I’ve never been on any trip where I couldn’t use a carry-on. Well, except for the one 3 week trek in Europe with 11 of my high school friends, where having oversized luggage resulted in us missing a train stop and completely being lost in Europe. Hence, apart from moving, why you should NEVER need to check a suitcase. How have I gone to Egypt, Thailand, Hawaii, and more places with a carry-on? Well by force, actually, but I’ll show you how to do it by choice – and chicly as well.
1. Roll, Roll, Roll your clothes. Yes, you’ve read this before. But my added tip? Only roll on the trip home! While not rolling on the way there will keep you from over packing, you ALWAYS need more room on the way back to make room for souvenirs, so roll away!
2. Wear your bulkiest items on the plane. When traveling in winter, wear your boots and coat. In summer, as tempting as it is to wear shorts and a t-shirt, this means you should wear your cardigan or cover-up, the longest item you packed (maxi skirt or jeans) and your heels or wedges. (I know you want to be comfortable, but you’re sitting the whole time anyway, and as The Countess says ‘Chic, c’est la vie‘. Right? Of course right.)
3. Travel sized goodies!! You should see my collection of travel items. I am completely for refilling small bottles with the shampoo, conditioner and facewash you already own, but if you like to buy your minis like me, then there are key destinations for the best selection. Hands down, it’s Target and Bed, Bath & Beyond.
{Some of my favorite hair minis}
{Face & Body items}
4. If your travel necessities go beyond liquid, the 3 other items I also suggest are an ipad (no computer!!!), Revlon mini straightener, and Tide travel sink packs.
5. Pick a Color Palette. You’ve also heard this before. Browns or Blacks. Gold or Silver. When I packed for Martha’s Vineyard 2 weeks ago I only packed grey, blue, and white, in varying patterns and shades, to make mixing and matching super easy.
6. Use a going out bag or clutch for jewelry. This fills space and protects things from getting lost or scratched. No reason why not!
7. Get a strong, but lightweight suitcase. While traveling light may be chic, asking the man next to you to help put your suitcase into the overhead compartment is not (unless he’s cute).
{TravelPro MaxLight 22″}
8. Utilize my 1 Item, 3 Ways posts! Seriously, figuring out how to multi-purpose your wardrobe will be a packing lifesaver. Remember, you can always go shopping on your trip!
Great post Steph, I’m so impressed with your packing skills. I love your blog!
Oh yeah, and Sephora has an AWESOME selection of minis too!