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When it comes to packing a suitcase, most people fall into one of two camps: you either love it or you hate it. Either way, it’s something that you have to do if you’re spending your night(s) somewhere else, but that doesn’t always mean it’s enjoyable.
If you don’t enjoy packing, don’t worry, I’m not going to spend this post trying to convince you to love it. Instead, we’re going to talk through the things you can do to make your packing life slightly less painful.
Smart packing (aka not over packing) is a skill you can learn and today I’m going to walk you through the steps you can follow and tools to use to make your packing life much easier. Once you have this down, it’ll make packing a breeze.
Before we jump into the post, I need to give you a quick warning: In this post, I will not tell you exactly what to pack for your own vacation this summer.
Why? I don’t know where you’re going, what the weather will be like, or what you’ll be doing. Now, if you want to hire me to pack for you, that’s a different story and we’ll go over allllll the details then. Instead, today I’ll walk you through a process similar to what I would do if you were a client. The only difference is that if you were a client, I would also put together your exact packing list and outfits together.
How to Pack a Suitcase Without Overpacking
What are the details?
You need to know the details. Sit down and go through each of these questions:
- Where are you going?
- How many days are you there?
- What will the weather be like while you’re there?
- What will you be doing doing? Do you need any special clothes for those activities? (For instance, hiking, swimming, wedding guest, etc.)
- Will you be able to do laundry?
- What do you already have that works? (I know that the urge to shop and buy new clothes for a trip can be very strong, but trust me, you probably have almost everything you already need.)
My example:
- Where are you going? Wisconsin
- How many days are you there? 10 Days
- What will the weather be like while you’re there? Mid-70’s to low 90’s, with a few days of rain.
- What will you be doing doing? Do you need any special clothes for those activities? (For instance, hiking, swimming, wedding guest, etc.) Mostly hanging out with my parents and toddler. We’ll also go swimming at some point, so I’ll need a swimsuit and a cover up. I also want to work out at least twice, so I’ll need workout clothes. Finally, there will (hopefully) be a lot of lounging, so I want lots of comfy clothes!
- Will you be able to do laundry? Yes!
- What do you already have that works? I think I already own everything I need!
Pick your color palette
Similar to a capsule wardrobe, you want to have as many mix and match combinations as possible. The easiest way to do this is to stick to a color palette. I like to pick two to three neutrals (white, black, tan, gray, navy, or brown) and one or two accent colors.
For my trip, I picked white and black as my neutrals. My accent colors are red and light blue.
Breakdown the Pieces You’ll Need
Now, let’s go through each category and discuss how to pick what you need.
Bottoms
You could start with bottoms or tops, but I prefer to start with bottoms. In the summer, I like to have three to four bottoms (in the winter, I could wear the same two jeans and be set). Currently, I’m planning for one pair of jeans (a loose, more casual pair), soft pants, shorts, and a skirt (or skort!).
Tops
Since I’ll be able to do laundry, I’m going to bring about five tops for ten days. There’s no perfect number or math to decide how many tops you’ll need. If you can’t do laundry and you may not be able to repeat tops (if you’re a sweat-er, like me), then you might want to do the number of days of your trip + one in case of emergency.
In the summer, a mix of tees and tanks will make life easier. I’ll also probably throw a dress in here because I love dresses in the summer.
Shoes
I absolutely LOVE shoes and I could probably pack a whole suitcase with just shoes. But years ago, a travel blogger who I trust and admire said that you only actually need three pairs of shoes for every trip. I can’t decide if I’m happy or sad to report that…she’s right. Now, what three shoes you need could vary, but for me, it tends to be: one pair that are good for walking, one comfortable (and slightly nicer) pair, and one pair for fun.
For this trip, I’m going to bring one pair of sneakers, rubber sandals, and one pair of flats.
Outwear
This category is so much easier during the summer! You really don’t need more than a light jacket or sweater. During the fall or winter, it’s easiest to aim for one jacket that will cover everything. Depending on the occasion, you might need one slightly nicer or more professional jacket. For my trip, I might just bring this sweatshirt I can throw over most tops.
My Packing List
Here’s what my current packing list looks like:
The Extra Pieces
Accessories
This category covers things like jewelry, sunglasses, hats, and bags. Personally, I try to only bring one purse and a backpack or tote to make my life easier. For jewelry, I sometimes may bring too many pieces, but it’s all going into one travel case, so as long as things fit in there, it’s okay if I go a little overboard.
Specialty Pieces
These are the pieces that you would really only wear for a specific occasion. For instance, if you’re going to a wedding, you’re going to need something to wear to wedding. Or if you’re going hiking, you may want hiking boots. These are the items that might only get worn once or twice during the trip, but you still need them. Swimsuits might fall in this category if you’re going swimming once or twice. However, if you’re going to the beach for a whole trip, it might move it’s way up to the tops or bottoms category.
The Few Things Worth Packing Twice
I mentioned this in the breakdown above, but there are some things that are worth packing a back up for.
First, your tops. Sometimes you can’t avoid accidentally spilling, so pack an extra shirt or two in your luggage just in case. Keep it a simple, solid color top to make your matching life easier. Just doing this can save you from having to run out and buy a replacement. Next, socks and underwear. They don’t take up a lot of space and you won’t regret having extras.
What do you not need extras: swimsuits. I feel like this is where people will go overboard the most. It’s so easy to just throw in an extra two (or five) swimsuits that most of us do it without even thinking. But we don’t need that many, so save yourself the room. (Note: even when you’re going on a vacation where you’ll be swimming every day, you can still max out at three and be fine).
Use the Capsule Wardrobe Approach
If you read last month’s post, there are a lot of things in this post that probably sound familiar. Why? Well, packing a suitcase is essentially building a mini capsule wardrobe. It’s a set number of clothing for a specific time period that you wan to be able to mix and match as often as possible (and preferably from clothes you already own). The main difference is that the questions you’re asking yourself at the beginning are slightly different (since you’ll be in a new location).
Quick Packing Tricks That Save Space and Time
Now that you know what you’re packing, let’s talk about how to pack them.
Roll vs Fold
Everyone has their preference of one or the other, but here’s the easy solution: go by the fabric type. Fold the heavy clothing and roll the lighter fabrics. Rolling can also help to prevent wrinkles in things that easily wrinkle.
Divide Your Items
Assuming that you have a suitcase with two sides (like this one), you want to have all of your clothing on one side and everything else on the other. It’ll make it easier to know what goes where and it can help protect your clothes from anything leaking or dirt on your shoes.
Packing Cubes and Vacuum Seal Bags
You don’t need to use packing cubes, but from an organizational standpoint, it will make finding things (and unpacking) much easier. It’ll also save time when you don’t have to hunt for that back up pair of socks.
Another trick I like to use for longer term trips is vacuum seal bags (with a little travel pump). These are perfect for longer trips or trips with more specialty clothing. It’ll give you more space in your suitcase and help you fit everything in.
Laundry Bag
A laundry bag is essential. I don’t care if it’s a plastic bag you tie, or a canvas bag, you want something to put your dirty laundry in. This can help prevent clean clothing getting dirty and it makes unpacking much easier when you get home.
What to Pack vs Wear When Traveling
The good news is that the answer to this question is easy: wear your bulkiest items to travel. Don’t waste the space in your suitcase.
Keep Doubles in Your Suitcase
I finally did this during my last trip and it’s made my life so much better. No matter what, in my suitcase, I always have a double of any items that I use on a daily basis and would be a last minute pack. What do I mean? Instead of hoping I remember to pack my brush, deodorant, and charging cords, I have a double of those items that never leave my suitcase. I also have a toiletry bag that’s always packed with face wash, lotion, toothpaste, and shower items. This way, I never have to hope that I didn’t forget anything: my daily items are already in my suitcase, ready to go.
If you’ve made it to here, then congratulations! Your packing life is officially easier. Just follow these steps on your next trip and you can spend less time stressing about it.
Would you prefer to have me pack for you? Keep reading for how we can work together.
Did you know that I’m a personal stylist who works with clients in Washington, DC and virtually? If you want someone else to pack for you, you can visit this page to learn more about the services I offer.
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