I follow one rule when I fly ~ no checked bags. Whether I’m going away for a long weekend or a full week, I’m a carry on girl. Checking bags is just such a hassle. Even when the process works perfectly, it slows you down in both arriving and departing. Plus most airlines charge for checked bags these days, so all in all, carrying on is the way to go! Friends of mine are always so surprised to hear that I only travel with a carry on, so I thought with vacation season upon us I’d share a few of my tried and true packing tips today.
(similar tote, leopard roller board)
My Travel Tips:
~ Select and stick to a wardrobe color palette. When every piece of clothing coordinates with each other you can create quite a few different outfits with just a few main pieces. And you won’t need more than two shoe options.
~ Wear your bulky pieces on the plane. It’s typically chilly on an airplane, so this is a pretty easy thing to do even in the summer months.
~ Roll your clothes or use the KonMari folding method to save on space. Bonus, this also helps with wrinkles!
~ Coconut oil packets (find them at Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods) take up practically no space at all and take the place of your makeup remover and body lotion. One packet will last about 7 days.
~ Recycle and reuse small product containers – like eye creams – for liquid foundation and moisturizer. I always put a small dot of nail polish on the bottom of my empty containers, so I know they’re no longer holding what the container says they are.
~ Pare down your makeup bag by grabbing multi-functional products like Beautycounter’s Color Pinch Cream Blusher, which can be used as blush, eyeshadow and lip color. I use these cream blushers all the time at home, but when I travel they’re pretty much all I use, besides mascara.
~ Don’t forget you get one personal item in addition to your carry on. I always travel with a large tote bag that can hold my laptop, camera, a book, my wallet and makeup bag. Then I tuck a small crossbody bag in my roller board, so I don’t have to use a large tote everywhere I go once I get to my destination.
It’s like an art form, and I’ve nearly mastered the art of packing light. 😉 My whole family carried on when we went to Italy last year, and it was a game changer! Beginning a trip with a simple packing routine starts your vacation on a great note and makes the task of unpacking when you get back home feel like less of a chore!
Do you have any tried and true vacation packing tips to share? I’d love to hear them!
I always fail at packing light. Can you give a list of what you would pack for a weeklong trip?