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| Me dressed and ready for dinner (last weekend's trip to Melbourne) |
Packing Checklist
I’ve created a packing checklist which I rely on to jog my memory whenever I’m packing. I don’t necessarily pack every item on the list every time we travel but at least it’s a good prompter. The family ask for the list whenever they’re travelling because it works for them too.
Suitcases
We recently invested in hard-shell lightweight suitcases for our overseas trip. They have TSA fixed combination locks and are ideal because you don’t require separate locks (i.e. the locks are part of the case). They have four wheels on the bottom, an extension handle and roll like a dream. For shorter trips I love to take a canvas suitcase which moulds to the shape and size of the packed items. That case is best for fitting into the boot/trunk of a car or when luggage space is limited.
A battery operated digital hand scale purchased from Kathmandu was also invaluable and we never worried about having our bags over-weight.
Packing Cells
I was inspired by Ingrid Nilsen, a US YouTuber, who did a video on packing for a trip which included packing cells and how to put together coordinated outfits. Here’s a link to that video. Skip through to 8 minutes 30 in that video and you'll see the part on packing cubes. I picked up a number of packing cells from Kathmandu and Howard’s Storage World. They are superb. They were on special for 3 for $30. Full price can be about $25 each.
I got them in a variety of colours and sizes and pack different items of my wardrobe and gear into the cells. They keep my bag organised, making it very easy to lay my hands on whatever I need.
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| All my gear laid out read to be packed |
I’m converted to having an organised suitcase and would highly recommend these packing cells.
I won’t travel, even on a short trip, without them. I have to say that the suitcase even looks appealing with those packing cells and toiletry bags.
Travel wardrobe
Travelling which includes extreme climatic changes is always challenging. Our recent trip to the US was a good example of that with 39°C/102°F in Washington DC to 9°C/48°F in Banff. But the packing cells meant I was able to keep my packed summer clothes and heavier/warmer clothes separate. Before I travelled I worked out what I wanted to wear i.e. shorts and tops, a couple of dresses, jeans, cardigan and a jacket. I then chose items that would mix and match. Here are some lay outs I did for last weekend's trip to Melbourne.
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| Day 1 - chilly in Melbourne 19 degrees |
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| Day 2 - warm in Melbourne 24 degrees |
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| Day 2 - Date night dinner out in Melbourne |
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| Day 3 - hot in Melbourne 31 degrees |
For the US/Canada trip I picked mostly black, white, denim and yellow and found that I could mix and match those items and get a variety of looks for the smallest number of packed items possible. It’s a must to ensure there is room in the suitcase for shopping and souvenirs!!!
Stylebook app
Within the Stylebook app (mentioned previously in my Work Wardrobe post) you can plan and save multiple travel wardrobes from the looks and clothing you have already recorded. From the app you can tell exactly which items need to be packed and how many items you will be taking with you.
All of this has made the job of packing a whole lot easier and there’s less chance of getting to your destination and realising you forgot your toothbrush. There's also little chance of taking something unnecessary, because that item’s taking up potential shopping space!
Packing skincare and makeup
I’m always worried about travelling and missing a key skincare and makeup item. That would be a disaster for me! To get around that problem I pack those items a couple of days before and do a run through with what I’ve packed to ensure nothing has been forgotten. It's easy and it works.
Same goes for makeup and brushes. I'll do an application of makeup with what I’ve packed to see if I've missed anything.
Until next time xx
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