travel tips: packing light

hello! okay...today is the first post of many to come:

• well traveled-wife travel tips • 

..tips for packing light..

today we're talking about packing! i'm definitely no expert, but i've traveled enough that i have some good tips.. i hope you'll comment with yours, so that these posts can turn into one big resource for fellow travel lovers! i've had some recent emails asking about tips for packing, so today we are talking about my travel tips for packing...
and more specifically, packing L I G H T.


"he who would travel happily must travel light."
-antoine de saint-exupéry

overpacking is one of the worst travel mistakes in my book!!
i pride myself on being able to pack light, & my bag always weighs the least.. of course there are those trips where you are going to stay in one place for a week and have transportation set up from the airport to the hotel with free checking so packing light is not as important, but with the majority of my trips, it is a huge benefit to pack light.  i have traveled with lots of friends who bring about 5 times more than they need, and now even they can see the benefits of packing light :)  here are a few reasons packing light is the way to go:

1. $ it saves money. 
airlines love to charge you fees when you get to the airport to check your bags!

packing a small carry-on allows you to save money in so many ways. you don't
have to pay checked baggage fees, you don't have to tip people for carrying your luggage in,
it's easier to take the subway/metro system because you can carry everything, etc.

2. it's safer.

if you only have a small bag that you can keep with you while traveling, luggage is so much less
likely to get damaged, lost, or stolen! just keep it simple! traveling light is simply more
stress free to me, and it helps me cut out some of the hassle of traveling. the only downside
is lifting your carry-on into the overhead bins..sometime i have to get help with that! :)

3. it makes travel easier.

 you can be so much more flexible and get around easier by packing light! having less things
means you have so many more options for where to go, and what to do. you don't have to wait
around to get your checked luggage when you arrive somewhere..you can just get off the plane/ train and GO! in europe and other big cities in the US, sometimes i just bring a backpack, roll everything up tight, and take that! this makes it so we don't have to worry about having a hotel hold our luggage or check out late. if you have everything with you, you can see more things, be flexible about the hotels you stay in, and not be weighed down! you can be spontaneous, because everything you need is with you! best feeling ever.

**when husband and i first went to NYC together, we took the train from washington DC for a weekend in the city. i flew into DC and we were packing the morning we were leaving...it was winter, so i had warm black leggings and hunter boots, and then just 2 different skirts and tops to wear over the leggings, plus toiletries and a coat. i wore the bulkiest items on the train, rolled everything else up into a backpack, and was ready in 10 minutes. i looked over at husband {who i was only dating at the time} and knew i had a lot to teach him..ha! he had a big duffel bag, 3 different pairs of shoes, belts, 2 coat options, etc. don't get me wrong--i love to dress nice while traveling, but you can do it while keeping it simple! even though our train was leaving soon, i made him cut down his luggage to half the things and put it in another backpack. he thought i was crazy, but with the amount of walking and switching apartments we were staying at that weekend, we were so glad we had everything we needed in a portable backpack. now he knows to always pack light with me! :)...
and, if you pack light, you have more room to shop/get souvenirs and bring them back!

<< traveling light is almost always the best way to go. unless you're a celebrity who has people in tow to pack and carry everything, it's worth it to pack light. you know what you have and where everything is, you don't have to drag huge bags through airports and trains, and you have exactly what you need-nothing more or less. simplify, simplify. traveling is much better when you can focus on the place you are, and not all of your luggage!! last but not least, traveling light not only benefits you, but the environment too! double win. >>

---

so now that i've convinced you why to pack
light, here are some tips for how..

• make a list. even if it's a weekend trip, just write the basics down, then check them off. it's foolproof and organized. plus, lists are fun!
• be reasonable, but don't skimp too much. you want to have options, but not extras. bring neutral shoes that go with multiple outfits, and bring pants and tops you can mix & match to create different looks creating the same clothes. (ex: i usually bring a top or dress that i can dress up & wear out at night, but also wear as a beach cover-up the next day. saves room and has a completely different look!)
• roll your clothes instead of folding. this helps them wrinkle less and saves room.
• don't bring too many accessories, but remember to pack a few statement items like a big belt, hat, scarf, or pretty earrings. these will help you feel dressed up without taking too much space.
• don't bring too many shoes, a hair dryer, gadgets, or jewelry. simplify!

now, for a few more detail tips:

..starting with toiletries..

for years i used two different toiletry/makeup bags for everything. they worked, but

in every hotel they always took up counter space and it was so hard to find one specific thing because i threw everything in there. when we were in europe with my in-laws, husband's mom had the nicest hanging toiletry organizer. i had seen these, but hers was so cute and when i saw it that trip i knew i needed one! it unfolds easily and hangs on the back of a door or hook, and you can see where everything is. so nice! i recommend this for sure. 

so that i don't have to check bags, i have my face wash in a small bottle, 

as well as everything else travel size. at home i use liquid eye makeup remover, 

but on trips i live off the neutrogena makeup removing wipes. you can 

use them on your eyes and face, and that's that! so easy while traveling.

also, i use empty mini bottles that i already have, and fill them with lotion,

face wash and other things i need. no need to go buy travel size of lots of things..

just find empty mini shampoo bottles you have, rinse them and fill up!

be sure to label them with a permanent marker so you don't mix them up :)
husband's other tip here is to take the mini shampoos and conditioners when 
you stay in hotels, so that you're stocked up on them for other trips!

..as for packing clothes..

the biggest thing i've learned is to ROLL your clothes in your suitcase! it may seem better to fold them, but TRUST me. after lots and lots of trips, folding is the way to go. clothes fit much better when rolled instead of laying flat. plus, they wrinkle less when they are tightly rolled! i roll everything up and then make the most of the space when you are packing them in. make it a game...think tetris! :)

plan ahead. 

i used to be so bad at this, and packing would stress me out. now, if i'm really on top of it, i can plan out my outfits for each day of the trip according to our plans, and i can pack them all in together and have exactly what i need. it sounds overwhelming, but it's SO nice. when i'm lazy, i just throw a bunch of clothes in a bag and then pair things into outfits on the trip. without fail i forget something, or bring way too many options. for our last paris trip, i changed this.

i pulled a bunch of clothes from my closet, then looked through the itinerary of our 9 day trip and used it to pick outfits for each day, packing them together so i would remember. i took probably half of the clothes out of my suitcase after this, because when i planned according to days, i realized i wouldn't need half the things! it was amazing. i literally wore every item in my suitcase..that should be the goal! nothing more, and nothing less. if you pick clothes that can mix & match, you can save even more space by wearing the same pants with two really different tops so that it changes the outfit, but you don't need another item. same goes for shoes..bring neutral shoes that will work with all your outfits so you don't have to worry!

check the weather.

weather can change how you pack, so check it! if it's going to be cold, dress in lots of layers and wear coats/ boots on the plane so you save space in your suitcase. if you are going for longer than a week and want to carry on, just be prepared to wear certain pants/ shirts more than once on the trip...or plan to do laundry! i also always bring a light raincoat and lay it in the bottom of my bag. it hardly takes up space, and it is something that is always good to have on hand!

--make sure to pack a few plastic sacks to put dirty laundry in--

i hate when i have dirty clothes and have to repack them with all my clean clothes! bring some plastic bags in your suitcase, and when you're traveling just put the dirty clothes rolled in the bag, so that you can take it out and wash it when you get home! i do the same for shoes, so that my clothes don't touch the bottom of my shoes. it's simple, but so nice. pack shoes with opposite ends touching, so they fit better! if you have a front pocket on your luggage, slip the shoes in there. you can also fill your shoes with socks//undies, since they are taking up space anyway..you might as well fill them up!

--IF YOU ARE CHECKING LUGGAGE--

i know that sometimes it is just necessary or way more convenient to check luggage. in this case, still pack what you need in your carry-on - in the case that your luggage gets lost, at least you'll still have your mascara, toothbrush and a change of clothes in your carry-on, so you aren't stuck!

**don't forget to pack other essentials.. ibuprofen/aspirin in case you get a headache or don't feel good. bring band-aids, tums, nail clippers, a nail file, socks, toothbrush, deodorant, contacts + contact solution, reading material etc. i didn't bring these kinds of things until i've gotten stuck needing them in different airports and situations, and had to go find pharmacies or pay way more at airports! also- keep your phone charger in your purse or carry on so you have it!**

and lastly, pack food and snacks! i don't know why i always get starving on airplanes and trips...

make sure you prepare by having snacks // food packed in your purse or carry-on that you can get to!

what are your best packing tips?

do share!!

ps..always pack the pretty things last!

xo