24 Aug 2008

It seems like every one dreads it— packing.  You’ve only got so much space and you need a variety of outfits for all the places you’ll go.

I’m gearing up for two big weeks of travel (Los Angeles for pleasure, Hong Kong for business) and here’s how I’m organizing for my first trip.

1. Get out a pencil and paper and write out each day you’ll be away (including travel days) and how many occasions you need to dress for. 

EXAMPLE: FRIDAY

OUTFIT 1 - travel (boyfriend jeans, sandals, caftan, hat)

OUTFIT 1 (change into shorts) - brunch - beach- shopping

OUTFIT 2 (dress and heels) - dinner/out

2. Identify specific outfits you MUST have.  Set aside room in your luggage for those items.

EXAMPLE: rehearsal dinner, business suit

3. With everything else- start overlapping pieces.  Shoes, jeans, sweaters and any other heavy/bulky items should be worn twice

4. Spice everything up by packing loads of light weight items, such as colorful scarves, camis and tights. 

5. Lay it all out. On your floor, so you can see EVERYTHING.

6. Try it all on.  I know, I know it sounds horrible, but it really is a good idea to test run to see if you are missing anything. Now is a good chance to pack along the right undergarments, socks and jewelry for your trip.

Bon Voyage!!

above photo courtesy of GeishaBoy500