How to Pack Light for a Long Vacation

With the current bag restrictions on airplanes, it’s time to evaluate your packing habits. This winter I took a 23-day trip to Australia and New Zealand that included a 16-day cruise. I felt great about my appearance and was never too hot or too cold in my clothing. Planning is critical to keeping your luggage under weight.

1. Buy Light Weight Luggage: The last four years I have been using the LIGHTEST weight luggage in the world and love it: IT Luggage    World’s Lightest IT-0-1 at www.suitcase.com. I checked the 27” bag, rolled on the 22” suitcase and carried a nylon tote with a small cross-shoulder bag inside it.

2. Check the Weather: Check the 10-day weather forecast in your   destination cities by visiting www.weather.com. We had 106 degrees in Melbourne and 39 degrees in Milford Sound.

3. Create a Chart of Activities: Fill in the outfits for day and night event. We played golf, hiked, toured cities and countryside, dressed up for every evening including two Black Tie Nights. It was a challenge.

4. Select Your Color Scheme: The colors need to mix and match to make numerous outfits. I selected chocolate brown as my neutral and added accents of coral and aqua/teal. To know your best neutral and accent colors schedule a color analysis.

 5. Take Travel-Friendly Clothes: Wrinkle-free, thin fabrics and comfortable clothing are a must! I took several of the tech fabric tops and half-zip jackets. Avoid clothes that are high-maintenance.

 6. Light Weight Shoes: Shoes can be heavy so pick them wisely by using only one neutral color. I chose brown as my neutral color.

7. Accessories Are Small: Take shawls/scarves, earrings, bracelets and necklaces. Do not take heavy or “good” jewelry.

 8. Make a List: Clothing and toiletries should be on the list for each bag. Check everything off as you pack them. So what’s a bonus to this system? You can readily file a claim with the airline should your bag go missing.

9. Leave Room in Your Bag: If you like to purchase items on your trip you will have space to bring them home.

10. Carry Your Makeup and Meds: Always keep your makeup, travel size skin care, glasses, contacts, meds, etc. with you. We have a fabulous magnetic makeup case to consolidate your makeup so that it fits easily in your handbag.

11. Roll–on-Bag: Take enough clothes to last the entire trip if your checked bag does not arrive. I took 2 pairs of shoes, nightwear, 2 underwear and socks, jeans, dressy top, day tops, fleece and windbreaker in my roll-on-bag.

12. Finally, Plan Ahead:  Give yourself plenty of time to pack. Rushing leads to over packing or forgotten items. I started the week before the trip pulling my clothes and making outfits to insure that they all integrated well. I did the same for my husband’s packing. Do you need some help planning your travel wardrobe? Make an appointment with us to select everything and show you how to efficiently pack your suitcase.

My list contained 38 total items of clothes and 19 accessories.  Planning is critical to keeping your luggage under weight. There’s an old Aboriginal saying that goes, “The more you know, the less you need.” With that in mind, let’s apply this concept to packing for any trip that takes you away from your closet for days on end. Following is my list:

• 1 evening dress
• 6 jackets/cardigans: (windbreaker, fleece, dinner jacket, and 3 cardigans)
• 22 tops:(2 athletic half-zip tops, 1 fleece top, 6 solid day tops, 4 printed day tops, and 9 dinner tops)
• 2 pairs of jeans (blue and brown)
• 3 pair of pants
• 1 shorts
• 1 Capri
• 1 swimsuit
• 1 summer sleepwear (will wear exercise pants and fleece for cold weather)
• 2 shawls
• 6 pair of shoes: 1 walking shoe, 1 hiking shoe, 1 tennis shoe, I sandal, 1 low pump, 1 evening shoe.
• 4 necklaces, 4 earrings, and 3 bracelets