(view from the top of Kennesaw Mountain)
If you’ve been following me for a while you already know this, but for our new readers: I’m a terribly anxious packer. I stress out about packing weeks in advance, always only use a carry-on roller bag (a VERY small one BTW), and one other carry on tote, and vow to take fewer toiletries next time. Over time, I’ve pared down a little bit, but it’s never quite enough. I am NOT a minimal packer.
This time, for example, I went to Atlanta for a week to stay with my mom and be there for my sister’s 40th birthday. It was going to be all family time, mostly at everyone’s respective homes, so I didn’t think I needed much, but as usual, took more than I needed/wore:
Underthings/workout wear
5-6 pairs of underwear
3 bras
SoLow workout cami (didn’t wear)
Gap Workout tank top
Lululemon long sleeve striped tunic top
SoLow leggings
c9 sweatpants
Tops
Everlane u-neck tee (didn’t wear)
James Perse Casual tee (didn’t wear)
James Perse slub crew neck tee
James Perse slub scoop tee (black)
James Perse henley (didn’t wear)
James Perse cowl neck tunic
James Perse long black tunic tank top
H&M sweater
James Perse sweatshirt (didn’t wear)
Splendid thermal long sleeve shirt
Two white Everlane ryan tank tops (didn’t wear)
T by Alexander Wang long sleeve pocket tee
Splendid thermal cardigan
Lululemon cashmere/cotton cardigan *wore on the plane
Bottoms
Frame Le Garcon jeans *wore on the plane on the way
James Perse leggings
Splendid long black dress
Shoes
Running shoes
Vince Blair haircalf sneakers
And since I got the two Everlane cashmere sweaters (tunic – vneck) delivered to my mom’s house, I shipped them back home – there was NO way they were going in either one of my bags. NO WAY.
Overall, there wasn’t much I didn’t wear, but I could have managed without a few things, especially since my mom let me borrow a jacket for wearing in the mornings on my hikes up Kennesaw. It was SO COLD in the mornings, which is why I brought so much workout stuff and extra layering pieces; I was deathly afraid of being cold (I always am…). But I wasn’t.
Honestly, if I didn’t have to pack for working out (including my running shoes, which are HUGE), I would have found it much easier to pack. But then again, even if I don’t have to bring extra workout gear, I do always have a hard time packing. I blame it on my emotional dressing.
This time, I ended up wearing my leggings and long tunics/sweaters most of the time. They were most comfortable for hanging out at home, and also appropriate for public events as I was always fully covered with a long cardigan or tunic top. I was happy with only bringing one other pair of shoes besides my running shoes, and like I mentioned before, I definitely cold have done without some of the other pieces I brought.
I don’t know what the answer is, really, because I’m terrible at making lists and sticking to them. I would desperately like to get better at packing and bringing ONLY the things I really need, but for now, I do think I figured out a few packing “mistakes” I made:
- Don’t take duplicates – like two Everlane ryan tanks, or the JP casual tee AND the Everlane scoop neck. One scoop neck tee and one crew neck tee is fine. Especially since I could do laundry.
- Mix & Match for outfits – this is one thing I usually do extremely well. It’s pretty easy in my wardrobe, because pretty much everything goes with everything anyway. But since I brought leggings and a maxi dress, I needed to be sure I had enough long tops/cardigans to wear with them, and those tend to not work as well with the jeans I brought. Usually I either pack jeans/pants type outfits, or leggings/skirts type outfits, and I should have stuck to one or the other for this trip as well. But again…my emotional dressing gets the best of me. What if I “feel” like wearing jeans one day? And I don’t have them with me?? panic mode….
- Pick a “style” for the trip and stick to it – Turns out, I didn’t really want to wear my jeans much (figures…), so I shouldn’t have brought them at all. For family trips like this, leggings were fine, but I thought I “should” bring a pair of jeans, or have a pair of jeans to wear. Just in case. In case of what? Emergency jeans only plans? No, just in case I wanted to wear jeans. But they weren’t necessary. In this case, I should have picked a style or silhouette for the trip and just stuck with it. If I wore jeans, every outfit should have been denim-oriented. After all, I could wear jeans everyday and it wouldn’t kill me. Same with leggings. It’s much easier to pack simply when you don’t have to manage multiple types of outfits like slouchy one day, fitted the next, etc., etc.,
Ultimately, none of this is worth worrying so much about, but I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t worry about what I’m going to wear, and having appropriate things for travel!! Ideally, this is what my minimal closet will provide for me: fewer items of clothing that mix & match easily for most occasions, are easy to travel with, and that I love. I don’t WANT to stress out so much about packing….
Again…live and learn, and it’s a process, but I’m getting there. I pack much lighter than I ever have before. It’s still not quite where I want it yet, but baby steps, right??
How do you pack for week-long trips to visit family? What are your secrets??
I’m guilty of aspirational packing every single time I go somewhere. Last time I went home for a week, I had this vision of myself dressing classy the whole time and I ended up wearing the same flannel shirt and jeans every day. Live and learn, I guess :).
oh! such a good way to put it 🙂 “aspirational packing”…that’s exactly what it is most of the time. i even notice that with the toiletries that i pack, thinking “oh! I might want to wear this shimmery eyeshadow everyday” – NOT.
I think you did great! I packed carryon for a long weekend (4 nights/5 days) visit to WI last weekend to visit my sister (it was easier for me than my husband!) We only had 32 minutes to change planes in DTW so we had to go carryon 🙂 I knew I could do laundry and it would be casual. If we went out (we did) it would not be fancy. I wanted layers (it was warm in NC and pretty cool a couple of nights in WI). I did laundry once (spillage….) and I still had 2 t-shirts I didn’t wear (and one scarf I did wear but I had to force myself – I could have lived without it quite easily). Ah well. Incremental improvements with each time I travel!
The things that you’ve learned are pretty valuable – I think that as long as we’re learning things from our mistakes, our mistakes are worthwhile! And you’re right, workout gear, especially shoes, is the killer. I wish someone would invent inflatable gym shoes…
I am a “bring everything” kinda gal. However, on a recent business trip where I was traveling with my manager (and I know she travels light), I didn’t want to embarrass myself by checking my luggage so I packed super light with mix/match outfits in basic black, white, grays. It worked and now I know I can do it 😉
Carry on is awesome!
Monica
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Eh, give yourself a break this time, you were 90% there. And I’d only be more concerned about overpacking if you had to schlep your bag through train stations and cities. All the stuff you brought was appropriate for your trip and could have been worn–its not like you packed sequin gowns for hanging around the house. 😉
I can’t say I’m a super-great packer, but if I take a few things I don’t wear, I try not to worry about it. If I focus on bringing the things that I really know are my favorites–i.e., the James Perse black knit shirt that is super-comfortable AND looks nice, my suede high top sneakers, my favorite (stretchy) jeans–and don’t bring the “aspirational” things (like blazers) then I do a lot better. So many times I find myself wearing pretty much the same thing every day on trips like this anyway.
Oh gosh, now I really want to pack a sequin dress the next time I go for a casual family weekend 🙂 But I agree with what you are saying!
I just returned from 4 days in southern California, also traveling with a carry-on only and purse. for some reason I took more clothes than I take to Europe. I was attending a function and needed an “outfit” but I am ashamed at what was crammed in my bag – 3 pair jeans (denim, white, gray), 1 pair black pants, 2 long sleeved t’s, 2 sweaters, 3 black sleeveless tops, 4 pair shoes (sneakers, wedge sandals for function, flat sandals, walking sandals), shorts, 2 camisoles, 2 hats, 4 pair underwear and one pair socks, raincoat (only for running between car and shuttle stop at airport). Plus a hairdryer, curling iron and a flat iron. Thank you for reminding me to write this down and re-read before packing next time. The worst part is, I am a minimalist at heart and have purged my closet down to essentials. I am not sure what happened.
I know it’s a total pain to do sometimes, but what about just planning each outfit every day?
Also, whenever I travel home, I have had enough experience doing it now that I know I pretty much wear the same outfit day in and day out. Lol–new underwear though! 🙂 For business travel, i just plan out every day’s outfit. For vacation travel, the strategy there is a little more nebulous and probably could be improved upon. Next time!
Oh yeah, a great suitcase really helps!
I’m a compulsive list maker! And I actually stick to my plan once I have it down on paper (or in my iPhone, as the case may be). I’ve also had fun playing around on Polyvore to make “sets” or capsule wardrobes of what I might want to pack to see how it all mixes/matches. When it comes to visiting my family in Wisconsin, it’s PURE comfort! But if Chicago is in the mix, I’m going to step up my game.
In looking at your list, it appears that you did great when it came to packing workout clothes, bottoms and shoes. So, if you think about it, tops are really the only thing you need to work on winnowing next time. (I’m reframing this as a success!) and since when does anything NOT go with jeans???
Amen to that!
When visiting family, whether it’s a weekend 2 hours driving away or a month overseas. I learned quickly to pack light as I ALWAYS end up wearing only a few outfits during the whole trip. My weekend trips are usually in the countryside at my mother in law’s home. There’s not much to do there and I pretty much stay inside the entire time. So I have like, 2 tops and one pair of pants. My overseas family trip is not that different even though my family lives in a cosmopolitan city. We go out for meals quite often but since I’m with my family, I don’t really need to look that polished. I will wear the same outfit for 2-3 days in a row. At home, hell, I’ll wear the same lounge wear for 3-4 days in a row.
The only trip I’ve taken the past 6 years besides family visits is to Morocco 2 x-mas’s ago. I lost my newly purchased, favourite cardigan during that trip, so I’ve also learned not to buy trip specific special clothes unless it’s really necessary and take anything that you love to a place where you will sleep at a different hotel every night. There will bound to be some days where you have to pack in a hurry and end up forgetting something you love:(
that’s a good point wendy…i have this weird thing where i want to bring/have something new every time i travel. it’s not so ‘bad” lately, but it used to be a problem!
i definitely wear the same things at home for 2-3 days, and do that when i visit family too, but i guess i consider being around “people” an opportunity to wear things i wouldn’t normally, you know? so i get kind of excited about it 😉
yes! tell me about it…
my husband bought some vibram barefoot shoes when he was traveling to asia a lot, since they’re much lighter weight and smush down well, but those don’t give enough support for me if i’m doing anything ‘serious.’ for city walking, etc., i can get away without a lot of support, or at least not my running shoes, but not if i’m doing any walking or hiking.
nice!! my kind of color palette 🙂
yay! baby steps…
no. no sequin gowns LOL but i do sometimes think i’d be comfortable hanging around in a skirt or dress, and usually i’m not…unless it’s summer, and it’s short…
my problem -if you can call it that – is that i look at travel as an opportunity to wear things i don’t normally, because i think they’re too “fancy” (like anything in my wardrobe is fancy!!). i save things for special occasions, or travel, and then try to stuff them all in my carry-on so i can wear them. ugh.
right – everything goes with jeans, but i’m not normally in the “mood” to wear jeans all the time. i don’t wear them all the time at home. i have times when i want to wear jeans a lot, but mostly it’s dresses/skirts or leggings/pants..
and you’re right about tops, i ALWAYS bring too many, because i worry about layering, and having the RIGHT tops to layer under the other RIGHT tops. you know? so complicated 🙂
i wish i was better at making lists and then following them. i guess that’s something i can practice…
oh i do that sometimes too! especially if i see i have “room” – i’ll add things at the last minute if there’s the tiniest hole in my suitcase 😉 if i look back though, those are the things i never end up wearing/needing. so i could probably benefit from list-making!!
Does anyone else have the “I’ve got to buy something on my trip” issue? It’s always in my mind that I have to get myself a new top or sweater, whether I go visit my family (Mom and I love to shop together!) or Chicago. I tell myself it’s a souvenir. 🙂
Joanna, I do a powerpoint for trips with my capsule on the first page and them clothing combos for each day (usually daytime/dinner too). It really does help a LOT. I started doing it for my husband, too, because he didn’t want to pack “light” because he doesn’t think it’s enough clothing. Seeing how things all go with each other and the layers used to create “comfortable” outfits has really helped!
The phrase comes from Tim Gunn! I read it here (http://sushi-cat.net/2012/04/13/packing-realistically/), and now I’m on the waiting list at the library for this book because I thought his packing advice was so brilliant :).
My tip for packing light when visiting family is to leave some basic stuff there, like pyjamas and slippers and running shoes. Saves a lot of space and weight and my family doesn’t mind storing my stuff when I’m not there.
laurel!!!!! i’ve missed your comments. and i kept thinking about your ‘packing math’ while i was packing and then doing this recap. obviously, i failed somewhat, but at least i thought about it 🙂
i wish i could leave running shoes there, but i can’t afford a second pair right now. and my feet are very specific. oh! but once these start to wear down and i’ll need to replace them soon, maybe i’ll take them and leave them at my mom’s. good idea!!!
i definitely leave toiletries there though.
brilliant. thanks for sharing that. going to see if they have it at my library right now!
I’m happy to be back! I took an unexpected hiatus from blogland due to an acute personal crisis, but I’m feeling a bit better now. Glad that my “packing math” is somewhat useful. I, too, leave toiletries at my parents’ (well, OK, it’s actually that my sister-in-law left behind some shampoo that I “borrow”). 🙂
oh laurel. i’m sorry. i love your packing math, even if i can’t always follow it!! 😉
I’m in need of a new suitcase, and I want a carry-on with swivel wheels and a nice long handle. What confounds me is, hard side or soft side?!? Any opinions?
i LOVE my heys hard side bag – it’s this exact one (it’s several years old…), but i don’t think it will last forever. it’s VERY lightweight, and easy to lift up into the overhead bin by myself (important!). and i love the flap for my laptop. it’s pretty small, and doesn’t expand at all, but i managed last time to get a week’s worth in using compression bags. i don’t think i’d want to go back to nylon, or “soft” side luggage, but you never know.
Thanks for the recommendation, Grechen. I worry about my precious toiletries with soft side bags. I think I could fit my stuff for a week.