Packing Tips Revealed: What 25,000 miles in 4 months has taught me

The past few months have been full of travel (and it isn’t stopping anytime soon!)– some work, some play. I’ve been jet setting since May. Ensenda ⇒ Palermo ⇒ Rome ⇒ Seattle ⇒ New York ⇒ Portland ⇒ San Jose ⇒ San Diego ⇒ Vancouver ⇒ Salt Lake City ⇒ Mexico City. Are you overwhelmed by that list? I know I am. I love being in new environments, and exploring new cities. But something that I hate is packing and the actual travel element. I’m sure you can relate. Keep reading for all my packing tips !

What to Wear

They say you never know who you’ll be sitting next to on the airplane. So as much as I love my pjs, I never fly in them. That being said, I also like being comfortable. I wear what I call business comfortable. The typical outfit includes a vneck t-shirt, skinny jeans (or a thick yoga pant), a blazer, loafers (or flats),  a cotton scarf/shall, and a tote.

If the flight is a late night flight, I tend to trade the blazer for a comfortable jacket, and the t-shirt for a cotton sweater. I also bring extra socks to keep my feet warm since I’m always cold. I also ALWAYS bring a blanket scarf because you never know the temperature as the plane or in the car! I’ve used it as blanket and a pillow before and it’s a great thing to have!

The Bag

My all-time favorite is my Prada Saffiano tote since it has lots of pockets and space for my laptop. A few similar bags at different price points: Prada (here) , Longchamp (here) , and Forever21 (here).

What I stick in the bag: camera, sunglasses, laptop, phone charger, a snack (banana or almonds), wallet, Advil, lipstick, hair tie, clip, earbuds, hand lotion, concealer, and mints.

The trick to the bag is putting only the basics of what you’ll need. I’ve spent so much time figuring out the perfect amount of things to bring. On my first trip it felt like I had packed my purse as if it was a suitcase. I just remember that since I always have a carry on, the little less important things (like my makeup bag) can stay there.

The Makeup Bag

1. Brushes 2. Bronzer/Blush 3. Perfume 4. Eyeshadow Palette 5. Moisturizer/toner 6. Makeup remover wipes 7. Mascara 8. Beauty Blender 9. Foundation

The first time I traveled this summer (to Italy), I brought all my full-size makeup products. It seemed like my Naked Palette was taking up the entire bag. Since then I have shopped for smaller palettes specifically for travel. I love the Naked2 Basics palette since it has all the basics and is half the size. I also have mini brushes from Sephora that I really like. Clinique (and I’m guessing other brands) have travel sizes available for purchase which are perfect! Also, I always have a special beauty blender just for travel. I leave all that makeup in a separate bag and have it all ready to go for when I’m about to travel.

The Toiletry Bag

This one is pretty typical– I take small versions of deodorant, tooth paste, etc. (I’m sure you knew that). So no major packing tips related to the toiletry bag.

The Clothes

*drum roll* this is probably what you were actually looking for. The real packing. So here’s the deal:

1. Pick a base color. This will typically be a neutral: blue, black, gray, beige, or white
2. Outline your agenda– do you have a business meeting? A dinner? A night out?
3. Don’t start throwing things into the suitcase until you have everything organized outside the suitcase (You may be able to minimize your items if you have everything laid out)
4. Repurpose pieces. Maybe you used that blazer with your dress yesterday, but today you can wear it with a pair of pants and a cute scarf
5. Always pack an extra outfit. My first few trips I packed exactly, precisely according to my agenda. A few times last minute events popped up and I had nothing to wear! Pack something that can be dressed up or a down easily for almost any occasion.
6. Maybe the most important one: Always bring an extra duffle (is that what they’re called?) Basically a bag that you can stick in your suitcase and use in case you make purchases or things don’t fit when you come back. My favorite one is the Longchamp XL Travel Bag. It has been a serious lifesaver! 

There you have it, all my favorite travel tips! What are your favorite travel tricks?

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