Packing 2.0: Revisiting the Art of the Carry On Bag

“Gosh, I have so enjoyed this and feel like you have helped me sooo much. I feel like you have helped me get my confidence back at a time I really needed it. I also feel like a gained a really cool, fashionable frien (94).png

The world is looking a little brighter, the airports are getting much busier, and have you recently tried to rent a car?! It’s a doozy of an experience because the thing is… people are travelling again!!

One of the things I enjoy the most about working with my clients is helping them pack for their trips. Especially pre-COVID 19. The main goal then was to prep clients for amazing European pilgrimages. Sometimes, I’d even create a Google spreadsheet where they could see all the possible combinations they could create, just by packing a few key pieces.

It was always a lot of fun and SO helpful for them (and it looks like we’re picking that back up again).

If we’ve been connected through my blog over the years, you might just remember my first article on packing. Did you try it? It seemed to be helpful and was a tool I used for quite some time.

However, once I started flying every month and spent long stretches away from my home closet, there are a few tweaks that I’ve made to the lessons that I have learned. For instance...

This past weekend, I was trying to pack for… 1. A work trip (I consult for a media organization with their on-camera presence), 2. Attending a wedding up in the Northeast, and 3. Topping it all off by spending the summer in the south of France.

Just as diamonds start out as lumps of coal refined by fire, travel-by-carry-on-bag refined my packing skills. Taking into consideration the need to have Looks that said professionalism, modesty for Mass at the monastery, staying cool amid the heat of summer in Provence, and aprés wedding cocktail attire, I consider this my finest foray yet into packing refinery, and I hope I’ve created a gem of a recipe for YOU to rely on when packing for your trip, too!
So, I implore you to let me know how these ideas work for your next getaway!

Here’s how to pack lightly and quickly (without sacrificing style or comfort).

1. Find your inspiration. Close your eyes and imagine the perfect day on your trip- imagine the food you'll be eating, who you'll be with, sights you'll be seeing. Now, on that perfect day... What are you wearing?

2. Pull out the items from your closet that you could DEFINITELY picture yourself wearing, including favorite items you get excited about.

3. Decide which shoes you'll be wearing. Comfort is key yet it’s important to have footwear that can still be stylish for vacation and versatile enough to mix/match

4. Pull out your "must-haves" - items you know you just have to bring (undergarments, socks, items for specific weather events, like rain).

5. Find your style "glue" - these are items that are versatile enough to bridge steps 1 and 2 to intermix and form different combinations (a neutral cardigan, a blue jean, a white pant, a black blouse).

6. Edit. Then edit again. There's likely to be items in your pile that you need to remove (and probably one or two things that you will realize you need to add).

Bon voyage and safe travels!

Question: What is YOUR Number One tip for packing?