06.15.07
Second Guessing Your Packing?
So you’re going on vacation, you’ve planned, you’ve bought a few new pieces to take along with you, you’ve packed, and then the day you leave comes along and all of a sudden you think “Oh my God, I’ve overpacked” or ”What if it rains?” What do you do?
First realize that you’re not alone. Most women go through some variation of this every time they go away…whether it’s for a weekend or for weeks. Take a moment to think. Take stock of where you are going. If you’re headed to the beach, most likely you won’t need that parka for the off chance that the temperature drops below 20 degrees.
You don’t have to prepare for every conceivable scenario. If you bring versatile clothes that can be layered and easily washed, you should be in good shape. One of my favorite, must have travel pieces is a cream colored pashmina. I take it with me everywhere and include it in my carry on. It is so versatile. It can be used as a blanket on the plane, as a scarf if it’s cold, as a wrap around your shoulders over a sundress, or balled up as a pillow if you need it. I highly suggest picking up one of these. They are great bridge pieces that bridge outfits and climates together.
06.11.07
Packing for a Vacation
I’m leaving for a month long vacation on Friday and I was starting to think about what I would bring. I have travelled a lot, so I have got this packing thing down pretty well. I’m not the type that plans for weeks what I’ll bring.
The key to not over packing is to make sure that every piece of clothing you bring serves more than one purpose. Don’t pack an entire outfit that doesn’t match anything else you are bringing…it limits your choices. I tend to like skirts and tops for warm places because skirts can be dressed up or down. You can wear the same skirt to the beach with a tank top and flip flops that you can wear out to dinner with a nicer top, blazer, and strappy sandals. The tops that you bring for your skirts can also be worn with your jeans, linen pants, and other skirts of the same color combinations.
Here’s an example of what I’ll be bringing with me…keep in mind we will be at the beach for a month:
1 pair of jeans
4 skirts
8 tops
3 sundresses that can be dressed up or down
2 cardigan sweaters
3 bathing suits
2 pair of pajamas
2 work out outfits
1 pair of beach flip flops
1 pair of dressier sandals
1 pair of running shoes
All of the clothes that I’m bringing can be mixed and matched with each other to give me countless outfits. Packing like this will mean I will be covered for any type of situation. I can’t wait to get there!
05.02.07
Going on Vacation? Follow These Packing Tips
The secret to stress free traveling is to stay light and unencumbered. Get a small suitcase with wheels so that you don’t have to carry everything.
- Put each hanging item in a plastic cleaning bag to avoid hard wrinkles. Then you can either fold it in a standard suitcase or hang it in a garment bag.
- Make a list of what you are putting in each of your bags as you pack for insurance purposes in case your luggage is lost or stolen.
- Cover shoes with shoe mitts or socks to prevent them from getting scratched or from soiling other garments.
- Roll belts, hosiery, and scarves.
- Accessories should be packed in jewelry bags or similar bags to prevent them from snagging garments. Expensive or fine pieces should be carried on you or in your handbag for added safety.
