Packing Light
I travel as much as life and my wallet allows me to. The last time I packed anything more than a small carry-on bag, was when we went to Rome, Florence and Paris in the middle of winter. A full-size suitcase was necessary, to fit boots, sweaters and 20 pairs of underwear. That’s not to say I haven’t made packing mistakes. Like the time when I packed like I was going to Miami and turns out Fort Myers is shockingly more casual. I had four cocktail dresses, heels and way too many sparkly matching accessories. You can always buy new, more regionally appropriate pieces, but then you’re lugging two bags back home with you.
Instead, do your research. You can always “Google” what people wear, where you’re going, but in my experience, “asking around”, is best. For example, we went to Key West for Christmas. When I looked up what people wear online, it was a lot of bikinis, sparkly sandals and straw hats. Well, turns out, there aren’t a ton of beaches in Key West, so focusing on comfortable shoes for walking and very casual clothes are more of the focus. I knew that, because I mentioned I was going to Key West to a few friends and got all the information I needed.
It’s also smart to look at the weather ahead of time. Although, your APP isn’t always 100% accurate, knowing what to expect with the weather is essential. When we went to Rome, the weather app said it was going to be in the low 50’s. Coming from Maine, in December, that’s warm. That’s sweater weather. Well, I was shocked to find out it was really going to be below freezing the entire two weeks we were there. Needless to say, I needed more than a sweater.
You can never completely predict exactly what you need when you travel, but I’m here to help you make sure you have the basics. MUSTS: Undergarments (be sure to have enough undergarments that work WITH your clothes, that includes bras, panties, socks), Swimwear (even if you are going somewhere cold, there’s usually a hot tub/indoor pool involved), Toiletries (3 oz. or less for carry-on), Shoes (sneakers, flat sandals, heels), Dresses (I like to pack day dresses and dinner dresses, because they take up less room than two pieces), Vitamins & Medication (pack for a couple extra days in case you get stuck or want to extend your stay), Makeup and Hair Tools (keep it minimal and remember a blow dryer is almost always included in your stay), A Good Book (for me, reading can make a three hour flight fly by).
You know you’re going to buy a little something for yourself, so right before you zip up that over packed suitcase, pull out that extra pair of heels and dress. No one is going to notice you wearing that cocktail dress a few night in a row on vacation. If you’re still tight on room, try to select pieces that you can hand wash and buy a travel size Tide. I have no shame in hand washing pieces in the tub, if I think I’m going to run low.
Take a vacation. Travel. See the world. It brings me the most joy. I look forward to a trip before I go, I bask in the travel joy while I’m in it and I get a little travel high afterwards. Pack light and enjoy the ride.