In the 2009 film "(500) Days of Summer," the two main characters—Tom and Summer—go on a cute, albeit unconventional, date in Ikea which consists of skipping down the aisles and acting out scenarios in the store's many showrooms. Personally, I've never been on a date in the furniture megastore, but the Stockholm Ikea has certainly influenced me nonetheless. In fact, you could say that everything I know about packing, I learned from the Stockholm Ikea.

The layout of the Stockholm Ikea is designed so that shoppers see the entire store during their visit by walking along a set path. This way, shoppers have a chance to see all of the different furniture and accessories before deciding on their final purchases. In my experience, packing should be done in a similar way. Go through your entire closet and look carefully at all your options before putting anything in your suitcase. That way, when you arrive at your hotel on the first night of your trip, you won't discover that you wish you had packed the blue sweater instead of the green one.

If you've ever visited an Ikea store, you'll have noticed that big items like furniture are usually presented to shoppers before a room full of smaller items like accessories. It helps to think of this layout as a metaphor for packing: you should prioritize essential items (i.e. beds, couches, and desks) over nonessential items, such as decorative pillows and candle holders. When I'm traveling, the number of items I'd like to bring usually exceeds the space in my suitcase, a particularly relevant concern given airlines' decision to charge for checked bags and overweight bags. I concentrate on the essentials first—toiletries, outerwear, a black dress that works for any occasion, and comfortable shoes—and then, if I have room, I add fun items like jewelry or an extra book.

No visit to the Stockholm Ikea is complete without a trip to the cafeteria, which features great Swedish food. This brings me to my final suggestion for packing: take breaks. If you're getting bored, overwhelmed, or annoyed during packing, go get a snack and then return to it later when your mind is refreshed.

These are the tips I've learned about packing from the Stockholm Ikea. The blue and yellow exterior design of Ikea is simple yet effective, much like the ideal packing strategy. Lycka till (good luck)!

If you're a furniture enthusiast like me, I'd also recommend the Stockholm Furniture Fair, running from February 8-12.