HOW TO BE A LIGHT PACKER
Being a woman who overpacks seems to be every girls battle before (going on) and during vacation. As a light packer, with two toddlers myself, light packing is necessary for my mental sanity during vacation. Besides, who doesn’t love to bring home some local souvenirs!
WHY BE A LIGHT PACKER:
- Avoid overweight charges (or even better, go for a carry-on).
- Leave space for souvenirs.
- Spend less time getting ready as options have been previously thought of.
BEGINNING TO PACK:
- Make a list of the days you’ll spend on vacation, including travel days. It is much better if you know beforehand the activities, tours, dinners, etc., you will be doing during your trip. If available, write those down. I recommend keeping a notebook in your nightstand, when you hit the bed, start writing.
- Check the weather of your destination for the time of your stay. I have “The Weather Channel” app on my phone.
- Brainstorm the things you need. Pinterest and Instagram are great apps that can provide some inspiration if you have no idea where to begin.
- Check your closet. Select some items you would like to take with you.
- Go shopping!
- As you start narrowing down your outfits, go back to your notes and write those down.
- Start Packing
GO SHOPPING
I want to be specific on this “go shopping” topic. If you don’t have a lot of spare time, I suggest going to your local store of preference and asking for help. At Moda Gallery, we know our customers, and if you are a new gal joining, we try our best to find the best items and style for your needs. Be specific as to the destination, travel duration and special activities on your trip. This will save you time and the shopping experience will be much more exciting. A good tip to keep in mind is to try to maintain the same color palette, this can help you mix and match last minute outfits unplanned for.
BACK TO THE NOTES
Once you’ve started your shopping, go back to the notes. Start writing down the outfits you would like to use on specific dates. Some days you can actually go the entire day with the same outfit! Make sure you identify those days. I usually make a AM and PM column after the day description. For days where a shower and a change of clothes is necessary, make sure to write it down on the PM side. Love those PM columns where “n/a” is written.
EXAMPLE
|
AM |
PM |
|
|
Day 1 |
Travel Day - 8 hr flight |
Arriving 9:00 al local time |
|
|
Denim, basic tee, Jacket and sneakers |
Maxi comfy dress, wear with sandals |
|
Day 2 |
Light stroll around Madrid |
|
|
|
Comfy denim or short and cool top. Wear with sneakers |
n/a |
|
Day 3 |
Bus tour to Toledo, includes dinner back in Madrid |
|
|
|
Pretty Skirt Set- wear with summer sandals |
n/a |
|
Day 4 |
El Retiro Park |
Dinner Reservation |
|
|
Prior Day Skirt and cool Tee- wear with sneakers |
Little black dress |
|
Day 5 |
Travel day – departure @ 11:00 am local time |
|
|
|
Comfy leggings and basic tee and sneakers |
n/a |
EXTRA CLOTHES
It is ok to have additional basic tops, shorts and a nice blouse. The reason is you can actually wear those with anything without putting much thought into it. I recommend this as we girls sometimes are not feeling up to the outfits we planned at the moment. It’s a good thing to keep another option if that moment comes during your trip. Yet, not everyday or you will remain in the over packer category.