Unpacking and Packing

Once the guest has settled in the room, and you have addressed any immediate request of the guest. Unpacking and arranging the guest's clothes and other items should be done next.

Procedure:

  1. As courtesy to the guest, the Valet staff will ask permission from the guest before touching the guest's belongings;

  2. Use gloves as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE);

  3. Choose an empty and flat surface such as a table or bed to have appropriate space for the items to be unpacked;

  4. Segregate the items that need to be ironed, laundered or cleaned.

  5. Put the items to be laundered inside the laundry bag which can be found inside the cabinet;

  6. Check the shoes if it needs to be cleaned/repaired. Separate them for cleaning or repairing later. For clean and functional shoes, place the shoes at the designated place;

  7. Sort hats, belts, scarves and other closet accessories out of the bag and hang on the hooks found on the side of the cabinet;

  8. Place all toiletries such as makeup and hair care items on the shelf/vanity table;

  9. Secure any electronic accessories, including cameras, extra batteries, game cartridges or DVD's and put them together on a shelf or table;

  10. Check the small pockets of the bags as well the purse or carry on luggage for these items.

  11. Arrange t-shirts and sweaters on separate shelves by color and sleeve length;

  12. Fill in the drawers in the following order:

    • Underwear on the top drawers. Shirts and sweaters underneath

    • Hang blazers one by one, next to each other

    • Put matching or similar colors together.

    • Fasten, button or zip so that everything hangs right.

Note: Put the colors your client wears most often on the shelves that are easiest to reach.

  1. All shirts should be hung up together in one section

  2. Arrange by colors from light to dark with all of one color group together.

  3. Follow the same process for skirts, pants, etc.

  4. Hang pants from the waist or cuffs on a pants hanger

  5. Check the cabinet for misplaced items

  6. Close the cabinet


Unpacking the guest's clothes and other items is the easy part. Packing them all back together is an altogether different skill and requires more attention to execute properly.

Procedure:

  1. As a Valet Staff, ask permission from the guest before touching his/her belongings (When packing expensive items such as electronic gadgets or pieces of jewelry, the valet staff should be assisted by a Supervisor/ House Managers);

  2. Lay everything on the bed including the suitcase. (Make sure that it is within the guest’s sight);

  3. Make a list of all items you will pack;

  4. Use gloves as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

  5. Gather all the equipment, tools and materials needed in performing your tasks:

    • Luggage

    • Ziplock bags

    • Clothes (clean/ dirty)

    • Toiletries

    • Shoes/slippers

    • Name tag

    • Mesh bag

  1. Roll pajamas, nightgowns, sweaters, and other casual wear to fill small spaces, when possible;

  2. Layer each rolled up outfit on the bottom of the suitcase;

  3. Lay the first heavy clothing such as jacket or pants. Put it on top of the rolled items; lay it flat in the suitcase being folded;

  4. Put the next item on top - it should be placed in the opposite direction from the first item;

  5. Pack each item one at a time in a clockwise direction and allow sleeves, pant legs, skirt lengths to hang over the edges as you stack more and more items;

  6. Select an object to form the core of the bundle (books, papers or magazine);

  7. Put core object on top of the pile of clothes you have stacked;

  8. Start wrapping up your bundle. Begin with the last item you placed;

  9. Wrap sleeves, pant legs, skirts lengths over the core; neatly wrap the ends of that item across the core bag on top of the pile

    • Wrap each item as neatly as you can.

    • Pack tightly.

    • Packing loosely wastes precious space and causes clothes to wrinkle;

  10. Place your remaining luggage items, like shoes, around the perimeter of the bundle;

  11. Put tag for identification;

    • NAME, DESTINATION, TEL. NO.

  12. Inform the guest that you have finished packing their luggage; and

  13. Bid the guest goodbye.