Packing for a trip can be a stressful experience when trying to remember all the essentials, and there’s always something that slips your mind—it could be a toothbrush, charger, or the invaluable sunscreen. You might feel organized after making a checklist on your iPhone, but one man from Texas has taken this vacation planning to a whole other level.
Preparing for a trip used to be daunting for Luke Scarpino, 28, who would go round in circles making sure he hadn’t forgotten anything important. But there was always something that went amiss, and he told Newsweek that he needed to take “a more structured approach.”
For much of his career, the Houston, Texas, resident has lived and breathed spreadsheets, so it was time to put that experience and knowledge to good use. So, he created the ultimate packing spreadsheet to document every item, which bag it goes into, and even a percentage tally to show how much he’s completed.
He said: “I found the packing process mentally draining. I would get into loops in my head checking off a mental checklist while adding more items at the same time. And for critical items, like passports and IDs, I would find myself triple checking my bag.
“I created the first version of this sheet a couple of years ago, but at that point it was just a list of items that lived in a spreadsheet. Over time I realized it was a lot easier to pack by bag, so I added the associated bag for each item.”
@luke.scarpino / TikTok
The extensive spreadsheet has been a total game changer for Scarpino, but he didn’t want to keep it a secret all to himself, so he recently shared it on TikTok (@luke.scarpino). It’s safe to say social media users were impressed by his thoroughness and the clip has already gained over 5.9 million views and more than 831,600 likes, with the caption: “Is how I pack for vacation normal?”
Scarpino lauds the spreadsheet for providing him with “mental clarity” and saving plenty of time before and during every vacation, as he will consult the list before checking out of any hotel too. He understands that some people might think it’s excessive, but for him, the spreadsheet is a “source of truth.”
After seeing his video go viral, he told Newsweek: “I wanted to see if I was alone in going to this level when packing, clearly, I am not. The social media reaction has been unbelievable. I never would have thought so many people would care and relate to the weird way that I pack.”
Plenty of social media users have even asked Scarpino to share the spreadsheet template so they can put it to the test also, and he’s gladly obliged. “I am excited to share other productivity and lifestyle tips that anyone can utilize,” he continued.
With over 22,300 comments on the post at the time of writing, many people applauded Scarpino’s packing plan. One comment reads: “This is so extra and over the top…where can I download it immediately?”
Another person responded: “you are a travel genius.”
While another TikTok user wrote: “So this is how you use excel to its full potential.”
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Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.