If you’re like me, you like to explore and travel as much as your bank account will let you. Although I haven’t exactly had the pleasure of traveling the world quite yet, I still have my fair share of flights every year. Since I have moved a good amount of distance from my family I have to make a trips back to Chicago a few times a year. Not to mention the little trips in between just to have a vacation every now and then. Just a couple of years ago, I was a culprit of over packing, which, if you saw my closet you would understand why. Now that I have gotten older and have become an avid traveler I know the importance of only packing exactly what I need. Not only does it save time and money, but it creates stress free travel. With spring break not too far around the corner, I figured I’d share my tips on packing with you.
Check the weather:
Before I begin packing I like to look up the forecast of the city I’m going to, especially if I’ve never been there before. I live in Arizona, so the heaviest jacket I need right now would do nothing against the Midwestern winter, or winter anywhere, really. It’s important to know the type of weather you’ll be encountering so you can dress accordingly. It’s also a good idea to think of what you’ll be dressing for; are you going to the beach? Laying out by a pool the entire trip? Will you be zip lining or horseback riding? Are you going to a wedding or event? You should make sure you pack the right attire for those activities. Don’t pack a bunch of bikinis and come up empty handed when it’s time to go ATVing with the group and you have nothing to wear that’s safe enough to ride. You need to be prepared for every aspect of your travel plans, even if it is just lounging poolside with a margarita.
Make a list
Once you know the kinds of temperatures you’ll come across, it’s time to make a list of what you need. I usually do this a few days before in case I realize I’m missing some items. That way I’ll have time to run to the store before I have to leave. I’m pretty type A, so I write a list of every specific item I am going to bring. This is obviously not something normal people do, but even if you just write down an idea of what you want to bring it will make it easier when it comes time to pack.
Pick a bag
I like to start off by choosing the right sized bag for the type of trip I’ll be going on. This trip is a 10-day holiday vacation to visit friends and family for Christmas. Once you know the size of bag you think is ideal for your trip you can use that as an indicator of when you’ve packed enough. If everything you think you want to bring doesn’t fit, don’t use a bigger bag, downsize what you’re bringing.
Roll it up
Now that I have my bag, it’s time to start crossing off the things from my list. I usually bring one to two pairs of shoes. Something casual and something a little dressier. I want to make sure that no matter what I bring, it’s going to be comfortable so I usually bring shoes I’ve broken in. To make sure everything will fit, I roll my clothes so they’re compact and make rows of specific clothes. I usually put my shirts and smaller items on the bottom so they’ll fit into the divots of the suitcase and create a flat base to work off of.
Downsize your toiletries
You’ve seen my skin care routine; can you imagine if I brought all of those bottle with me? They’re the opposite of travel size, so I would always have to check a bag. Now that I’m older and wiser, I bought a pack of twist off cosmetic holder jars in a few different sizes. I use a small bottle scraper to fill them with all of my cleaners, scrubs, moisturizer and creams. That made my toiletry bag about 1/4th of the size.
Use your shoes wisely
I always use my shoes as an extra pocket by stuffing them with my socks and underwear. That way its hiding in something that's already in my bag, instead of taking up extra room. I’ll even use it as extra space to hold miscellaneous items.
If it doesn’t fit, don’t quit
If you run into a situation where everything on your list doesn’t fit in the bag you want to use, don’t quit on your bag. Instead, figure out something you don’t need to pack with you. You should always downsize the amount of clothes that you are bringing instead of upgrading to a larger bag. Nine times out ten you’re putting way too many outfits in your suitcase to begin with, so trust me on this.