Packing Tips for Travelling with Autism

Packing Tips for Travelling with Autism

Packing can be one of the more stressful parts of travelling for anyone, but throw autism into the mix and it can be a whole different ball game. Here are some of my tips, from an autistic perspective, on how I make the task of packing more manageable. I have left out many of the general guidelines to help with packing as you can find those in any other article on packing. I just wanted to focus on the tips that I feel work well with my autistic needs. It is worth mentioning that while these work well for me, they may not be suitable for everyone, but hopefully, they will at least give you a start on thinking of some of your own ideas.

Lists

For me, handling a big task such as packing is so much easier when breaking it down into smaller tasks. So for packing, before getting my suitcase down from the loft, I start by making lists. For me, I split it into four lists: day-time clothes, night-time clothes, toiletries, and electronics/gadgets. I tend to use these as a checklist too, so that I can use them as a guide for everything I need to gather.

Packing Cubes

Many of you reading this may already use packing cubes. But for those of you who aren’t familiar with them, let me give you a rundown of what they are. Packing cubes are smaller zip-up bags that fit inside your suitcase. You can use these to pack items together instead of having everything rattling around loose in your case. There are so many advantages to having these, such as not having to entirely empty your suitcase mid-packing if there’s anything you need to take back out. You can also split your items up, so you could have one cube full of shorts, one full of tops, etc., so you know where everything is if you need it.

Weight Allowance

Something I struggle with when it comes to packing is that I always end up taking more than I need. This is because I pack for pretty much every weather and scenario that might mean needing extra clothes. This then leads to me struggling to keep within the weight allowance for my luggage. To tackle this, I make sure that every time I weigh my case, I use the same set of luggage scales for consistency. I make sure that it is small enough to put in my case to take with me for my return trip too, and I always leave a bit extra room for anything I buy to bring back home.

Tumble Dryer Sheets

This one might sound a little random. I once saw a TikTok video revealing this “travel hack” and have used it for every trip since! Sometimes if I am overwhelmed, things like pleasant scents can bring me back down. So, I tuck one or two tumble dryer sheets in each packing cube so when I arrive at my destination and unpack, my clothes and my case have that nice fresh laundry smell.

Entertainment

I always make sure that I have multiple things to keep me entertained for my journey, which keep me distracted from my surroundings in the airport and on the plane. This helps me feel like I am in my own little bubble until I arrive at my destination. I make sure that on my tablet, I have movies downloaded to view offline and likewise, on my phone I download playlists and podcasts. To enjoy these, I always take my noise-cancelling wireless earphones. I always make sure to take a good battery pack as charging facilities aren’t always available, but remember, battery packs and power banks should always be packed in hand luggage and never in hold luggage. Also, when in use on a plane, never leave an item that is charging from a battery pack unattended. I always like to take a puzzle book too. Sometimes it is to save my battery, but sometimes I just enjoy getting my brain working to pass the time!

Sensory Tips

I like to take a range of sensory/fidget toys as they help me when I am overwhelmed, particularly when taking off and landing. My favourite is called a fidget cube. It has six sides like a dice, but each side has a different feature to fidget with. One thing to be careful of is that when you take things like this in hand luggage, avoid taking any fidget toys that may get flagged up by security.

Extra Tips for Worriers

• If you are worried about your case going missing, as well as using your luggage tags, also place a piece of paper with your name and contact details inside your case.

• If you are travelling as a family or with a partner, make sure you all spread your clothing across all items of luggage so that if one bag goes missing, you still at least have some clothes when you arrive.

• Put a change of clothing in your hand luggage. This can be useful for a few reasons, such as to change into when you reach your destination airport in case there is a big change in climate from home, if there is any issue with collecting your bags when you arrive, or if you are clumsy like me and spill some food or drink on yourself on the plane!

• If you have prescribed medication, don’t take exactly what you need. Take extra in the event that you are delayed getting home. These types of delays are rare, however, I have been delayed by three days before, so it can happen.

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Jonny Reeves

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