Ultimate Packing Guide, Part Two: How to travel SO LIGHT and look SO HOT while doing it
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On the flight back from Amman, Jordan to our apartment in Bologna, Italy, I wore out two pens while journaling twenty pages. While I have lots to say about the trip itself, that will have to wait—it’s Tuesday, so we’re talking style.
As a true Type A individual, I’m always trying to win trophies at mundane activities. Like packing, for example. The smaller and lighter my bag, the more imaginary gold star stickers get put on my imaginary mind chart. I earn points for every cute outfit I can make by recombining a few elements. Demerits, obviously, for each item I take on the plane that never gets used.
And let me tell you, on this trip, I won a TROPHY. And that trophy was: I packed so light, I looked so good, and I used almost every single thing I brought, AND I was never truly uncomfortable despite camping in the literal desert, which is notorious for being alternately very hot in the sun and very cold at night.
The secret, ladies and gentlemen: layers.
It’s time to think of your suitcase as a Russian nesting doll of opportunity. We’re not packing outfits here. We’re packing possibilities. Your travel wardrobe should be so thoroughly versatile that you could, theoretically, wear almost everything at once, and it should be so comfortable that you could reasonably sleep in most of it.
It’s a high bar, but it’s not impossible. And as I was packing our bags to leave our Airbnb in Jordan, I realized I was as close as I had ever come to hitting that mark. So, at 10 p.m. while my husband and son slept, I was scribbling madly. I wrote down down everything I had found useful and left off everything I hadn’t. That chaotic journal entry is the origin of this post.
Before we continue, a few disclaimers:
There will be no affiliate-linked shopping list here, in this or any post. This is a template, not a prescription. Besides, you can’t shop your way to expert packing. This stuff has to be well-loved, tried-and-true, the kind of clothing that’s already an old friend.
This packing style is officially A Project. In order to avoid becoming overwhelmed, keep your expectations reasonable. If you integrate even one or two of these tips into your next trip, I think you’ll find yourself feeling lighter already.
No need to take notes; there’s a downloadable checklist incoming. You can also pin the image below so you can find it later.
This system has really been in development since my first international trip in 2016, which was a ten-day adventure from Copenhagen to Krakow, then Budapest and a flight out of Oslo. But it was in 2018 that a ten-day camping trip in Iceland inspired me to get ~really intense~ about packing. August in Iceland presents temperature challenges not unlike the Jordanian desert in January. And while I was proud of what I managed to put together for a two-person, ten-day camping trip in a single checked bag, I didn’t really like the pictures of myself. I realized I had put function so far ahead of form that I was struggling to appreciate the memories, because I didn’t like how I looked in them.
Since then, I’ve purchased all my clothes for hiking, traveling, and working out in the same coordinating shades: black, olive, grey, and tan, with some burgundy mixed in. This makes it easy to prepare for travel in a way that’s affordable and sustainable: I always start by ‘shopping’ in my closet. In fact, I start with a list, then follow the same five steps:
Start with my own closet
Visit local thrift stores and secondhand shops
Go online secondhand shopping (Thredup, Poshmark, etc.)
Consider what I might be able to borrow, especially if I don’t think I’ll need it again soon
Buy key, high-quality pieces new, if absolutely necessary
Let me emphasize: I do not recommend trying to online shop your way to this kind of lightweight packing! There are a lot of companies online that claim to have the perfect gear for travel. The perfect clothes, bags, shoes, makeup, whatever for traveling light. I know, because I’ve been disappointed by a number of very expensive purchases in this vein.
You can only try this for yourself and refine through… shall I say… style and error!
The Formula
Enough of my life story, right? Let’s start with the core wardrobe. This is the stuff that you need, no matter where you’re going. If you’re doing a weekend trip, staying in a comfy hotel, and planning to shop a lot or walk through museums—active, but not too strenuous—you need the following basic clothing items.
2 pairs of comfy-yet-cute sneakers (I covered this in depth last week)
2 cotton or merino wool t-shirts
1 lightweight button-up shirt
1 warm, wool sweater
1 black turtleneck/crewneck/long-sleeved t-shirt (according to your style)
1 pair of super-lightweight athletic pants
1 pair of black leggings or comfortable jeans
2 pairs of long wool socks
3-4 pairs of light athletic socks
Supportive, comfortable undergarments
A hat that protects from the sun, like a baseball cap or bucket hat
A hat that protects from cold
A lightweight scarf
A small, comfortable backpack
Here’s last week’s post on shoes again in case you missed it…
If you’re going somewhere that dips into the chillier temperatures, obviously your warm clothes are also essential:
1 packable down or down alternative puffer jacket
1 oversized utility jacket with lots of pockets
Scarf, gloves, long underwear, etc.
1 hooded sweatshirt & sweatpants, if there’s space
Now that your basics are all accounted for, let’s turn up the volume a little. This is vacation; you’re going to be taking lots of pictures! I consider these accessories to be essential because they help me feel confident and give me a little pick-me-up when I’m getting ready in the morning.
This list is intended to be gender-neutral, but also all-inclusive, so if there’s something here that doesn’t apply to you… congrats! You have more space for other stuff.
Lipstick/lip balm (airplanes are dry!!)
Earrings
Silk scarves
Statement jewelry
Tote bag - large, cute, with long handles for comfortable wear
Hair accessories: scrunchies, headband etc
Sunglasses
Make sure you actually like every single thing you pack. It’s tempting to bring, for example, practical pants for walking around and cute pants for a fancy dinner. But travel isn’t like regular life… if you’re like me, the cute-but-uncomfortable bag won’t get touched, because (1) things are just more intense and you’ll want to be comfortable and (2) are you really going to go back to your room and change?
Ideally, this bag should be full of the things you wear immediately after laundry day, your first-round draft picks of clothing (I think I’m using that right).
Everything packs a one-two punch of being both cute and useful in this Perfect, Award-Winning Weekend Bag. These accessories take up almost no space and will keep your very small wardrobe from feeling sad and boring.
What if my very limited wardrobe gets dirty?
Using and re-using stuff comes with some risks. If you bring one pair of pants and you spill coffee on them, then what? I did this with a two-year-old and survived, so I have faith in you.
Your arsenal:
Really good deodorant
Undershirts - enough to rotate
Tide pen or other small stain remover
Travel-size shampoo (hack incoming!)
Whether or not your accommodations come with laundry, you may need to wash something. The answer is pretty much always cheap shampoo. There’s usually some around for free, whether you’re at a hotel or an Airbnb, but it can also be purchased for very little money.
If something gets stained, wash it in the sink using cold water and scrub well with shampoo. It’s gentle, but effective. And what’s even better: you can use shampoo in place of laundry detergent in a pinch. I’ve done it many times, and my clothes come out smelling incredible. You’ll probably have to hang the item to dry, which is why we have a backup of everything!
Optional add-on items
Once your essentials are packed, consider your itinerary and your leftover space. Any one of these items has the power up your travel wardrobe exponentially. Remember, we’re mixing and matching here! The combinations are practically endless.
An oversized button-down or “shacket,” the worst combo style word ever but a very effective outfit piece (denim, stiffer fabric, etc)
A button-front dress and a pair of slip shorts to prevent heat rash while walking. Creative stylists will quickly realize this can be left open as a duster, worn as a beach cover-up, tied up and worn with pants, or just… worn as a dress.
Additional pants that are still good for walking. Consider a different color and silhouette than what’s already in your bag. Try a flare or a wide-leg pant, or even a cozy-but-cute jogger.
Water-resistant boots (last week’s post covers the nitty gritty of shoe packing)
Pack it in
No matter how light I pack, I always enjoy trying to cram everything into the tiniest possible corner of my bag. The not-so-secret trick is to roll everything, but every packing enthusiast has their system.
I like to pack my travel bag the same way I pack my bag for tent camping. Hard or heavy stuff goes in the very bottom. In this case, that’s your bulkiest pair of shoes, stuffed with whatever small items you can get in there. Wrap the whole thing in a plastic bag to keep it neat and keep your other clothes clean, and stuff it into the very bottom.
(Speaking of which, packing cubes are amazing at keeping things compressed and avoiding wasted space. And pretty much anything can become a packing cube. I’ve used everything from plastic grocery bags to the rectangular plastic cases that bedsheets come in.)
Next, we’re putting in mid-weight stuff that you won’t need to access during your journey. That’s your jeans, backup sweater, any additional shoes you’re not wearing to the airport… you get the idea.
And on top, put in things that are light or breakable, and that you might need to access while traveling. For me, that’s a gallon-sized bag full of snacks for the whole family. My travel documents, phone, and headphones go in my jacket pockets, and I wear at least two coats to the airport to save space.
As promised, if you would like to download this information in a handy-dandy printable packing list, you can do that here:
Whew! Thanks for making it to the end with me. That thing was a marathon.
So tell me: where’s your next trip? Can I help you pack? Leave a comment—helping people prep for travel is my favorite way to procrastinate.
Xox,
Rebecca
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