The Guide to Packing Light
I'm allergic to the domestic baggage carousel
I have a confession: making a packing list is one of my favorite parts of traveling.
I was very lucky to have spent a lot of my 20’s traveling, but my trips these days are few and far between. I appreciate these experiences more than ever, and their infrequency has given me time to really consider how I can maximize what I get out of travel. This reflection has revealed what it is about packing lists that I love so much: the daydreaming. A trip isn’t just something you experience on the days you’re away from home. There’s the trip itself, but there’s also the anticipation before and the memories after. A good vacation may only last a few days, but weeks (or even months) of excitement can be squeezed out of those days if you’re in the right mindset. Instead of dreading my work days leading up to leaving, I just open up my packing list, and it’s like that little part of my brain is already on vacation.
If I’m flying domestically, I’m packing a carry-on, a backpack, and a large purse. For me, check-in luggage is only reserved for international travel that involves weeks of outfits, little opportunity for laundry, and lots of shopping and souvenirs.
I just arrived in California yesterday to spend a week in Palm Springs and Santa Barbara. This trip will include everything from pool hangs and nice dinners to thrift stores and couch lounging at my bestie’s house, with weather from the 70’s to the 40’s. Half of this trip is a bachelorette weekend, so my luggage includes specific themed outfits, a pink wig, and two vintage pieces I’m lending the bride. I’m actually so confident in my packing abilities that I even volunteered to bring a giant tulle dress for a friend to borrow from another friend. That’s at least ⅓ of my bag gone without any of my own clothes! So… lots of looks, a range of temperatures and activities, no checked bags.
Here’s how I do it!
Tip #1: Start with Shoes & Coats
These pieces take up the most space, so I always build my outfits around a limited selection of layers and shoes. I try to limit myself to three pairs of shoes, with rare exceptions. This means wearing one pair, packing two. Shoes can be so bulky, especially if you have big feet (or wear big shoes), so sticking to this rule immediately saves a lot of room.
Unless you’re headed somewhere tropical, choosing good outerwear is essential. I choose one heavier coat or jacket that matches as many of my outfits as possible, and supplement with a few lighter layers. For this trip, I brought two cardigans, a medium weight button down shirt, and a long leather jacket. This gives me enough options that I can mix and match my layers while staying comfortable in different temperatures.
Tip #2: Your Airport Outfit is Not a Throwaway
Your travel fit should serve two very important functions: comfort, and wearing all of your biggest items.
My chunkiest pair of shoes is always my airport footwear - if they aren’t comfortable enough to travel in, they don’t make sense for me to bring. I like to walk. Next up are my heaviest bottoms, usually a pair of jeans or knit pants. Just wear the most space-consuming thing you definitely don’t want to travel without, whatever that looks like for you: sweatpants, wool trousers, maybe a dress.
Your airport outfit should have lots of layers. A little inconvenient going through security, sure, but worth it for the saved space. My standard airplane layers are jeans, a t-shirt, my chunkiest knit, and my jacket. I don’t usually wear a bra, but if I want to bring one, I’m wearing it on the plane. This means these pieces aren’t taking up room in my suitcase, and I’m able to add or remove pieces to account for freezing cold airplanes or (god forbid) a sweaty sprint to my gate.
Tip #3: Sort, Stuff, and Roll
I don’t know if there’s proof, but rolling your clothes is definitely the superior packing method. I’m convinced it takes up less space. Another huge plus - folding almost guarantees big creases and lines, while smooth, tight rolls actually keep your pieces from getting wrinkly.
I use one small packing cube to keep my smalls and delicates corralled - underwear, swimsuits, tiny tops, tights, etc. Anything prone to snagging (mesh, lace) goes in the cube as well. The cube itself might take up a tiny bit of extra space, but staying organized is key to cramming as much as possible into your bag without losing your mind when you’re unpacking/repacking at your destination.
I don’t put socks in the packing cube because I use them to fill in gaps. Most shoes can be stuffed with 2-4 pairs of socks, an evening bag or clutch could fit 1-2 pairs, and I often find little nooks near the wheel wells where the inside of the suitcase isn’t perfectly angular. Not only are you filling up space that would be empty otherwise (that’s precious real estate in the toes of your sneakers!), but you can prevent your pieces from being smashed and misshapen. I specifically use socks because I’m not concerned with them getting wrinkled or smushing against my shoes, but you could also use tights, soft bras, swimwear, tiny tops, or any other small, soft garment.
I’ve had the same black packing cubes for years now, but if I were to buy new ones now I’d probably go for something cute like these or these from Baggu.
Tip #4: Don’t Skimp on Accessories
Accessories should be your travel BFFs. Most of them take up little space, while providing big outfit impact. They can be worn repeatedly and with a variety of outfits, and are one of the best ways to dress up (or down!) the same looks without packing more clothes.
Some accessories to consider, besides jewelry:
Colorful socks and tights. Popular for a reason in the 60’s, 70’s, and today. An easy way to add color, texture, and warmth.
Some examples of excellently styled tights & socks Hair accessories like pins, headbands, ribbons, and clips. These tend to be really small, but can go a long way in making you feel styled. Also good for hiding wonky travel hair.
Satin scarves are something I almost always travel with. I’ll be dedicating an entire letter just to silk scarves at some point because they’re just that versatile.
I’m very into purses, so I almost always pack an extra. Small evening bags, clutches, and light totes don’t take up much space, but often add a perfect finishing touch.
More ideas: gloves, sunglasses, belts, hats, brooches.
Some examples of great accessorizing. Look #2 shows how you could wear a sweater as a scarf
When you’re choosing your travel accessories, focus on the pieces you already know you really like. Unless you’re always adventurous with fashion, a trip is actually not the best time to experiment. Packing pieces that are outside of your comfort zone is how you end up filling up your suitcase with things you won’t wear, or things you feel uncomfortable or less confident in.
Tip #5: Sharing & Samples
Even after you’ve decanted most of your liquids into little TSA-friendly bottles, your toiletries can still take up a surprising amount of your suitcase. If you’re traveling with/to friends or family, ask about things like curling irons, hair spray, sunscreen, shampoo, etc. Unless you’re very particular, there’s a good chance you can share certain things and save some space. Same goes for clothes and accessories!
I love traveling with perfume samples. Many fragrance shops or counters give them away for free, while some niche perfumers offer them for sale online for the fraction of the price of a full sized bottle. I often travel with fragrances that are outside of my usual scents - there’s just something about a vacation-only smell. You get to leave the bulky and fragile full-sized bottle at home, and the smell will always transport you back to your trip.
Tip #6: Make Your Clothing Multitask
Consider ways that your pieces can be worn in less obvious ways. A few of my go-tos:
Dresses and jumpsuits can also be styled as tops or bottoms. A t-shirt or blouse over a sleeveless dress turns it into a skirt, a sweater over a jumpsuit looks like pants, layering a long skirt over a fitted mini dress makes the dress look like a top.
Anything that buttons up can be worn open, fully buttoned, half buttoned, tucked in, or maybe even backwards. Cardigans, blouses, and button front dresses can all act as tops, light jackets, or dusters. One of my most worn pieces is a classic striped Ralph Lauren Yarmouth oxford shirt. It’s so comfortable, it matches with practically everything, and the weight makes it perfect on its own or as a layer. I thrifted mine for $8 - there are tons online for cheap like this one on Ebay.
Four different looks with button down shirts. And yes, that's the same Malia Obama outfit from my last letter again, not sorry. The white shirt is clearly styled over a dress, Malia's skirt could be a dress as well. Looks 1 & 4 could be made using the same exact top & jeans! Pieces like tights, slips, and bike shorts can be used to add warmth without visibly changing your look. Outer layers are the more obvious choice, but sometimes you just needed tights under your jeans.
I like to travel with pieces that can easily be dressed up or down just using accessories and layers. Dresses can be made more casual with relaxed footwear and informal fabrics like denim, canvas or knits. The same dress would also be appropriate for a nice dinner with sleeker shoes, jewelry, lipstick, etc.
A few examples of dresses styled more casually. Easy to envision all of these styled for evenings or events!
Tip #7: Plan Your Outfits
Winging it is how you end up lugging around random things you don’t end up wearing. You may not want to hear it, but planning out your outfits in advance is one of the biggest keys to packing light. Not only do I create a packing list of every item I’m bringing, but I also create a separate list outlining my outfit ideas. For me, packing smart means everything gets worn, ideally multiple times. I obviously can’t plan for everything, so there needs to be flexibility. For a six day trip, I should be able to create at least eight or nine different outfits that I actually like and want to wear.
No matter how well I plan, I can’t anticipate every single variable! The pieces I bring should cover unexpected events, surprise weather conditions, and random mishaps like spills or stains. Aside from any special occasion wear, I typically don’t pack anything that doesn’t match multiple other pieces I have in my suitcase. On this trip, I have one outfit (top + pants + wig lol) that I don’t plan on wearing again. Every other piece is incorporated into multiple looks, and should get worn at least twice, if not more.
Writing this letter actually helped me pack even lighter than usual, which didn’t even feel possible. I was able to skip my backpack for this trip! I felt so free at the airport with my little carry on and a normal sized purse. The pieces I brought to lend friends will free up space in my bag for any new pieces I might find thrifting while I’m here.
I’m trying my best to document all of my outfits throughout this trip for another letter! I’d like to share exactly what I packed and how I wore it, so you can see all of this advice in action. I’m not good at getting photos of myself, but I’m determined to make it happen for you. See you soon!