Packing tips
These are our best secrets for making traveling a joy and a breeze. There’s no need to lug around tons of stuff and huge suitcases! Learn how to be efficient and pack lightly but still have all you need and look super chic at the same time. ✈️ You’ll be ready to go with a streamlined set of curated clothes and shoes, organized pouches, and prepared kits.
Carry on, check back
Overcome over-packing and make traveling more enjoyable with this awesome trick! On the way to your destination, carry on your bags only. This typically means bringing a carry-on roller bag plus a backpack or tote bag. Also, pack in your bag an empty, expandable easy-to-pack duffel bag. Then, fill it up during your travels! On the way home, check your roller bag and use your duffel bag as your carry-on.
To be prepared for international as well as domestic carry-on requirements, check the overall dimensions of your carry-on bag! Different airlines have slightly different requirements - it’s good to know which international airline you tend to use and be sure your bag meets its requirements.
Voltage DLX 20" Spinner, S
International Carry-On, Tumi.com
Carry On Spinner,
Briggs-riley.com
Platinum Elite 21” Carry On Spinner,
Travelpro.com
Roll or fold
Roll or fold each of your clothing items neatly. Tight rolling tends to best prevent wrinkles for softer/thinner garments (underwear, T-shirts, jeans, cotton pants, knitwear) and folding for stiffer ones (starched cotton shirts, blazers, dressy pants, skirts). Pack clothes in your suitcase first, then shoes and accessories, then fit in other oddly shaped items like hair tools. Also, arrange heaviest items at the bottom, wheeled end of your suitcase to help keep your bag stable when upright, and to stop other items from getting smushed.
Wear chunkiest stuff
Wear your heaviest/chunkiest outerwear and shoes on the plane so you don’t need to pack them! This saves a lot of suitcase space (and weight) and can also be quite comfy and cute during travel. Plan your outfits in advance and plan to wear the chunky items on your travel days.
Limit to 2 shoes
Remember you want to think minimally for what you bring on a trip. Most of the time you really only need two pairs of shoes. Most vacations involve a lot of walking so be sure at least one pair is super comfy for that. And for comfort reasons don’t bring any new shoes that haven’t been broken in yet! You don’t need to live in running shoes either. Instead, find just as comfy fashion sneakers, flats, walking sandals, or boots. It’s best to include a pair that can either transition from day to night wear, or just have a dressier pair as one of your two shoes - think high-heeled boots or strappy sandals. Plan your shoes carefully so that they go with a variety of outfits. At most, you might need a third pair - flip-flops, that is, for beach or spa wear (luckily those take up little room).
Toiletries
Many toiletries can be found in sample sizes. At the hair salon, Sephora (they have tons of cute mini items in line at checkout!), or the dentist, ask for samples - maintaining a steady supply of free samples is the goal! You can also buy many products in small sizes. Keep a box of them in the bathroom and when you travel grab what you need. Small sizes of your toiletries and makeup save tons of space in your bag.
Remember TSA’s 3-1-1 liquids rule: Products must be 3.4 ounces or less and they must all fit in one quart-sized bag. Keep your liquids in a separate, clear, quart-sized bag so you can easily pass through security. Have this bag accessible to pull out in line. For any products you need to bring that don’t come in small sizes, use reusable squeezable silicone bottles.
You may be tempted to just use a Ziplock bag, but there are much better alternatives! Get a good travel toiletries bag designed for this purpose.
Tip: If you’re afraid any item may leak, wrap it in plastic wrap before putting it in your toiletries bag.
TSA Approved Waterproof Toiletry Bags, Amazon.com
Fold-Up Wash Kit, Tourparavel.com
See-All Vanity Case, Tourparavel.com
In-Flight Case, Anyahindmarch.com
Hair care
Streamline your hair care for vacation. Go super simple with a comb and brush (smaller, travel sizes are available), shampoo, conditioner, one hair product. You really never need to bring a hair dryer since they usually have one at the hotel (even AirBnB’s have them!). If you need to bring a hair styler, try to keep it to one mini item such as a mini flat iron to curl/straighten hair.
Packing cubes
Packing cubes are useful accessories for your travel luggage! They come in different colors and prints. Use them to create more organization while traveling. The best way to use them tends to be putting like with like - all tops in one, bottoms in another, pajamas in another, etc. Neatly roll or fold your items and place them in the cubes. Packing cubes that come with see-through mesh are good because you can readily see what is in them, but solid ones with labels work well too! Another plus to packing cubes is you can easily move them into the drawers of your hotel dresser and instantly be done unpacking and ready to go.
There are also compression bags which work similarly but vacuum-pack your items to take up minimal suitcase space. These work particularly well for chunky sweaters or jackets!
Shoe bags
Shoe bags are a necessity during travel. Keeping your shoes in shoe bags is a great way to keep your luggage from getting dirty on the inside. Marie Kondo even says that shoes are happier when stored in bags!
Packing Cube Trio, T
5-Piece Packing Cube Set, Nordstrom.com
Shoe Cube Duo, Tourparavel.com
Shoe Bag, Herschel.com
Clear pouches
Use some clear pouches for keeping small accessories in your luggage. This is one of our fav tips!! It corrals your little things in one spot and enables you to readily see them! Plus, they look so cute. We like flat pouches best. You can use one for makeup, one for electronic accessories, etc.
Laundry bag
Bring a travel laundry bag with you in your suitcase. It’s best if it’s one that closes well to keep the smell of your dirty laundry from spreading to your clean clothes! If you like, bring two smaller-sized bags for laundry, then use one for darks, one for lights. That way you can throw the presorted loads in the laundry when you get home. Forget to pack your laundry bag? Use plastic bags from your hotel room! It’s helpful to also have a couple two-gallon resealable bags on hand for wet bathing suits.
Clarity Clutch Large, Truffleco.com
These are some of the best clear pouches out there! Super high quality and they come in large and small sizes.
Clarity Clutch Small, Truffleco.com
Wonderful little pouches we couldn’t live without.
Lola Pouch, Dagnedover.com
This leather beauty is perfect for everyday makeup and also doubles as a clutch!
Travel Laundry Bag, Amazon.com
How cute are these?
Scent
If you’ve ever traveled, you’re probably familiar with that “weird clothes smell” that can quickly permeate your suitcase. Pack a natural dryer sheet or two in your bag to keep your luggage smelling fresh! Or try making a lavender sachet (or order some from Etsy)!
Electronics
Time to corral your electronics. You’ll want your phone, camera to record memories, and possibly an e-reader to catch up on a good book while lounging on the beach. Keep all of your cords, cables, and other electronics accessories stored together in a small bag or envelope designed for the purpose so they’re easy to find. Unless you’re traveling for business, you’re not going to need your laptop (trust us, you won’t end up opening it). If you do need to bring your laptop, try just using a padded laptop sleeve inside another bag as opposed to bringing a whole other laptop bag!
We like this streamlined leather envelope from Mark & Graham.
Comfort kit
Create a comfort kit and add everything you’ll want to access on a flight in one pouch or bag. Your favorite tea, headache medicine, lip balm, a multi-use hydrating balm, cleansing wipes that you can use on your hands or face (or airplane and bus seats), a natural hand sanitizer, eye drops, ear buds, eye mask, USB phone cord, nail clipper, hair ties. If your hand lotion is in your 3-1-1 toiletries kit, transfer it out to this bag after you go through security.
Medical kit
You may encounter an issue while traveling, such as food poisoning, sudden fever, cuts or scrapes, terrible bug bits. It’s best to pack a small medical kit instead of relying on navigating a foreign pharmacy. Keep this little toiletry bag ready to go stocked with Band-aids, Neosporin (with pain relief works best!), pain relievers, cold medicine, upset stomach medicine, anti-itch ointment, and who can’t forget ear plugs which are life savers on long-haul flights and trains.
Essential items
Even if you check your bag, you always want to carry on your valuable and essential items to keep them with you at all times. There’s always a risk of luggage theft, or luggage being lost or delayed upon arrival, so be prepared with everything that’ll keep you going in your carry on! Essential items include your passport, identification, money, credit cards, jewelry, electronics, any medications. Also, have a change of clothes and your makeup with you.
