I’M GOING ON A TRIP!!!! 🎉  I am soooooo excited. It’s been over a year since I’ve been on a plane…. And if you know me, that’s a long ass time. So I’m itchinggggg. Given the circumstances of the world these past almost two years, I’m just so happy and so thankful to be going somewhere. There really is no better feeling than the excitement leading up to a trip, like I’m giddy even just writing this. I picture us on our trip and all the fun things we will see/do and AH! It’s exciting. But with that being said, there is a very opposite feeling I get as well in preparation for a trip… it starts with a P and ends with an -ACKING. 

 

For me, packing is by far the most stressful and anxiety-ridden part of a trip. What am I going to wear? How will everything fit? What if I forget something? How do I pack my hats? Is 8 pairs of shoes too many? How will I pack my 12-step skincare routine? The questions and concerns are truly endless. I am 10000000% an overpacker and I definitely get that from my mother (thanks mom). But the first step is admitting you have a problem, right? In mine and my mother’s defence, a trip is when you want to look your best. Therefore, you need alllll of your supplies and all the outfit options you can fit in a suitcase! Tell me we’re not the only ones…?

 

I definitely don’t have all the answers when it comes to packing, but I’ve learned some tips & tricks along that way that work for me and my packing style. Take a look:

1)

Plan your looks ahead of time & pack full outfits – This is a true game-changer. I was given this advice by someone as a way to cut-down on the amount of clothes to pack and it has worked wonders for me. It may be hard to plan every single outfit for every single activity on your trip but just start small. For example, if you know you want to wear a particular cute outfit to see the Eiffel Tower, pick out that fit first and work backwards from there. This way your outfits are planned out and you aren’t aimlessly throwing clothes in a bag and hoping for the best. Outfit planning is time consuming but very effective and frees up space in your suitcase!

2)

You need a jewelry travel case – This is not a want, it’s a need, friends. I used to throw all my jewelry in a small cloth bag and pray that when I got to my destination that they weren’t all in one massive tangled ball. I’ll be real with you… 9 times out of 10 they were in fact in one massive tangled ball. Not fun. But then I got a travel case…. And there was no going back. There is a spot to separate your necklaces, your earrings, your rings, and your bracelets. Genius, really. Jewelry is an important part of an outfit and you shouldn’t have to sacrifice that while packing!  Mejuri has a really good one, and so does Pixie Mood.

3)

Try to rewear shoes – LOL, coming from me. I definitely struggle with this one. Having the option of shoes is just such a luxury… and a luxury that you hope & pray to fit into your suitcase. As hard as it is, you want to try your best to pack shoes that you can rewear with multiple outfits. Unfortunately, our beloved shoes tend to be the bulkiest item in our suitcase, so if we can cut-back on shoes and select more versatile pairs to pack, we’re in business.

4)

Pack an extra set of clothes & underwear in your carry-on – This may be because I have PTSD from when my luggage got lost between Toronto and Australia, but I do this every time I travel. Since we don’t have control of our bags after we check them in, it’s a very very scary thought to not pick-up your luggage on the other end. All that time, energy, effort… just not there. So, I always pack an outfit with socks and underwear JUST IN CASE. It also frees up a wee bit of space in the suitcase too. Win-win! 

5)

Use a proper travel case for toiletries & makeup – Two v important parts to packing. I don’t know about you, but when I travel I always seem to pack an absurd amount of toiletries and of course, my skincare products. I want to make sure I have everything so I don’t need to run out and buy anything when I’m there. If you have the proper travel bag, this shouldn’t be an issue. I bought a really good travel case for my toiletries & makeup off Amazon and it’s great. It’s broken out into compartments with zippers, it’s rollable, and it’s waterproof (super ideal for spills or leaks). For makeup, I suggest picking out your must-haves and only bringing those. My everyday makeup bag when I’m at home is so much bigger than it needs to be, so when travelling I only pack the essentials. Less risk of your makeup getting lost or damaged too! 

 

Those are some of my tips to help me and my unhealthy overpacking problem. But the one thing that I will forever be trying to solve is HATS. It’s such a love-hate relationship with hats and travelling… I love my hat when I get to the destination because it ends up being the main character of the trip, but the whole getting the hat to the destination is the worsttttt. I usually end up carrying them or wearing them on the plane to keep their shape and not get damaged in the process, which is the least fun thing on the planet. Soooo.. if you have any tips/suggestions/ideas at all for me on this front, help a sista out! 

 

I hope these packing tips & tricks come in handy when packing for your next trip! 

 

Bon Voyage! ✈️

 

Until next hump day…

Peace & love!

TL