Let me tell you- this wasn't easy and took a very long while to come around. But I'm pretty confident now, and after going to Cyprus at the beginning of the month, I felt ready for the planning and packing. I'm definitely not perfect at packing, but I've been on a few short and long trips in my time (be it acting work or holidays) that I've found a system that I'm happy with.
- TRY ON YOUR OUTFITS -
I'm pretty sure I picked this tip up from Josie from FashionMumblr and I've really stuck to it ever since I discovered it! Every time I sort out what clothes I'm going to take with me, I work it out by outfits. I plan two outfits per day, one for the day and one for the night, and I actually try the outfit on before I put it in my suitcase. This has seriously saved me a lot of time and agro- I'll never forget one trip when I put a brand new dress into my luggage, then went to wear it only to discover it was too big. Not great, and it's space in your bag that you could use for other things! I also take pictures of these outfit combos so I know exactly what I'm wearing for each day.
- PACK HEAVY ITEMS AT THE BOTTOM -
This may sound like a no-brainer, but I still know people who don't do this. By packing items like shoes at the bottom of your suitcase, they are less likely to squash delicate clothes that crease easily and toiletries so that they burst. And no one wants shampoo over their clothes, do they...
- USE MULTIPURPOSE BEAUTY -
Ever one of those people who packs really light clothes-wise, but goes over their luggage weight because of the amount of beauty you bring? It's easily done, especially if you end up doubling up on items. Finding 2-in-1 or even 3-in-1 skincare helps cut down on the amount of bottles you have. Micellar water will always be a winner as it'll remove all your makeup in one go, and 2-in-1 shampoo conditioners are a bonus. Also, bringing makeup palettes means you have multiple shades and products all in one container.
- USE YOUR STATEMENT ACCESSORIES -
When you can't bring your whole wardrobe with you, accessories are your best friend. You can change up an outfit that you've worn twice (maybe even three times) without anyone noticing with the power of statement accessories to take the attention away from your clothes. Also, holidays are the perfect time to try out something you may not necessarily wear at home, so go crazy while you're there!
- MAKE USE OF YOUR SAMPLES -
Now's the time to crack out all those samples you've been hoarding away! As a blogger, we are inundated with sample products from press events and goody bags, so I always save them for travelling as I can try out new products without having to take a full size! Plus it doesn't matter if you throw it away at the end of your holiday, as it was free, and takes the hassle out of decanting my products into travel bottles.
- LISTS -
I'm am one of those people who loves making lists, so when I prepare to pack I go crazy! I always do a tour of my room and daily routine and write down what I need, then cross things off once I've packed them! This still works for people who hate making lists, as there are plenty of ready-made lists online that are suitable for every journey!
- MIX AND MATCH -
I love putting together holiday outfits, but usually find that I've brought about 10 of everything even though I'm going on a long weekend...oh dear. This goes hand in hand with the first tip, as once I've tried on all my outfits, I whittle the amount of certain articles of clothing down to a sensible amount. Will you really wear 5 skirts? If the answer is no, thin it down. If you really need to wash items to wear again, hotels normally have washing facilities, but there's nothing wrong with packing a small bottle of detergent and clean them in the sink.
- DO THE ROLL -
The one tip that has snuck up on us in lightening speed! Rolling items that won't crease easily (think cotton and jersey) actually creates more space when packing as aside to folding. No idea why but it works! As well as t-shirts I also roll underwear and stuff it into shoes, hats and down the side of the case to fill every available space.
- PUT DIRTY SHOES INTO PLASTIC BAGS -
And finally...are you worried about your clothes getting dirty from the soles of your shoes? Simple- just wrap them in plastic bags! This applies to both journeys, and also makes packing shoes a lot simpler. Just make sure that they're wrapped tightly with no air in them to save on space.
So what do you think- think I've nailed the whole packing thing? Let me know if you have any packing tips, or whether you're going on any exciting trips soon!
- PACK HEAVY ITEMS AT THE BOTTOM -
This may sound like a no-brainer, but I still know people who don't do this. By packing items like shoes at the bottom of your suitcase, they are less likely to squash delicate clothes that crease easily and toiletries so that they burst. And no one wants shampoo over their clothes, do they...
- USE MULTIPURPOSE BEAUTY -
Ever one of those people who packs really light clothes-wise, but goes over their luggage weight because of the amount of beauty you bring? It's easily done, especially if you end up doubling up on items. Finding 2-in-1 or even 3-in-1 skincare helps cut down on the amount of bottles you have. Micellar water will always be a winner as it'll remove all your makeup in one go, and 2-in-1 shampoo conditioners are a bonus. Also, bringing makeup palettes means you have multiple shades and products all in one container.
- USE YOUR STATEMENT ACCESSORIES -
When you can't bring your whole wardrobe with you, accessories are your best friend. You can change up an outfit that you've worn twice (maybe even three times) without anyone noticing with the power of statement accessories to take the attention away from your clothes. Also, holidays are the perfect time to try out something you may not necessarily wear at home, so go crazy while you're there!
- MAKE USE OF YOUR SAMPLES -
Now's the time to crack out all those samples you've been hoarding away! As a blogger, we are inundated with sample products from press events and goody bags, so I always save them for travelling as I can try out new products without having to take a full size! Plus it doesn't matter if you throw it away at the end of your holiday, as it was free, and takes the hassle out of decanting my products into travel bottles.
- LISTS -
I'm am one of those people who loves making lists, so when I prepare to pack I go crazy! I always do a tour of my room and daily routine and write down what I need, then cross things off once I've packed them! This still works for people who hate making lists, as there are plenty of ready-made lists online that are suitable for every journey!
- MIX AND MATCH -
I love putting together holiday outfits, but usually find that I've brought about 10 of everything even though I'm going on a long weekend...oh dear. This goes hand in hand with the first tip, as once I've tried on all my outfits, I whittle the amount of certain articles of clothing down to a sensible amount. Will you really wear 5 skirts? If the answer is no, thin it down. If you really need to wash items to wear again, hotels normally have washing facilities, but there's nothing wrong with packing a small bottle of detergent and clean them in the sink.
- DO THE ROLL -
The one tip that has snuck up on us in lightening speed! Rolling items that won't crease easily (think cotton and jersey) actually creates more space when packing as aside to folding. No idea why but it works! As well as t-shirts I also roll underwear and stuff it into shoes, hats and down the side of the case to fill every available space.
- PUT DIRTY SHOES INTO PLASTIC BAGS -
And finally...are you worried about your clothes getting dirty from the soles of your shoes? Simple- just wrap them in plastic bags! This applies to both journeys, and also makes packing shoes a lot simpler. Just make sure that they're wrapped tightly with no air in them to save on space.
So what do you think- think I've nailed the whole packing thing? Let me know if you have any packing tips, or whether you're going on any exciting trips soon!
Gx
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Nice post. I like the idea of rolling, will keep that in mind! I did a similar post during the Summer holiday in case of interest: http://www.cover-mum.com/blog/2016/07/21/fashionista-packing-guide
ReplyDeleteThanks! Yeah that one has been super useful. Ah I'll take a look!
DeleteI love all your packing tips -Hanna Lei
ReplyDeleteLatest Post: Review: Bamboo by Franck Olivier Perfume
Thank you!
DeleteRolling really is the very best. I found that I get bored by my selections when I'm traveling for a month or more so I pack what I know I'll wear and then leave room for a purchase or two in whatever city or country we visit.
ReplyDeleteThe most difficult packing jobs for me are when I'm going to visit a couple different climates in one trip. It doesn't happen often, but spring and autumn travel means that you get some unpredictable weather sometimes. So I make sure that if that happens I pack with layering in mind so I don't have to pack too many extra pieces, just a couple that I can layer easily or wear separately. Oh, and packing for my kids always seems to blow all my simple-packing rules away every time.
Thanks for these tips! I'll keep the makeup one in mind for sure for my next trip.
Yes totally agree!! I did New Zealand and South East Asia last year and it felt so strange packing jeans along with my bikinis! Glad to hear this was helpful :)
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