Packing Checklist Widgets for iPhone

The Hidden iPhone Feature: Your Home Screen as a Packing Checklist

Turn your home screen into a visible packing command center.

Most travelers keep packing lists in Notes, Reminders, or paper—easy to forget, hard to update. But there's a lesser‑known iOS trick: use home screen widgets as live packing checklists that stay visible from the moment you start preparing until you're at the airport.

With Be My Widget's sticky note widgets, you can create category‑based packing lists—Clothes, Toiletries, Tech, Documents—that live on your home screen for days or weeks before travel. Every time you pack an item, you see the list. Every time you remember something, you update it instantly. By departure day, nothing is forgotten.

How to Set Up Packing Checklist Widgets

1. Install Be My Widget 1–2 weeks before your trip.
2. Create Widget 1 - Clothes: "☐ Shirts ☐ Pants ☐ Jacket ☐ Shoes ☐ Socks ☐ Underwear"
3. Create Widget 2 - Toiletries: "☐ Toothbrush ☐ Shampoo ☐ Sunscreen ☐ Meds ☐ Razor"
4. Create Widget 3 - Tech & Docs: "☐ Chargers ☐ Passport ☐ Wallet ☐ Headphones ☐ Adapters"
5. Long‑press your home screen, add all three widgets side‑by‑side or stacked.
6. As you pack, mentally check items off. Before leaving, scan the list one final time to catch forgotten essentials.

When Packing Widgets Save the Day

• Business trips: Separate lists for work essentials (laptop, presentation files) and personal items.
• Family vacations: Create widgets for each family member—"Kids: ☐ Toys ☐ Snacks ☐ Books"
• Weekend getaways: Minimal lists that fit one small widget—"☐ Wallet ☐ Charger ☐ Change of clothes"
• International travel: Extra category for documents—"☐ Visa ☐ Insurance ☐ Itinerary ☐ Emergency contacts"
• Camping or adventure trips: Specialized gear lists—"☐ Tent ☐ Sleeping bag ☐ Flashlight ☐ First aid"

Why Home Screen Checklists Beat Notes Apps

Packing lists hidden in Notes require you to remember to check them. Home screen widgets are *always visible*—you see them dozens of times a day as you use your phone. This passive visibility keeps packing top‑of‑mind, reducing the chance you'll forget something critical.

Plus, widgets are faster to update. You don't open an app, find the note, scroll to the right line—you just glance, remember the item, and keep moving. By departure day, the list has been refined through repeated exposure.

Organize by category for faster, more systematic packing.