Throughout my life, I’ve packed bags to go on basically every type of trip you could dream up. Arctic voyages, tropical girl’s trips, VEGAS girl’s trips, family (conservative) trips, and my personal favorite, ADVENTURE-filled (with lots of terrain) trips. When it comes to packing tips, its nearly impossible give gender or age neutral advice for all the aspects involved. But my personal endeavor is to leave each and every one of you with at least is ONE helpful tip that will have a positive impact on your future packing habits after you’ve finished reading this article.
Most people’s main goals when packing for a trip usually consist of having an underweight case that leaves room for souvenirs and has all the essentials packed away neatly. While being neat isn’t necessarily my forte, (just ask my mom) I’m here to help you with just about everything else.
So without further adieu, Here are my 4 most important tips for packing the perfect case.
1. ALWAYS communicate with your travel buddies about what you are packing beforehand
Communication should be a pillar of travel just as it’s a pillar of life. Traveling can be an absolute nuisance when you’re trying to remember everything you need to prepare for. So think of your fellow voyagers as teammates, and look to them for an assist.
A simple call to one of your travel buds may remind you to bring an item like sneakers for an activity you forgot about, or vice versa, you remind them. Either way, trouble has been saved. If you wear the same clothing and shoe size as someone you’re traveling with, you can plan on sharing outfits so you both save space. “I’ll pack the shampoo if you bring the conditioner?”- this kind of planning is what makes a trip smooth.
Whether it’s something like forgetting to check the weather, or if certain seasonal destinations are closed, one of you is BOUND to end up benefitting from an exchange of information. For example, almost EVERY time I’ve traveled to an international destination, there was always, at the most, only one other person who remembered to bring a converter. Nothing brings up negative tension like having to scavenge over who gets to use the outlet next, and nothing can save you from situations like this more than simple communication to prepare beforehand.
Lastly, it’s just fun. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I get super stoked when I FaceTime my friends before a trip to show them the silly new sunglasses I bought or talk about how much fun we’re going to have. It will get you hyped for your trip, you can plan matching outfits (or avoid them ;-).) Underdressed or overdressed, it’s always better with someone in the same predicament by your side!
2. ALL space should be used space
What tends to take up most of the space in our cases? The shoes. But here’s the thing about shoes, they are OPEN spaces, and inside them, you can find room to fit other things. It all sounds like simple common sense when you read it out loud.. but how many of us actually use this knowledge to our advantage? When packing, always use the extra space inside your sneakers or boots to stuff in all the socks, underwear, and bikinis you can. If your shoes are particularly dirty, just take a plastic bag to wrap the items in before inserting them in. It doesn’t have to be these items per say, I have also found that when transporting fragile items that are small enough to fit, nothing keeps them safer from breaking than an extra layer of shoe!
If you are traveling somewhere cold that requires a big puffer jacket, my advice is to wear it through your flight instead of packing it. As someone who has spent at least 60% of their life in the past two years on planes, I can’t count the number of times I get asked for blankets. Be the smart one in the situation who doesn’t need a blanket because you brought your puffer jacket.
I can personally attest that a nice fluffy one with a big hood is hands down the best and most comfortable accessory for sleeping on a plane. The hood is basically a pillow that sticks to your head, and it can cover up your potentially “not so pretty” open mouth drooling face while you’re getting that REM cycle in.
3. Always build from the basics
If you were to peak into my case now, you would probably see, black, black, jeans, some white, and more black. One black backpack, one black cross body, one black pair of sneakers, and two more pairs of shoes (at least one is probably black too).
Fun fact: I was never a big advocate of the color black before I started this job. I loved color and how vibrant I feel wearing it, and I still do.
What drew me towards the dark? I needed a BASIC color to build outfits off of it. The number one problem most people tend to find after they’ve arrived to their vacation is that they were so worried about wearing their new lime green crochet top (or whatever crazy fashion forward item they just bought) that they forgot to pack anything that could be matched with it to make it a somewhat fashionably acceptable outfit.
Let’s make this scenario a narrative: You’re going to see Paris for the first time. You can’t stop dreaming about roaming the charming streets and seeing the Eiffel Tower light up at night. If you’re a millennial, you are more than likely also imagining what groundbreaking outfit you’ll be wearing when you finally get your Eiffel Tower selfie. And it’s Paris, the city where fashion thrives! This means you have a finally have the opportunity to throw all your boldest overcoats and blazers and Kentucky Derby tea hats into your case!
Now let me stop you right there. Just stop.
Rewind, and start from the basics.
I learned to stop making the silly mistake of stuffing my case with “fashion forward” items that were frankly uncomfortable and annoying more so than anything a few years ago. I switched my travel style to a “less is more” type look, I looked for qualities like sensibility, comfort and versatility above all, and I haven’t looked back since.
I choose a cross body purse for traveling because my possessions are in front of me, therefore safer and easier to access. When packing, you should try to bring a purse or (man purse) that is neutral in color and matches with most things, along with matching neutral shoes that are appropriate for any planned activities and the predicted weather, and always consider the amount of time you’ll be spending on feet.
A photo of me in Paris in October 2018 next to the old Notre Dame. I wore the same black booties, black cross body purse, and black gloves every day of the trip, and felt satisfied with my outfit each day.
4. Less is More
For this lesson we’re gonna rewind back into our Parisian narrative scenario. Remember that you didn’t come to Paris to dress up like Lady Gaga and get robbed while you were trying to get that perfect picture because you’re ridiculously extra outfit threw your “I’m not a tourist” cover out the window. A monument like the Eiffel Tower already exudes so much beauty on it’s own. You don’t need an extravagant outfit to stand next to it. In fact, the very act of trying to outshine a monument like the Eiffel Tower exudes more vanity than humility. Did you travel to Paris to appreciate how beautiful it is? Or for people to tell you how beautiful you are on an Instagram photo.
Now let me ask you, out of the top photo, the bottom photo, which outfit do you prefer for the occasion?
(Please bare with my beginner photoshopping skills, I’m currently unable to travel back to Paris make these visions real for you)
I hardly consider myself a fashion expert, but I think most would agree that an outfit like the one in the top photo is more attractive, more versatile, more comfortable, and more sensible overall.
For artistic purposes, the second photo could have great potential. However, I find it hard not to imagine that an outfit like that would not only take up more space in your case, but make you a target to potential thieves that are looking for tourists with money, while you’re choosing to show yours off all over your body.
If those knee-high red stiletto boots or that gigantic faux fur jacket are essential for your diva persona or “IG aesthetic,” bring them, but I urge you not to waste any more room in your case for things you’ll wear for one half of a day at most. And if you’re gonna try to pack the extra AF hats, choose 1-2 at most and wear one through the airport. If it’s too flashy to be wearing through the airport, it’s probably just flashy enough to blow your non-tourist target cover.
So there you have it, stick to a packing routine like mine, and I promise your case won’t only be underweight, but it will have a substantial amount of extra room for the most important things-the one’s you’ll buy when you arrive at your destination! On that note I wanted to leave off with showing you one photo of me on a typical travel day, and another one on that very same day of me being quite fashion forward, it may make you question if I remain authentic to my own “keep it minimal” advice, but I promise there is a great explanation for it.
If you are a loyal subscriber to my blog, you know that part of my mission statement is to teach others how to leave places better than they found them. There is one very easy way to do this that you can benefit from as well.
If you followed my tips and kept the packing light, that means you have room to buy more clothes. Many of the countries I have visited have some of the most beautiful, cultural clothing made by local small businesses. By waiting to buy an outfit that you think goes with the culture of your destination when you arrive, you can help that place by giving back to its economy. Here is my example for you below.
The beginning of my day in Quito a few months back, still rocking my simple black cross body and black leggings that can be dressed up or down, with slide on shoes that kept me prepared for an adventure. This next photo was taken a few hours later..
I had planned to go hike Lake Quilotoa in Quito after visiting the Equator. When we arrived at Cotopaxi I was so freezing, and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to buy some of the native indigenous clothing to keep me warm. While I’m not sure when I’ll wear this again, it kept me warm and made me feel proud to give back to an indigenous community that rarely receives any business for it’s beautiful handmade items. Plus it made out for some pretty great pictures, wouldn’t you agree?
In conclusion, I want to remind you all that the style that makes you feel happiest and most comfortable when traveling should always be the one you consider first. This is a travel blog, not a fashion blog. Whatever look you go for on your next adventure, let it be your own, but keep my tips in mind and remember that less can ALWAYS be more.
With Love,
Clare
