Packing Essentials + Tips by Kelley Louise
As a female traveler, I have two main goals when packing my suitcase: 1) bring as many things (okay, it’s usually outfits) as I need to feel adequately prepared and 2) pack as lightly as possible so I can actually lift my suitcase and not rely on my male travel partners for any help. These two ideals basically mean juggling my two tendencies to be completely high maintenance and simultaneously low-key.
So what do I do? First off, my goal is to never ever (ever) check a bag. You just don’t need to. Typically, for a 2-4 day trip, I’ll pack a backpack. For anything longer (even if it’s 2+ months), I’ll pack a backpack + a carry-on suitcase. Here’s my gear for my two-week trip to Brazil:
1: Outfits
I mix and match all of my clothes, making sure I have dresses I can also match with combat boots if needed, tops that I can alternate with different shorts/jeans/etc… My main rule is that if I don’t plan on wearing it more than once, I won’t pack it. The only exception to this is that I always pack one outfit to save for the end because I want a completely clean outfit to wear on the plane ride home.
2: Products
My rule is to never bring more make-up than fits in a single pouch (mascara, foundation, chapstick, done). I’m a hairstylist, so I refuse to use low-quality products even while on vacation. I put my preferred shampoo/conditioner into smaller sized bottles and, to save some space with my hair products, I mix them all into one container and create a little cocktail for exactly what I need on that trip. For Brazil, I mixed a leave-in conditioner with an anti-humidity + sun/heat protectant.
3: Techie/entertainment
This is the hardest for me! I’ve definitely turned into one of those people who wants to pack more camera gear than everything else combined. I try to keep it at a minimum: DSLR, tripod, mic kit, hard drive… But even that starts to take up space (and quickly)!
Entertainment-wise, my headphones always go straight into an easy-to-access pocket and to cut down on the things I need to bring to cure boredom on the plane, I only bring digital copies. That means no books or DVDs (magazines get a maybe since you can always gift them once you’re done). One of my favorite apps and a must-have for traveling is Oyster, which is pretty much like Netflix for books. Just remember to “download” a book before you put your phone/iPad onto airplane mode because you need WiFi to store it.
What are your packing essentials? What can’t you go without?
