One thing that I have always loved is traveling. I started at such a young age with my family and have continued with Austin, since we got married. However, the one thing I have always dreaded is the packing part! Don’t get me wrong, I am one of those crazy OCD, color-coordinated, planner types, yet I still get stressed out thinking about having to pack. With as much as we travel, I figured I would share a few items and tips that have worked well for me after all these years. Whether we are going on a weekend road trip or heading to another country for a week, these are a few things that have helped ease the process, and I hope you benefit from it as well.
Plan & Prep: The first thing I typically do when beginning the packing process is figure out what our schedule will be during our trip. Depending on the length of the trip, I may or may not actually write down the schedule. This way I have a visual or mental picture of what all I will need. From there, I usually start jotting down notes on my phone of what I will need to pack. Once I have a decent list, I actually start laying out outfits for each day based on what we will be doing (and a few extras to have options, of course!). I literally think through every day like I would be getting dressed at home, including under garments, jewelry, hair tools, make up, perfume, etc.
Organizing Your Suitcase: Once I feel like I have mostly everything prepared, I will begin adding it to my suitcase. This past Christmas, I got this gorgeous new white Luggage Set which has so many compartments and removable pouches that you can use for underwear, socks, hats, or even dirty clothes on the way home. Although my luggage came with tons of packing pouches, I also got these Packing Cubes to use inside of my suitcase. These are a game changer for me! I literally roll up every pieces of clothing (by category) and feel like I fit so much more into my suitcase AND in an organized fashion.
Toiletries and Jewelry: When it comes to organizing my jewelry, I will lay out the pieces that I plan to wear with each outfit before I put my outfits in the suitcase. I usually throw a few extra accessories in just in case. For shorter trips, I typically will use my Jewelry Box to organize my jewelry. This works SO well to keep each piece separated, layered, and prevent tangling thanks to all of the small compartments inside. This can definitely be used for longer trips as well, but if I end up packing a lot of accessories, then I will use my Toiletry Hanging Bag. This bag contains a few different size zipper pouches for whatever size items you need to pack. My favorite is the big pouch at the bottom for all my statements necklaces or bulky items. This is also a perfect toiletry bag. The best part is it hangs, so once you are to your destination, just hang it in the bathroom and you won’t take up counter space during your trip! The last and most recent purchase for my trips was this amazing Beauty Train Case. This is even bigger and better in person than shown online. I have used this for bigger items like shampoo, conditioner, face wash, dry shampoo, and hair spray. The separating piece in the middle helps keep you organized as well as the many zipper pockets in the inside for smaller items. This is a must! (I’ve linked a few more of my favorite go-to travel toiletries below as well.)
For your trips: There are always a few items that I typically bring no matter where I am traveling. The first one is my Engravable Getaway Bag! No joke when I say this is my most used and probably best bag I’ve ever owned. (I have it in at least 3 patterns). The best part about this bag is the versatility. Raise your hand if you always come back home from trips with more stuff? Happens every time! This bag actually expands for that purpose. It fits under the airplane seat or in the overhead and can be tossed right over your suitcase while rolling through the airport. It also works perfect as a beach bag or tote during your trip, so you don’t have to pack an extra bag. The second must-have essential in my suitcase is my Steamer. Nothing’s worse than finding your clothes super wrinkly when you arrive at your destination. This steamer has been a life saver for my trips. It is super light-weight, making it easy to throw into your suitcase, and takes less than a minute to heat up to steam your dress before dinner. Another favorite that I can’t travel (or live) without are my Tory Burch Miller Sandals. Believe me when I say, WORTH THE MONEY! I have worn these so much. They are super comfortable for walking through the airport, walking around town, and even on the beach. They also are adorable and can be dressed up for a nice dinner. Even when I pack other sandals, I usually end up wearing my Tory’s the whole trip anyways.
Hopefully a few of these tips and favorites help ease your stress when it comes time for your next trip, whether it is near or far, so that you can enjoy every moment of your adventure!
xoxo, Watson
