Secrets of Packing Light

Packing to go traveling?  Let me tell you a story…Several years ago, I did an 10 day adventure tour with Intrepid Tours, through Italy with my sister.  I was just over 4 months pregnant with my 2nd child.  The literature informed us to pack light as we would be carrying our luggage up 3 to 5 flights of stairs each night.  So we packed light.  Everything for 10 days travel went into my rolling school backpack plus a day pack over my shoulders.  When the other women arrived from various locations around the USA, I began to cringe.  They had large suitcases with matching small cases and luggage size purses.  Boy, was I going to be underdressed.  Not so!  My careful planning and packing decked me out appropriately at every instance.  I even had room to take home gifts for everyone.  Bonus… hiking up those stairs was a cinch for me… no effort at all!  Plus absolutely no extra fees for luggage!!!

Secrets of Packing Light: 

1. Get the right luggage.  Light, rolling, fits easily in the overhead bin.  Use a day pack or shoulder bag as a purse.
   
2. Create a personalized brightly colored tag for your luggage.  Tie a colored ribbon on it as well. 
3. Plan every detail far in advance of packing day according to the guidelines below.
4. Choose 3 or 4 colors.  Keep every clothing item in that color scheme to mix and match.
5. Layer up from suntop to long sleeve shirt and wrap.  On cold days wear several layers.
6. Accessorize carefully.  Accessories are small but are the details that make you look classy.
   
7. But clothes that do not need ironing.  (Crush them in your hand to see how much they wrinkle.)
8. Pack tiny cosmetics and personal care items in 2 quart size ziplock bags (no more than that or you will need to check your luggage).  Buy larger sizes or replenish items which you reach your destination.
9. Buy beach towels when you get there and leave them when you leave.
10. Wear your heaviest items on the airplane there and home again.
11. Use large ziploc bags as compression bags to pack your clothes in.
12. Carry a string and clothes pins to hang up hand washed clothes.  Hotel soap will do in a pinch.
13. Consider packing thrift store-bought clothes, then discarding them when no longer needed to make room for gifts.
14. Buy tiny gifts that will tuck in among your clothes.

Planning In Advance:
Outline each day of your trip and what you need to wear for that day. 
For example:

• Airplane – comfortable, cold to hot, pants, walking shoes, wrap, snacks, socks for cold feet, book.
• Day on the beach – shorts, suntop, overshirt, swimsuit, towel, flipflops, hat, sunscreen, beach bag.
• Night out – skirt, light wrap, sandals,  top, small hand bag.
• Cold day -short sleeve shirt under long sleeve shirt, blue jeans, socks, wrap, umbrella.
• Hiking – cargo pants or cargo shorts, short sleeve shirt plus overshirt, walking shoes or sandals.
• Elegant night – basic solid color skirt or pants, top, jewelry, wrap, heels.
• Wedding – Worth an extra suitcase to you?  Yes or No.  If no, then… buy a light weight, crushable, slimline dress.  Add a veil or flowers for your hair.  Dress your look up with special jewelry and heels.  Add some color to this dress later with a change of accessories, and voila, you have your evening look as well.

Mix and Match Clothing:

• 4 solid bottoms – cargo pants, skirt or dressier pants, sun shorts or capris, cargo shorts.  If room plan one more light weight bottom.  Note: blue jeans, though a favorite, are heavy to pack and to carry.  Consider a lighter alternative.
• 4-5 tops for layering up – sun top, short sleeve, short sleeve, dressy, long sleeve
• swim suit, crushable hat, sarong
  
• wraps – light weight crushable to go over everything, plus a warm weight wrap if needed to layer up.  Note: sweatshirts are too bulky to pack light.  Use thinner layers and pile them on if the weather is cold.
• shoes – walking shoes, flip-flops, sandals, heels if needed.
• 3-4 pair undies (wash them out at night)
• 2 bras
• sleepwear
• jewelry and accessories
• Wear on the plane from the list above: long pants, short sleeve shirt, long sleeve shirt, heavy wrap, walking shoes.  You can take clothes off and put them on as the climate changes, tucking them into your day pack

For more Travel Tips, U.S. Passports & International Travel Information, and
Additional Travel Resources,  please Chick Here

What are some of your packing tips?  Would love to hear them. 
Please comment below!

Happy Adventures!
Camille