Planning for a trip is exciting. It’s also overwhelming, mainly due to fretting over what to pack.
My job as a personal stylist is to help take the anxiety out of planning for your style travel needs. Here are my best tips to ensure your suitcases are filled with the essentials.
Tip 1:
Make a list of activities you’ll be partaking in. This can be anything from lying on the beach to attending a wedding or business meeting. Be specific and take the time to visualize how you want to show up. Write it down or create a Pinterest board for inspiration.
Tip 2:
Continually check the weather leading up to your travel date. If you’re going to a tropical area, make sure you’re prepared for layering at nighttime. Are you visiting a cooler climate? Make sure there aren’t any unexpected heatwaves. Sporadic changes in weather can happen anywhere.
Tip 3:
Save space by utilizing the military roll to save space and reduce wrinkling. This is especially helpful for over-packers. When executed properly, you can fit five days worth of outfits in a carry-on by utilizing this practice. If you’re unfamiliar with this technique, a simple “how to” YouTube search can show you. You can even implement packing cubes. These little mesh zipper bags help keep your items nice and orderly.
Tip 4:
Stick with neutrals. I recommend picking neutrals along with one or two accent colors. When you stick with neutral colors like black, white or beige, mixing and matching outfits becomes so much easier. This is especially important for those traveling abroad.
Tip 5:
Don’t forget about shoes. You don’t need a new pair of shoes for every single outfit. Stick to packing neutral shoes that work with multiple outfits. For example, one comfortable pair for exploring, a pair of dressy shoes for fun nights out and an elevated, casual shoe to create a classic look.
The ultimate packing hack is scheduling the time to pre-plan. Never underestimate the power of creating a packing list, even for the smallest items. Oftentimes, not doing these steps is what causes people to overpack, only to realize they wasted time and space doing so.