I’m a travel journalist, here’s why I swear by this TikTok hack

OPINION

As someone who has travelled and written about travel for years, I can confidently say most TikTok hyped-up travel hacks are pretty average.

They’re either unrealistic (and ugly), unnecessarily paranoid, against airline/airport policy or legitimately dangerous.

There is, however, a small subcategory of tips that are tried, tested and truly helpful.

When it comes to a trip, whether it’s a weekend in Wellington or a week in London, I strongly believe that every bit of preparation done before departing saves more time, effort and energy once you’ve hit the road.

Of course, part of travel involves leaving space for spontaneity. Still, when I’m spending precious money and leave on a trip, I don’t want to waste it in a hostel trying to find accommodation for the next stop, or showing up at a closed museum because I didn’t check the opening times.

Instead, I’d far rather spend the weeks and months before a trip, in my hometown, doing the organising and planning.

Part of this involves ensuring I have the right gear in my suitcase or backpack.

The concept of a packing list is so old, that one could barely call it a hack. Yet, I continue to be surprised by the number of people I meet who go without. These travellers simply haul out their suitcase and move about their houses, tossing items in as they spot them or think of them.

It’s a popular system but one I will simply never understand. Largely because a general travel packing list takes around 15 minutes to create, doesn’t cost a thing, allows you to pack quickly and somewhat mindlessly but guarantees you will never forget an essential item.

What’s not to love? So, for the last eight years or so, I’ve had the same Google sheet packing list with 70 items I’ll almost always need no matter the type or duration of trip.

As mentioned, it’s so simple it’s a stretch to call it a ‘hack’ and yet, it does make travel easier.

I’m not alone in my love of Google sheet packing lists according to a recent TikTok which has gone viral.

In the video, which has been viewed almost 9.5 million times, 28-year-old Luke Scarpino shares his “extra” packing system.

“Everyone makes fun of me for how I pack but I think I’m just organised,” Scarpino told the camera before showing viewers his system.

The next clip shows a Google spreadsheet, with a list of items. However, unlike a standard packing list, each item has been assigned a bag to go in (tech pouch, toiletry bag, checked bag, duffle or on his person) and a check box.

As Scaripino ticks each item off, it is then reflected in a percentage box.

“I can see for each bag what percentage of that have I packed”, he said, adding that a filter function can then organise the list of items by their bag or alphabetically.

It’s at this point, that his background as a data scientist starts to make sense.

Scarpino said some people may see the system as “weird” but one of the most liked comments on the video was someone asking for a template of the list, which he now shares in his TikTok bio.

“This is so extra and over the top … where can I download it immediately” another person added.

Google and TripAdvisor’s official TikTok account even jumped in, describing his system as “so beautiful”.

In the comments, Scarpino made the excellent point that the list could be used at the end of a trip to ensure travellers don’t leave anything at their hotel.

Since I don’t take the same number of bags on every trip (sometimes I’ll check luggage but other times I’ll scrape by on carry-on), I’ll likely stick to my simple list.

However, Scarpino’s video is a good reminder that being a little extra organised can often pay off when it comes to making travel just a little bit smoother.