Tips for Packing Light

Tips For Packing Light

And we're off on our surprise 'experience surprise trip'! I am not sure who is more excited, the kids or Dino and I! We did this as as family when we were kids and I have been dying to do it for our kids! But first, sharing all of my tips for packing light so you're only focused on having FUN!

Don’t go for your big suitcase

If you start off with a big suitcase, you’re going to end up filling the whole thing, whether you mean to or not. Plan to use a small, carry-on sized suitcase, open it up (probably be a little shocked at how small it is), and then stick to it. If it doesn’t zip closed, you’ve packed too much and it’s time to audit what you have.

Use packing cubes

Packing cubes are amazing! But, they are one of those things that you’re skeptical of and question why you actually need them, until you use them. And then you never take a trip without them again. Not only do they do a phenomenal job of keeping everything organized, they compress all your clothes together so that they take up less space. Regular packing cubes work great, and they also make compression packing cubes, which squish everything down even more.

Research where you’re going

This may seem obvious, but always, always, always research what you should pack beforehand. You may need a specific item you don’t already have, like wool socks, or reef-safe sunscreen.

Don’t assume you know how the weather will be.  Apps nowadays will give you the weather 10 days in advance, so you should be able to get a pretty clear idea of what to pack and then give or take a little from there.

Create or look up a packing list

This goes along with the tip above, but I would start by looking at other people’s packing lists. Pinterest is your best friend for this! There are tons of blog posts out there by travel bloggers that give detailed lists of what they packed for the specific location you’re going to. And most of the time, you can find some catered toward the time of year that you’re traveling as well. If you’ve never been somewhere, these are so helpful to get an idea of what you’ll need clothing wise.  Plus, oftentimes they’ll include what they wish they had brought or what they could’ve lived without.

Think function first, then fashion

Of course we all want to look cute when we travel, but we also need to think about functionality. You know I like to be intentional about how I decorate or what I buy, and the same goes for packing!

Plan your outfits ahead of time with your activities in mind. Throwing a bunch of things in a suitcase leads to you packing a lot of unnecessary items that you’ll never wear and increases the possibility of you forgetting something you may need. If you strategically plan, you’ll save space in your suitcase, and avoid overpacking. And remember, you don’t need as much as you think you do. As long as you aren’t rolling around in dirt everyday, tops and bottoms can be re-worn. You don’t need different shoes for every occasion, instead opt for 2-3 pairs that can be used for multiple purposes.

When traveling with kids, you probably want to pack a couple extra things, but their clothes are smaller so it should all still fit in a small suitcase easily. Because Foxi is still small, I was able to pack her and I in the same suitcase for a week!

Maximize your outfits

Keeping with the clothes portion, mix and matching is the way to go! Keep things simple and avoid packing pieces that can only be worn with a specific outfit. The key is to bring tops and bottoms that can be easily interchanged to create “new” outfits. Essentially, you’re creating a mini capsule wardrobe for your trip. A lot of times people think of this as “neutrals only,” but you don’t only have to pack neutrals. Bring a colorful skirt that can be paired with a black or white top. Or a fun blouse that can be dressed up or down with shorts or jeans.

Wear your heaviest items on the plane

Things like heavy coats, hiking shoes, and hats take up a lot of space in your suitcase. As funny as it may look, wear them on the plane!

Tip: If you want to bring a hat, but don't want to wear it, pack small things like socks and swimsuits inside and around your hat in your suitcase! This also helps it keep it's shape!

Pare down your toiletries

Share your toiletries with the whole family! You don’t all need your own mini shampoos and conditioners. Just be sure to bring something that’ll work for everyone. Also, those mini travel bottles stretch a lot further than you think. Well, as long as your kids aren’t over doing it with their pours!

Another tip is to bring the bare minimum of what you need. Don’t pack your whole 10 step skincare routine. Instead only bring the essentials, ie. cleaner, moisturizer, sunscreen, etc. If you’re a makeup wearer, you don’t need to bring everything you own. Again, only the essentials.

Pack an e-reader, like a kindle, instead of actual books

Reading is a great way to pass time on the plane, or to wind down after a long day out. But don’t pack a ton of books. Besides the plane, the odds of you reading might be slim if you have a lot planned, so save space and bring a kindle. If you do end up reading, great! If not, you didn’t waste too much space.

Happy traveling!