Hey lovelies!
I don’t know about y’all but I LOVE to travel. I love eating at new restaurants and seeing new things and having new experiences. However, I despise is packing. Literally, I still have not completely unpacked from my girls trip to NYC THREE WEEKS AGO. I am trying to be more diligent about unpacking but it seems futile when I feel like I’m going somewhere every other weekend!
Keeping all of this in mind, I have collected some of my top travel and packing tips.
1. Always make room in your suitcase to pack the cat 😻
Just kidding! This isn’t a tip as much as a shameless excuse to show y’all this adorable picture of my fur-baby. She loves to sit in my suitcase while I pack haha.
2. GET A SUITCASE WITH FOUR WHEELS!!!
It is astounding to me how smart humans can be about some things and how completely stupid we can be about others. Case and point, why did it take us so long to figure out that 4 wheels were FAR superior to 2?!? Dramatics aside, 4 wheeled suitcases were a game changer for me and how I travel between modes of transportation.
3. Don’t pack a bag you can’t carry.
Look, I love having a new outfit to change into every 6 hours while on vacation as much as the next girl. However, no one wants to be that person threatening other passengers lives as they try to hoist their carryon into the over head compartment. No one likes that person; don’t be that person.
4. If you can help it, don’t check a bag.
From a financial standpoint, if you don’t have the secret password or credit card for the airline its going to cost you $25-50. Also, it’s another thing you absolutely should be able to carry if you had to (or lift at the very least). The more baggage you have, the less mobile you can be to go adventuring right off the airplane (or bus or train or car). If you must check a bag, make sure you can live without it for a day or two in case it gets lost.
5. Don’t pack uni-taskers if you can help it.
Uni-tasker is not my word. I stole it from Alton Brown who used it to describe kitchen tool that had only one purpose. When packing, think about it as the fancy bralette that you need to go with this one top or the shorts that only look good with one top. I don’t subscribe to the capsule wardrobe idea but I think being able to mix and match a few items together and get several different outfits is key to making points 3 & 4 possible.
6. Pack workout clothes
I’m not saying you need to go to a spin class or anything while you are on vacation. What I am saying is that there are many views in the world that you need to break a sweat to really appreciate.
7. TSA Pre-check
If you’re going to be doing a lot of air travel this can be such a time saver. $85 for a 5 year membership means that you don’t have to remove anything from your bags and you don’t have to remove you jacket or shoes. I don’t know how it took me so long to figure this out but I think it is so worth it.
8. Understand the weather of your destination
It seems like such a simple thing but understanding the components of the weather you’re going to be living in while on your trip should influence how you pack. I mean this in For example: 80 degrees in Phoenix can feel ridiculously different than 80 degrees in New Orleans because of the humidity or lack thereof. Knowing this can really change your enjoyment of your outfits (or let you know that you’ll want a change of clothes from day to night because you’ll have sweated through your clothes haha).
9. Fold jeans, roll shirts
You’d be surprised how much space you can save if you tightly roll your shirts. However, I think a tried and true fold is best for jeans be case of their thickness.
10. Don’t experience your destination through the lens of your camera
I am obviously a proponent of taking pictures to commemorate experiences. However, while exploring a new place or while on trips I try to make sure that I am “present” and not watching things happen around me by watching my phone as I try to capture a picture or video. If your going to be somewhere, BE THERE.
So, there you have it. Ten of the best travel tips known to humankind! Alright, that is probably a stretch but I do believe them all to be true and useful.
Have any that I missed? Leave them in the comments!
Stylish...sometimes 