The Perfect CIA Packing List

Packing for vacation means packing for fun, fashion, and functionality. Greetings Everyday Spy, We were in the middle of a massive move to set up residence in New England for the Summer. With a business, two young kids, and multiple private intel clients to maintain, it's easy to feel overwhelmed by travel. I know you have your own work and vacation travel plans coming up… and you deserve to enjoy the trip without the packing headache! So I wanted to share a few packing tips Jihi and I learned at CIA that still serve us today. Our travel is always a mix of vacation and business, so we pack a few extra things for comfort and play. If you are more interested in learning how we use minimalist packing, do a quick Google search for my blog post ‘EverydaySpy 3 CIA Travel Tips for Minimalist Packing.’ I’ve got everything laid out there ready and waiting for you! Packing for vacation means packing for fun, fashion, and functionality. The best place to start is with clothing. I have a simple calculation I run to decide how many clothes to bring for each person. (# of days away + 2) x 0.75 = total required outfits You might be wondering why I calculate packing less than one new set of clothes per day. The average person will wear at least one piece of clothing 2 times before washing it: t-shirts, bras, shorts, pants, socks, etc. Usually you re-wear clothes you’ve only worn for a few hours - like when you go to dinner after a day at the beach. You might wear a shirt for 3 hours or so going out, while the rest of the day you have your bathing suit on. For most people, that means the shirt is still ‘clean’. Only underwear are consistently washed after one-time use… and even then by 70% of people. Shoes are always a hot-button topic with families, but I have math for that, too! (# of different activity types) x .75 = total required shoes That means if you are planning to hike, stroll, exercise, and flip-flop a boardwalk, you can combine at least one of those activities into a single pair of shoes. There is no reason to pack multiple pairs of sneakers, flip-flops, or even high-heels; the odds are that you’ll carry less weight and have more fun if you leave at least a quarter of your planned shoes behind. Once you know how many clothes and shoes to pack per person, you have to consider down-time. With kids, we bring books and toys that equal 1 per day x .5 total vacation days. Yes, that means they only get 1 toy and 1 book if you are on a 2 day trip. Before you think I’m insane, consider the fact that they’ll be picking up tons of new stuff along the way: fast-food toys, complimentary coloring sheets/crayons, gifts from you and grandparents, etc. You’ll be saving yourself massive weight and packing space by keeping the book/toy count low. For our 2.5 month trip to New England, our kids had 25 toys total and 26 books. We used local libraries from Boston to Bangor to supplement them with endless new books, movies, and toys as we settled in for the summer. If you are a reader (like Jihi), the same resources for kids become your go-to for huge reading options without any packing weight! Libraries, book-nooks, and hotel borrowing-shelves are stocked with books all the time. If you are looking for something more specific to your tastes, download a few audiobooks on Audible before you leave home. With an audiobook on your phone, you’ll be able to head out for morning/evening walks alone and get the benefits of fresh air, exercise, and reading time -- all free from family hassle, debates, or background noise! Yes, I had to pack dress clothes, tons of electronics (podcasting, video recording, computers, etc), and pretty unique activewear for our trip - but I won’t bore you with those details. Stay tuned into the Everyday Espionage Podcast, my EverydaySpy YouTube channel, and follow @EverydaySpy on social media if you want to hear more about my specific traveling set up. Godspeed, #EverydaySpy P.S. - [The most powerful spy tactics and techniques are ready for you to dominate everyday life with your Deep Cover Platform!]( Follow @EverydaySpy on Social Media! [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [LinkedIn]( [YouTube]( [Instagram]( Andrew Bustamante, Founder of EverydaySpy.com, is a former covert CIA Intelligence officer, decorated US Air Force Combat Veteran, and respected Fortune 500 senior advisor. Learn more from Andrew on his Podcast (The Everyday Espionage Podcast) and by following @EverydaySpy on your favorite social media platform. This email was sent to {EMAIL}. Don't want to receive these emails anymore? [Unsubscribe]( EverydaySpy, 411 Walnut St. #20309, Green Cove Springs, FL 32043