The Best Way to Pack for Any Length Trip

Summer is the time for traveling! In this post, I’ll let you in on my secrets on how I pack for any length trip. Between packing for vacation and packing for when I visit my boyfriend numerous times a month, I have found the best ways to travel without having to limit anything.

To start, write a list. It is an underrated thing to do, but helps so much with organizing. You can cross out and add things to the list anytime.

Clothing

The biggest tip I have is to ROLL YOUR CLOTHES!! Rolling your clothes saves so much space and people don’t realize that. Yes, it may wrinkle some of your clothes, but there is nothing a straighter or a steaming hot shower can’t get out.

Pack clothing that you can style in different ways. Basics like bodysuits are great to have as you can style them with everything from sweatpants to fancy skirts.

If you are going somewhere warm, dresses are a great piece of clothing to have. They are comfortable, cute and take up half the amount in your luggage. Same thing goes for matching outfits!

When packing undergarments, my rule is

days x 2. This means double the amount of days you will be gone and that is how many undergarments you should bring.

Wear layers and your heaviest clothes to prevent your luggage from being overweight. It will also give you more room when packing.

Shoes

When going to my boyfriend’s house, I drive there. I keep bins in my trunk to organize my shoes so they don’t track dirt everywhere and they are all in one place. I will say I am not light with my shoes when traveling to him! I bring all my shoes since I have no restrictions. The amount of times I go to my car to change my shoes is more than I’d like to admit…

When packing shoes where I don’t have the option for unlimited space, I go for neutral shoes that can go with many outfits. I also always bring a pair of walking sneakers and wedges just in case. I always pack each pair of shoes in a separate plastic bags so they don’t get dirt on any of my clothes.

To ensure your shoes keep their shape, and to save space, stuff your underwear and socks into them.

Hot tools

I am one to always bring my curling iron and straight iron whenever I go away. I pack them in between my clothes to reduce the risk of breaking them. Bonus tip…straight irons are great to use as an iron. Just put them on a lower temperature to prevent the clothing from getting ruined.

Bags

When packing a carry-on bag, always put a bag inside a bag - a cross body bag being a great example of this.

Cross bodies are the best bags to bring when going away. Especially ones that close to ensure extra safety of your stuff. They are small enough to bring just your essentials and not cause pain from carrying it all day. They can also fit easily in a carry-on bag.

Toiletries/Makeup

Packing toiletries and makeup can be a little difficult. You want to make sure you have everything secured so nothing leaks. If you have something with a pump, wrap scrunchies around the pump so if it leans against something, nothing will leak.

Having everything in travel sized containers is convenient as it passes the size to travel on a plane, but also doesn’t take up too much room in your bag. Put a piece of cling wrap and put the cap on as an extra layer to prevent leaking.

Included in the toiletries is medication. Getting a pill organizer or travel size container for them is always an option to store them so you don’t have to carry the whole bottle.

I like to pack these items in a separate makeup bag as a second layer of protection.

Jewelry

The simplest way I have found to organize my jewelry is to keep them in the fabric bags with the drawstring top that necklaces or bracelets come in. They keep your jewelry separate and are not bulky.

Miscellaneous Essentials

I like to keep certain essentials in my bag at all times when traveling. These essentials include hand sanitizer, wipes, hair tie and extra pain medication. I have found I have used them on every trip and if I forget them I’m screwed!

If you would like to find out more about traveling tips, let me know!