My Travel Essentials + Packing Tips
With many of us traveling again, I want share some of my tried and true go to travel essentials and a few items on my list to purchase prior to my next trip. I went on my longest work trip since February of 2020 last week and while it was good to get back out there, packing for this trip was hard. I used to have my work trip packing down to a science and while I had fallen out of practice, I reverted back to a formula that has always worked. Sharing more about how I approach packing and preparing for work trips and vacations - there aren’t many personal trips happening right now, but hoping that changes this year.
Plan Ahead
Packing the night before has never worked for me. I need to plan my outfits, make sure everything is already dry-cleaned and ready to go. I also want to minimize the decision fatigue while I’m away so I make sure everything is planned out to avoid overpacking. I always check the weather, I make sure to pack one extra outfit in the off chance I’m delayed by a day and I minimize all the extras. This packing guide by Amelia Styles is also a great resource. Practical and yet elevated, which is what I love about it.
Pack by Color
The best and easiest tip is to pick a color palette and bring items that fall into a capsule wardrobe. It makes it easy to mix and match, it allows for some versatility and it reduces the chance you will over pack. My go to color palette is a black, white, camel, beige and navy blue - all the basics.
The Essentials
The travel essentials for me consist of a good suitcase, packing cubes and anything that will keep things organized, compact and easy to use. It’s a short list, but having the right gear is important and will make traveling that much easier.
This suitcase has been a go-to of mine for almost 10 years and it’s one of the best (affordable) investments I’ve made. It’s compact, navigates easy, it can hold a lot given the size. The battery charge has come in handy when I’ve been delayed with no access to a charging resource and it’s really saved me a few times.
Packing cubes are a must. I wasn’t convinced and tested them on my last trip and now I’m sold. They made a huge difference in the amount of stuff I could fit. It also forced me to sort the items and it made unpacking and repacking seem so much easier.
This cosmetic case duo is the best. I’ve had my set for almost 10 year and it’s still going strong. Probably my second best investment. It’s good for short and long trips, fits everything I could possibly need and the quality, style and size are perfect.
I also travel with a tote to carry my laptop and work essentials and I always have a cross-body so that I have options while traveling as there are usually dinners and events where I won’t need or want a large tote. If you are looking to invest a new tote for compact leather cases to keep your tote organized, Cuyana makes it simple to shop their line by showing you exactly the pieces that will work well together for weekend getaways to work trips.
Travel Looks
For day of travel, I keep to a consistent look that is pulled together, yet comfortable and I have a couple of favorite brands and items that are perfect. Varley and Vuori are two of my favorite athletic brands right now. They have elevated pieces that are great for travel. The Vine Pullover and Performance Joggers are great wardrobe staples and they can also be mixed and matched with other looks. And, I always also always travel with a light coat or jacket and comfortable sneakers.
Prior to My Next Trip
Depending on timing and the length of my next trip, I want to register for a local workout class. A few colleagues did that on a recent trip and its the perfect way to be held accountable to carving out the time to workout. I want this to keep all my cords and chargers organized and I’m thinking of swapping out my laptop case for something smaller with this envelope style sleeve. This is a must since not all planes have the built-in holders. I also need to stock up on this jet lag mask which really helps my skin.