The TikTok-Approved Packing Spreadsheet Has Our Attention

There are plenty of TikTok travel hacks that are absolutely bonkers. But there are also some hacks that totally work—like the Google Flights trick that lets you see all the cheap flights from your nearby airports. Today, another travel tip from the app has proved to be pretty legitimate; I know because it is one I swear by myself.

TikToker Luke Scarpino (@luke.scarpino) shared his Excel sheet packing method with the world last week, and it instantly went viral. The video has been viewed more than 1.2 million times, and has earned nearly 30,000 comments as of this writing.

“Everyone makes fun of me for how I pack,” Scarpino starts the video saying. “But I think I’m just organized. Let me show you and see what you think.”

He then goes on to show how he uses an Excel spreadsheet to list out every item that he needs to remember to pack, and the associated bag that he needs to pack the item in. “Then as I am packing, I go through and check off each item as I pack it. And at the same time I can see what percentage of each bag have I packed,” Scarpino explains.

It’s a beautiful system. And clearly one that other people plan on adopting—it has been bookmarked more than 225,000 times on TikTok. “This is so extra and over the top… where can I download it immediately,” one TikToker commented.

Another pointed out an additional benefit of making such a detailed list: “Also great if the airline loses your bag, you already have a detailed list for reimbursement.”

And if you’re wondering who has the kind of time to make a detailed spreadsheet for their packing list, complete with inputting a formula to track your packing progress, this type of travel tip isn’t for you. I can’t force you to find joy or obsessive satisfaction in the details of travel. But if you’re like me, someone who has been using a less detailed Excel spreadsheet for packing for years, this video from Scarpino is delightful.

I have traditionally used a spreadsheet setup that accounts for each day and planned activity, and what kind of clothing and gear I’ll need for each. Those groupings will then make up a total, and very specific packing list broken down by day. I’ll need one dress shoe, hiking boots, and beach sandals. I know I’ll need to make space for three bikinis, 17 pairs of underwear, a hat, sunscreen—you get the idea. But now, I can incorporate my itinerary-focused Excel sheet approach with Scarpino’s progress-focused strategy. And hopefully, with all this preparation, I will have the perfectly packed bag for my next international trip.

Scarpino hasn’t dropped a template yet, but this is definitely another reason to learn how to use Excel.