I don’t know about you, but a funny thing happens whenever I go on vacation: somehow, I end up with more in my luggage than what I brought.
Even if I haven’t shopped for souvenirs or added anything, it always feels harder to fit my clothes and toiletries back into my bags after a trip than it felt to pack them in the first place.
For people like me, a simple solution apparently exists in a company called Packd.
As the name may suggest, Packd is a company that helps out the packing-challenged among us with pre-paid, pre-labeled mailers you can use to ship clothes back home when you’re on a trip.
That way, if you find yourself in a bind while trying to pack to go home, or just really, really want to shop for souvenirs but don’t have the room, you have an instant solution to free up some space.
Just bring out your pre-paid mailers, fill `em up, and mail them out to create instant room in your luggage. Voila!
You can buy just one Packd bag...
$35.00
from
Curious how exactly the Packd bag experience works? You can choose to purchase a single bag or a set of three — the purchase includes shipping, so you can pack it up and simply ship it out by dropping off at the front desk of your hotel or resort, by scheduling a free USPS pick-up, or by taking it to the post office. (The company does explain that some hotels don’t work with USPS, so they always recommend checking with the hotel you’re staying at or locating a post office if you’re worried about it.)
A single bag is 15 x 19 inches, so that’s a pretty good size. The company says that each bag can hold up to 10 pounds, which they “promise” is more than enough weight for your clothes. For reference, both a watermelon and a bowling ball weigh about 10 pounds.
Translation? You can fit a lot of clothes in there.
The one caveat is that the bag has to have clothes only, so you can’t try to fit non-clothing items or accessories in the bag.
Or pick up a set of three bags to save $15!
You can also save $5 per bag by purchasing a three-pack of Packd bags for $90, bringing the total to $30/bag.
The pre-paid bags are good for up to one year, and if a year passes without you using them, the company will replace the shipping labels once for free!
The company’s customer service also says they can send you a new label if needed, if you happen to change addresses after purchasing. It really seems like they thought of everything!
Many commenters say that the company is a 'genius' idea, and honestly, I have to agree.
As someone who perpetually overpacks and then always regrets it, I have to say that I agree with the commenters who said this idea could be a ‘game-changer’ for travel.
It is important to note that Packd only works currently in the U.S., so it’s not something you can use for international travel. The company does say they are working on an international option, so hopefully that will be coming soon.
If you hadn't guessed by now, you probably won't be surprised to hear that the founders are also moms.
And if you needed another reason to love Packd, you may be interested to know it is a mom-owned company started in Utah by founder Lauren.
While traveling with her then 10-month-old, Lauren found herself wishing she could just ship some of their stuff home instead of carting it all over the airport, and boom, a new idea was born.
Because, of course, a mom would think of such a practical solution for traveling.
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