Let me preface this post by saying that my name is Ellie and I used to suffer from the condition called OVERPACKING.
It was no minor case either. When I traveled to England in 2008 for a study abroad program, I packed four suitcases. FOUR I tell you. One alone contained a variety of dresses packed for the odd chance the Prince of Monaco would call upon me to join him at a ball. Spoiler alert. I never did get that call, and the dresses were never worn.
Fast forward a couple years and I began my career as a flight attendant. When I was given my roller board bag and told that that was it in terms of bags, I knew my packing style had to change. Gone were the days of packing a shoe for every day or a purse to match every outfit. I had just one carry on bag and it had to last me up to a week and have clothes for any weather condition. I didn’t want to sacrifice fashion but I also had to find a way to mix in a little bit more efficiency. Somewhere, somehow I needed the perfect combination of both. Three years have gone by and I think I have found it. I have been sent here to help you.
My General Rules
– Pack 3 or 4 or even 5 times. Each time you do take out one or two items. By the end you will have eliminated half of your unnecessary items.
– Do NOT buy travel sized toiletries. They are simply a waste of money. Get your full sized products that you use at home and fill up travel sized tubes. (don’t cheap out on these as they will definitely leak)
– Rolling actually works. I can fit double the amount of clothing when I roll.
– Pack a lot of layering pieces. Instead of bringing random items that only go with certain things, bring clothing that follows a similar colour scheme and can be worn in many different outfits.
The Contents
I highly doubt that you will ever be packing for an unknown trip like I tend to do for work. These tips can still help you though. How many times has the weather channel been wrong, or you get to your destination and its hotter or colder then what you expected? Be prepared for changes without sacrificing looking good and feeling good. Here are the staple items in my suitcase:
– A black blazer.
– A scarf that can also make use as a sarong if you find yourself on the beach or by a pool.
– A dress that can be worn in warm weather or can be paired with tights in the winter.
– Tights.
– A dark pair of jeans that can be used for casual or dressy occasions.
– White T-shirt.
– One pair of flats and one pair of heels.
– One neutral coloured purse.
– One pair of shorts. Don’t be afraid to even wear the shorts on top of the tights if it gets cold.
– Jewelry. Tons of it. It takes the least amount of space and can transform outfits.
– And my favourite. A bathing suit. No matter where you are headed pack one.
Each trip will vary and some items will be added or taken out. These essentials have saved me and made it so that I was always prepared for a city or occasion. You see, I may have started as an over-packer, but what I have learned now is just this. Stick to the basics and then sneak in some extras when no one is looking. Don’t judge, I said I was good but I’m no packing saint.