With spring break and summer right around the corner — whether you are taking a trip out of the country for weeks, spontaneous road tripping or even if it’s a planned getaway for just a few days — you’ll be forever grateful when you master the art of packing light. With my slightly OCD brain, packing is easily one my favorite things to do. It’s another way to not only organize, but also building the excitement for whatever and wherever it is I’m about to experience. I am always on the go, always finding an excuse to go somewhere whether it’s a planned vacation or a quick weekend trip and due to my large amounts of travel both short and longer term, I have come up with a few good tips to pack all the essentials without over doing it.
1. CHECK THE WEATHER. Depending on where you’re going or how spontaneous the trip you’re taking may be, the weather can be hard to guess. Check it periodically up until it’s almost time for your trip. Having a central idea of how the weather even if it is fluctuating will give you a good general sense of what type of clothes you should bring.
2. Do Laundry. Make sure everything is clean! Having nothing but clean clothes make it easier for you to see your outfit options and make sure you won’t miss any of the important things because it’s been sitting in your dirty clothes basket. Anytime I have a trip coming up, I wash everything whether I think I need it or not.
3. Lay it all out. Once you begin packing, based on the amount of days you’ll be away, generate outfits for each day. I always make sure I bring the essential bottoms such as jeans, shorts (If I’m going to warm weather location) and leggings for comfort or adventure. Along with that, a good variety of shirt types that can be dressed up or down and can that can go with almost anything I’m bringing. When it comes to shoes – I’m a shoe lover and shoe over packer, but do NOT do it. Again, take the essentials, a pair of comfy and stylish sneakers for roaming around (Converse, Adidas, New Balances etc.), running shoes for a potential adventure and depending on the temperature bring an appropriate bootie that can be dressed up or down or a cute and casual sandal.
4. Don’t fold, roll. Whether you’re packing in a suit case or a medium-sized duffle, the art of rolling is something that makes all the difference. Instead of folding things, take each individual piece of clothing and roll it up, allowing for more space and avoiding wrinkles in clothes if done carefully.
5. Wear (or hold) the bulky stuff. If you’re going for a plane ride and you have something like a big puffy coat, wear it! Same for car rides, just hold it with you instead of trying to stuff it in a bag taking up all the space. It not only will save you space but it can over lap as a pillow or blanket on the trip.
6. IF you’re flying: Put necessities in a backpack or nice-sized bag. In my backpack, I always keep a sweatshirt, my computer, a small purse holding my wallet, sunglasses, etc. and water bottle. That way you have all your most used items with you at all times!
Photo by Aja Moore, edited with VSCO preset
Next time you take a trip, keep these tips in mind and you’ll never dread packing again!