This Free Packing Spreadsheet Is Going Viral — Here's Why

With this viral TikTok technique, packing couldn't be easier.

Just like any other habit, people have particular ways they like to pack for a trip. We may organize our clothing into pre-planned outfits or try to save space with packing cubes. No matter the type of luggage you use or your method for fitting it all, the smartest strategy when it comes to packing is making a list.

It seems obvious. We already create grocery lists and organize our agendas with to-do lists. Plus, many of us spend hours on organized Excel spreadsheets for work projects or managing our households. But the idea of combining the two is something that just went viral on TikTok in an unexpected way: Excel as a tool to organize and plan for packing.

Meet the Experts

• Colleen Newvine Tebeau is a life and career coach and author of the travel guide, Your Mini Sabbatical.

• Desiree Miller is a travel coach and retreat organizer and author of the upcoming 101 True Tales from the Terminal.

• Lauren Gumport is the VP of Communications and Brand Strategy at Faye Travel Insurance.

How To Use Excel For Packing

In his video, TikTok creator Luke Scarpino explains how he uses his spreadsheet to catalog everything he needs to pack for a trip. He also categorizes where it will ultimately go in his luggage. Then, he simply checks that item off as he goes. This is a way to pack everything he may need, from technology to dress shoes he may need for a formal event, and filter the list along the way. He can even check the percentage of packing complete, what remains, and what items are still pending.

"Everyone makes fun of me for how I pack, but I think I'm just organized," he says at one point in the video, which has now gotten millions of views, "Am I weird for this?" Apparently not, because so many people have loved this idea, there's now a free downloadable template on his website for anyone who wants to try it themselves at home when preparing for their own upcoming trips.

Related: I Never Travel Without Packing At Least 5 Of This Common Household Item

Make It A Game

We've all packed for trips and ended up with two mascaras and too much underwear, so keeping an inventory is smart. Luke Scarpino is certainly not the first person to think of a packing list, but he's brought together multiple ideas that make his packing list more engaging and even fun.

"Rather than making it a static piece of paper, it's interactive. It displays your progress on your task," said Colleen Newvine Tebeau, a life and career coach and author of the travel guide, Your Mini Sabbatical.

It's fun to see your progress as you check items off, and it keeps you from deluding yourself that you're "almost done" when you're actually far from it. "Sorting by where you're packing each item makes it easy to know if it's time to zip up your backpack or lock your suitcase," said Tebeau.

The spreadsheet's color coding and percentage completed sections also give it a video game-like energy. "Packing takes executive function and focus, and bringing in this reward of seeing my progress might help keep me on task. Currently, it's all about the satisfaction of checking things off," said Tebeau. "I'm not sure most people realize Excel has those functions so it's probably surprising and novel to see tools usually used by your finance department applied to travel," said Tebeau.

Customize It

The beauty of this tactic is that you can shape it in a way that makes sense for your own travel and packing needs. "I downloaded the spreadsheet myself and customized it to work for trips I help people with as part of the retreats I put together and host," said Desiree Miller, a travel coach and retreat organizer and author of the upcoming 101 True Tales from the Terminal.

Traveling can be incredibly overwhelming for people, so anything that simplifies it is very welcome, even to frequent travelers. "I'm taking the spreadsheet and adding a list of things people will want to bring with them when they attend a retreat I'm hosting in Portugal this September (ie, electrical adapters, etc.)," said Miller.

Related: 12 Tips To Know Before Taking Your First-Ever Cruise, According To Veteran Cruisers

Keep An Itemized Record

A list such as this can have another unexpected benefit as well. Lost or misrouted luggage is a sad reality, as is the possibility it can be stolen along the way. Having a detailed list of what was inside can be incredibly useful when making claims to airlines or travel insurance providers.

"A list like this (along with saved photos and receipts of what you’ve packed) helps in case your bag is lost or stolen, and you end up needing to file a claim with your travel insurance provider," said Lauren Gumport, VP of Communications and Brand Strategy at Faye Travel Insurance.

Travel Lighter

With a packing spreadsheet, you may also be able to streamline what you bring and find the beauty in packing less.

"To travel lighter and cut down on a bag’s weight, you can easily cut down on some toiletries (like sunscreen, shampoo, conditioner, and toothpaste), and buy them at your destination. This can help as airlines are getting stricter on weight limits for checked and carry-on bags," said Gumport. 

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