I'm doing tons of traveling this month and I know many of you are too. So, I thought I would take the time to share some of my packing strategies and tips.
Start with the special events. Begin by packing outfits for any events on your trip that require particular clothing. For example, two of my upcoming trips involve weddings so I'll start by making sure I have a full outft for the wedding and rehearsal dinner including shoes, jewelry, handbag, undergarments and any other accessories I need. These are the most essential items you don't want to forget.
Think about your schedule. Next, put together a rough schedule of your trip. What will you do each day and each night? If you're staying with friends or family, touch base with your host to find out what activities they have in mind for your visit. Then, go through each day starting with your travel day and decide what you will wear each day and each night. Stop packing new items about two thirds of the way through your trip and start planning to re-wear outfits or mix and match pieces.
Re-wear and re-wear again. When you're on vacation, don't be afraid to wear the same outfit more than once. I usually only pack for about two thirds of my trip or less and then just re-wear outfits the rest of the time. You'll often end up doing this anyway with unexpected weather or activities so why not just leave the extras at home.
Choose versatile items. Try to put together looks that are stylish but comfortable so that you'll be appropriate for a multitude of situations. Bring items that can easily be dressed down for day and up for evening.
Pack neutral accessories. When I travel, I always bring shoes and handbags in neutral colors: tans, nudes, bronzes, golds. These shades will go with black, brown, navy or any other colors you're wearing and saves you from bringing too many shoes and handbags that take up a lot of room.
Bring layering pieces. Always bring layering pieces such as cardigans, wraps and scarves so you're prepared for a chilly plane, a cool night or an unexpected change in temperature.
Take something out. After I've put together everything I'm planning to pack, I try to take out at least one or two items that don't seem necessary. I'm always trying to bring as little as possible because I hate lugging around heavy suitcases.
Minimize toiletries. Remember that most places you go will have shampoo, conditioner, body wash, lotion, a hair dryer, etc. If you're staying with friends or family, you'll likely have even more toiletries available to you. Only bring items that you are extremely particular about like your face wash or hair product that you just can't live without for a few days. Keep extras of products at your parents house or other places you may visit on a regular basis. And anything you bring should be travel size. One of my new tricks is to bring make up remover wipes to get around the liquid rules for plane travel.
Get tech savvy. I now put all my books and magazines on my iPad when I travel so I don't have to carry them around. I may just bring one magazine for the plane during take off and landing when I can't have my electronics out and then I always leave it behind once I've read it.
And yes, some of these strategies require some time. It takes a little extra thought to put together versatile outfits that can be dressed up or down, layered and mix and matched. I usually pull out my rolling rack a few days before a trip and start pulling out what I want to bring. And I often try outfits on before I pack them to make sure they will work exactly as I planned so I'm not bringing extra pieces, just in case. But the extra time is worth it to make your trip stylish and stress free. And remember, I'm always available to help you pack for your next trip if you just don't have the time or inclination to do it right.
My Travel Essentials: (1)
Versatile Maxi Dress - can be dressed up or down with accessories or layered up for cooler weather (2) Nude Shoes - these two pairs of shoes, a
nude flat and a
nude wedge, can get me through an entire trip (3) iPad - before every trip, I load mine up with books, magazines and movies (4) Cleansing Wipes -
make up removing clothes get me around the liquid rules for airplane travel (5) Origami Wrap - I never travel without my
origami wrap, it's the perfect layering piece and can be wrapped in tons of different ways to create new outfits
