Travel Thursday Vol. 4: Packing

When I first started traveling I always assumed that I needed a 50 lb suitcase to get me through a vacation. If the vacation was more than a few days, I would feel unprepared if I didn’t have an outfit for every possible occasion and weather situation. This thought process caused me to waste lots of money and time. Then one day I had an epiphany. It was probably at the exact moment that I almost fell down the escalator at the airport trying to pull my overstuffed extremely heavy checked bag that I realized how ridiculous it was for me to try to fit my life into a suitcase. Ever since that day, I try my best not to pack a checked bag. Besides who wants to spend $100 on luggage (RT) when you can put that money into something worthwhile during the vacation? I certainly don’t anymore. I did some research and took some tips from expert travelers to change my slightly obsessive compulsive ways. For the past few vacations I have gotten away with taking a carryon suitcase and an oversized purse for trips up to a week.

Here are some tips I found very useful for packing for a getaway.

1. Check the weather at your destination. This will allow you to determine what types of clothing to pack for your vacation. Seems pretty obvious, right? Well you would be surprised how many people just throw items into a bag.
2. Once you figure out what types of clothing you want to wear, pick a favorite item and create a color story based around that item. Your color scheme will help you mix and match items in your closet. It will also help you minimize the amount of clothing and shoes you need to carry.