisingly satisfying about watching that number get smaller as the trip gets closer. Then there’s the Pack-I-Meter, which shows how much of your packing you’ve actually completed. It’s a small thing, but seeing that percentage climb is far more motivating than staring at a pile of clothes on the floor wondering where to start. I’ve also pre-filled it with the essentials I almost always bring, so you’re not starting from a blank sheet. Of course, every traveler is different, so feel free to add what you love, remove what you don’t need, and make it your own.
A few things this little spreadsheet has quietly fixed for me:
- I stopped overpacking. Seeing everything laid out makes it obvious what I don’t actually need.
- I stopped forgetting the small things — chargers, adapters, medications, and all those items that only become important once you’ve already left home.
- Packing became faster. No more rebuilding the same checklist from scratch before every trip.
The best part is that you only have to set it up once. Copy it, customize it, and keep using it for every adventure that comes your way, whether that’s a weekend getaway, a beach vacation, or the big trip you’ve been dreaming about for years.
And it’s completely free.
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Happy wandering,
WanderJules