With Winter break right around the corner, I should be very excited, but I can’t help but dread it a little bit. Don’t get me wrong, I definitely am excited. But, the thought of packing up all my essentials and living out of a suitcase for a month sounds terrible. I’m sure a lot of people feel the same way, so I’ve compiled a nifty little list of tips for living out of a suitcase.
Make a List
Making a list of what you need to bring is a great way of organizing your thoughts rather than throwing everything in a suitcase and hoping you’re not forgetting anything. Also, make sure the list only has items on it you really need to bring. Bringing basically everything in your dorm sounds like a great idea until you actually have to deal with it.
Stick to the “3 Shoe Rule” I don’t know about you, but about 75 percent of the room in my bags is usually taken up by shoes. The 3 shoe rule is as simple as it seems-stick to only packing 3 pairs of shoes. For winter break, for example, I’ll probably only pack my Converse, Doc Martens, and Birkenstocks. Bringing every pair of shoes in your closet isn’t necessary, especially if all you’re doing during break is chilling at home.
Determine Your Staples and Don’t Stray
My last tip is to determine the staples (most worn/necessary/versatile items) of your wardrobe and don’t bring a bunch of clothes besides that. Instead of bringing your whole closet, bring a few pairs of jeans, leggings, your favorite shirts and sweatshirts, etc. I’ve always overpacked clothes because I never know what I’m going to wear, which always ended up being the same clothes I always wear. Bringing that cute dress that you never wear probably isn’t going to be necessary during Winter break even though you suddenly feel like you’re going to want to wear it all the time.
There’s a few tips for how to survive suitcase madness. I’ve always sucked at not overpacking, so I know firsthand that these tips are the real deal. Basically, just make a list and only bring things you wear day-to-day already, and avoid bringing unnecessary items.
Thanks for reading!
HCXO