I don't know how many of you are guilty of over-packing but that was my M.O. for most of my life, until I had my daughter. Now I have to pack for myself and her. And then carry hers and mine. I've had enough! I was determined to learn to pack in a more productive way. I envied women who showed up with one carry on for a weekend away. Meanwhile, I checked a suitcase. A big one.
This spring and summer we have a ton of weddings and family parties to attend. It is a perfect time for me to develop my packing skills. And I do believe it is a learned skill.
These are my tips for packing and I hope they help you stress less and enjoy more!
- Only pack things that do double duty. What I mean is this - if you can't wear it or use it more than once, don't pack it! This means you have to plan (a lot) in advance. More on this in #3...
- Be realistic - What will you actually wind up wearing? If you don't wear it at home you won't wear it on the road. What activities will you participate in? If you know you won't make it to the gym on vacay save space and don't pack the bulky sneakers. Don't pack an evening dress for a casual beach trip. Be realistic.
- Don't give yourself too many options. 'What if I don't want to wear that once I get there?' 'What if I have a fat day and can't wear that tight dress?' If you only have one outfit for that day then you have to wear it. To feel more confident and to avoid those questions I recommend that you plan out your outfits (down to the accessories) and try on your outfits before you leave in order to be sure you like the way they look.
We went to a beach wedding in the Bahamas recently and although it was a quick trip I was determined to pack lightly. I looked up the weather for our weekend away and began planning.
I needed a dress for the wedding, a dressier outfit for the rehearsal dinner, some beach wear for the rest of the trip and a travel outfit. Obviously the two dressy outfits needed heels so I decided to choose outfits that could go with one pair of heels. (This is where your wardrobe staples will come in handy!) A pair of nude patent round-toe heels match almost anything so they paired perfectly with my peach top and sequin aztec skirt for the rehearsal dinner. They also complemented the turquoise peplum dress I wore to the wedding. Since those were the bulkiest shoes I brought, I wore them with white jeans, a blue and white button down tunic, a gray tee underneath and a fedora on the plane.
Remember rule #1 - double duty? That gray tee under my button down on the plane - well I used that as my pj tee shirt. Paired it with a pair of sweat shorts and I was set. I wore those white jeans from the first day on the plane on the way home with a v-neck lavender tee, my nude pumps, a black sweater and fedora. I chose the black sweater because it matched everything I brought so I could throw it on at any time, in case I got cold...in the Bahamas?? You never know!
My casual wear was much easier. Two pairs of shorts, one white, one denim and two cotton printed tanks.
On to my beach gear. I packed two bikinis, one black and one lavender that complemented each other and could be interchanged to create more than just two suits. I packed one cover-up dress and used my blue and white button down tunic from the plane ride as another cover-up, one pair of grecian sandals and I wore my fedora as my sun hat.
The grecian sandals weren't too dressy or casual, but just right, and could be used for any outfit. I even put my sandals on halfway home after a long plane delay.
Accessories like jewelry need to be kept simple - less is always more - and it needs to match most of what you have. Because I was so good about packing my clothes I had a little extra room for jewelry (yay!). A simple gold bangle, gold necklace and gold knot earrings (that I wear everyday anyway), along with mint green earrings were perfect for the rehearsal dinner. Earrings are great to bring because they're small and they can change your whole look (if planned appropriately). I also brought some silver because the dress I wore to the wedding just had to have silver with it. A simple silver cuff, bracelet and antique faux- diamond flower earrings (from my grandmother) gave just enough sparkle to my turquoise peplum dress.
What about purses you say? A purse within a purse always saves me. I picked a straw black and cream bag for my casual days at the beach and inside it packed a hot pink clutch for my nights on the town. I used the pink clutch as a wallet while we traveled. It held my passport, money, and credit cards. The best part is, there was still room in my straw bag for my phone, my book and a water.
Lastly, I packed two extra tees that matched all my bottoms...just in case. Spills, sweat, rips can all happen so I like to be prepared. Throw in some toiletries (keep it minimal ladies! Double duty - say it with me...) and you're done!
All of this fit in a carry on.
My next trip was an overnight to NY and I packed in a Louis Vuitton Speedy 30! I was so proud of myself! (Still am). I wore jeans, a tee, cardigan and flats. I packed a tee, only essential make up, pj shorts (remember, use the first day's tee as a pj top) and my phone charger.
My next challenge is a 5 day trip to Mexico for another wedding. I'll let you know how it goes!
Learning to pack lightly is worth it. Now I am the woman I used to envy - packing lightly and breezing through the airport. And that my friends, is worth a glass of champagne.
