How-To Pack Lightly for Vacation

As you’re reading this I am heading to California for three weeks!! Yay for summer vacation. But of course, as a fashion blogger I couldn’t pass up this opportunity to blog about the packing process. Afterall, I want to be in different outfits daily but wanted to pack lightly for vacation. Last year when I went on vacation it happened to correspond with Kendi’s first 30 for 30 Challenge and since I had randomly packed exactly 33 items I promptly neglected three of them and took on the challenge. This time around, I think I can do it with even less… although I’m not pushing myself to create 30 outfits – just a new outfit each day I’m away. (Since I’ve got guest bloggers lined up for the time I’m away – the outfit pics from vacay will be a little delayed. And I won’t be posting every outfit.)

So here are my thoughts and corresponding photos on how to get the most amount of outfits out of the least amount of clothing:

1. Start with basics. The little black dress, the basic pencil skirt, the perfect-fitting pair of pants, etc… Each of these items should be highly interchangeable.
2. Keep it all in the same color family. If you pack a bunch of browns, blues and blacks it will be hard to mix and match those things. Try to keep to the blue color family or the yellow color family.
3. Add layerable items. Cardigans, vest, t-shirt, etc… these can be paired with the basics in a variety of ways.
4. Go with comfortable, versatile shoes. This doesn’t mean only black shoes. I find more ways to wear my yellow flats than my black ones at times. Just make sure each pair of shoes can go with at least half of the clothing you pack.
5. Be practical. Not everything we love needs to be packed. For instance: 8 pairs of jeans, even if you own that many, aren’t needed for one vacation. Instead opt for a comfortable pair and a dressy pair.
6. Go wild with accents/accessories. This is where your style and personality can come in and turn the basics into full outfits with spunk. Think scarves, necklaces, earrings, pins, bracelets, hats, whatever.
7. Roll your clothing. I’ve tried packing things in a million different ways. Folding it all to be the same size, laying it all out inside the suitcase, but I always find more room when I roll the items.
8. Lay skirts/pants flat at top of suitcase. Rolling these items can cause all sorts of wrinkles and endless ironing. Lay them flat near the top to avoid unnecessary ironing.
9. Spread jackets out. Place your jackets/button-down shirts in the suitcase with the sleeves hanging out. Once they are all piled in, fold all the sleeves into the suitcase.
10. Use travel-size products. Even if you’re going away for a month, you won’t need full bottles of soap and shampoo. Lighten your load and free up space by purchasing travel-sized re-usable bottles.
11. Stuff your shoes. Since I’m a runner I’m always bringing my gym shoes along. Those are bulky and don’t flatten much. Instead of wasting the space I’ll put a pair of socks in the toes or a carefully wrapped necklace. Saves room and protects your items.
12. Travel perfume is key. Ditch your bottle of perfume and grab a purse-sized roller-ball tube of your favorite scent from Sephora. I love these. They travel well and are so tiny!

Related posts:

1. Friend Friday: Vacation
2. How to Pack for a Cross-Country Move