My All-Time Greatest Packing Tip

Great tip. Packing outfits works so well when the weather is consistent. The tricky part is when the destination changes everything, like high altitude. Last time I went to Tibet, they helped me put together a proper final packing list, and I still would have missed things without it. https://www.greattibettour.com/tibet-travel-tips/what-to-pack-for-mt-kailash-trekking-tour.html

I used to use fashion apps, but a lot of them went away, sooooo I now have a PowerPoint with a slide (or 2) for most of my wardrobe pieces (e.g. a page for shorts) including shoes and accessories. When I buy something new I add it. Then when I’m thinking about a trip, I’ll copy over what I think I want to take into a PPT labeled for that trip, and start editing. You can drag tops and bottoms together (like paper dolls!), and even use the Soduko method with this. I save each trip, and take a printout of the slide with me, and after so many trip slides, you can just choose to edit an existing one with new/other items, or start from scratch from your Wardrobe PPT.

I read somewhere that for some of us freaks (lol) planning a vacation is just as much fun as the vacation itself – and I get a bizarre amount of pleasure planning outfits to match my vacation itinerary. It’s like a little low-stakes mental puzzle that scratches my brain in just the right way. (Sidenote: I am nowhere near this organized in my day-to-day life, haha!).

I dunno about this one, sounds like a bum tip. Everything in my suitcase has to go with everything else, period – I am rewearing every pair of pants recombined with every shirt, packing outfits would only work for a four day trip. Really. We travel carry-on-only to Europe for six weeks every year hopping between relatives. Ten pairs of underwear, three socks, everything else reworn remixed rematched – like four tops, three pants, one dress, two shoes.

I save my ratty underwear for travel and then just take it off and throw it in the trash.

I have already added a few comments here or there but wanted to add one more tip that helps me prepare for any weather. My family of 6 usually travel carryon unless it’s a ski trip. To pack so light, I usually only bring one sweater, 1 rain jacket that can be used for rain or to keep warm, and 1 down jacket. The down jacket and rain jacket are packable in their own pockets which mean they are so much easier to pack and just keep in a corner of my suitcase ready if I need them. I got mine and my kids’ packable rain & down jackets from Lands End. They come in so handy when the weather changes unexpectedly!

Huge admiration for the capsule wardrobe/4-3-2-1/colour palette/fully outfit packers. this is an art and a skill! Eventually i gave up on all of them and now i just pack my top favourite clothes everywhere i go. at home I wear the same black sundress all summer long and the same black overalls all winter long. Vacation me is going to want to do the same thing so now that’s all I pack.

Coming home from a trip, my husband & i have now designated a dirty clothes suitcase & a clean clothes suitcase. When we get home, we can start dumping everything into the wash & don’t have to worry about our still-clean clothes being touched by our dirty clothes 😊

Packing, even for short or close-by trips, is one of the times my ADHD really shines. As in, I spend a week hemming and hawing and washing and sorting and still end up with the wrong stuff. A couple years ago I drove to Calistoga for a few days and, when I got there, realized I had forgotten my toothbrush, any type of lotion, and anything to wear on my nether regions…no jeans, no pants, no shorts, and no underwear. Sigh.

I also feel like no one thinks about the fact that it’s okay to RE-WEAR AN OUTFIT! Even if your family/friends sees it on you two days in a row! I just went to Montreal with a friend and only brought a couple of dresses. I re-wore one that I love multiple times out to dinner. Who cares? It’s beautiful every single time!

I have been using the Sudoku method (3x3x3) this past summer with just a carryon. Not sure where this method originated, but roughly it’s 3 tops, 3 bottoms, and 3 layers — all of them need to be able to coordinate with each other so it gives you about 27 outfit combos mixed and matched! It has made it easeful, though you would prob need easy access to washing depend on how long the trip is (or just pack a few more light tops)! Plus, shoes and a nice dress. And accessories go a long way to zhuzh up an outfit!

Game changer for trips with kids: use hanging shoe storage for their clothes / outfits. Either roll each outfit up and store it in the shoe compartment or have a row for each item of clothing (better for bigger kids). Hang it on the door and they can get themselves together! (Thanks to Pelo Family for that tip!) Stuff the dirty clothes into the bottom of the storage or packing cubes (bonus points if it’s by load) so when you get home it’s easy to throw in the laundry :)

Everyone has their own packing style, but my greatest hack is I keep running packing lists in a note on my phone. They’re headlined like “LA/Spring break” or “Summer/Rocky Mountains” or “Winter/Santa Fe” and I edit the lists after the trip to remove things I ended up not actually needing. I can then refer to the lists for trips to similar climates without having to think too much. And each list is designed to work for my preferred carry-on-only packing style, so I don’t pack whole outfits and instead count on things that can be mixed and matched and which are lightweight and wrinkle free like Tencel chambray shirts or Uniqlo merino sweaters.

Does anyone else have bittersweet memories of a backpacking trip (probably through Europe) in their 20’s? Yes, I didn’t have to drag a suitcase along cobblestone streets, but I also couldn’t find anything I needed. I remember taking everything out to find the jeans I needed, then proceeding to stuff everything back in. Rinse and repeat.

I also pack outfits, not clothes – it works! And as a 45-year-old woman in medically-induced menopause, I’ve made a new adjustment to this approach: a bloaty-feeling version and a non-bloaty-feeling version of the same outfit. Who needs ya, estrogen!

I have travelled extensively for life and work and became a pro-packer. Many of the tips here are great, I would just add “always pack a swimsuit, flip-flops, a cap and a lightweight-thin towel”. You never know: sometimes there is a really great indoor pool at the hotel. Sometimes, you will have the time to hit a trail and dive into a beautiful lake. Sometimes you have a city trip, but there’s a great beach only 1 hour away by train. I have never regretted bringing this pack and not using it, but I still remember the days I didn’t and missed one incredible dive in Carmel.

I’m both a capsule wardrober and travel one bag so I think more about clothes than the average bear, most of my stuff matches and I rewear a lot so maybe things are easier for me to start with, but I love the app Indyx to help pack. You take photos of all your clothes and you can make outfits. It has a tick function for what you’ve already packed, and you can save capsules, like summer weekend trip so you can reuse (love doing stuff for future me!)

I don’t remember where I hear these (very likely on this site) but two things I tell my tween daughter when she has packing anxiety 1. You can think of a lot of scenarios to want additional items but try asking “if I don’t pack this, will I need it?” As a way to pare down And 2. Everywhere we are going, people live there. (As in, it’s okay if we miss something, we can more than likely find a replacement)

Just got back from a trip to Yellowstone National Park and I left with a padded Trader Joe’s cooler bag in my carry-on. While on the trip we used it for grocery shopping, car snacks, picnic days, and even for drinks when we went on a river float. Then coming home I had the option to check my suitcase and take the cooler bag as a carryon for souvenirs OR I could fit the souvenirs in my carry-on since there was extra room from taking out the cooler. The cooler back cost about $8 so we didn’t mind leaving it behind. (We ended buying very little and not needing it, BUT my mother in law got some bulky/fragile stuff and flew home with it instead!)

Ahem.. My proudest moment (in life, not just in packing) was when I did an 18 day trip from my home in Canada to England (visiting friends) and then Bangladesh (very businessy business) WITH ONLY CARRY-ON! I brag about this anytime someone says “luggage” which is why no one says it around me anymore. Thank you for giving me this obnoxious opportunity.

I recently went on a trip to Portugal with my 5-year old. I knew traveling internationally with her would take up a lot of my energy, so I took this approach for the first time ever: I spent one hour before we left trying on outfits, putting them together in piles on my bed, and taking photos of each outfit so I remembered what went together. It made me so happy once we were there to not think about clothing at alllllll and just reference the photos. It felt kinda nuts in the moment, but also 10/10 would recommend and do again.

I HIGHLY recommend a packing list – ideally one where you can check items on and off the list based on what kind of trip it is. So you can see all the items you’ve packed before and click the items onto the list that apply. Summer trip – yes sunscreen, no winter jackets. I use the app Microsoft To-Do.

It took me a ridiculously long time to think of this, but I keep a Google spreadsheet packing list. Every time we go somewhere, I adjust it slightly as needed based on the season/occasion/activities, but I’m not starting from zero every time. And I no longer forget to pack a phone charger or the white noise machine because IT’S ALL ON THE LIST.

My mom taught me to tightly roll my clothes to save space. I traveled to Spain over Thanksgiving with a carry on and wished I could use little vacuum bags to compress everything down. Does that exist?? Has anyone tried it? What I super struggle with is long camping trips. You want clean clothes every day and every night, but ultimately you’re sticky and don’t want to shimmy out of your clothes inside your little tent, so you just keep on what you have for days and days and come home with a bag full of unworn clothing.

A lot of cheap flights in Europe have zero luggage allowance (you can add a carry-on for like £50). So I’m spending three nights in Sicily in October with a small backpack. Planning to wear several layers on the London-Catania leg, and on the return flight (with a different airline) I’m allowed a carry-on, so won’t have to swelter for my last day in Sicily! I use the 5-4-3-2-1 method when packing light. 5 x socks and underwear, 4 x tops, 3 x bottoms, 2 x shoes, 1 x bag/hat/extra accessory. This will see you through a five-night trip, so I’ll trim it down for three nights.

Just got back from a trip to the UK which required packing for Scotland (possibly chilly, damp) and London (possible heatwave). I was there for a conference (professional clothes!) and vacation (fun clothes!). And I was bound and determined to get it all in a carry on. It was a disaster. I packed 8(!) blouses and ended up hating all but one when I got there. I wore some lightweight jeans that ended up being too big and almost slipping down precipitously. I brought two pairs of red pants (deep red and bright red) and only wore the latter (and only once – the day I presented at the conference). I brought some long shorts that did end up being useful in London and my current favorite pair of jeans–which I basically wore almost every single day. I packed sneaker Mary janes that were useful and a pair of low pro vans and some converse (for a trip to a loch). I had no structured, good walking sneakers which almost killed my feet given how much I walked. I had so much stuff, it was a struggle to close my suitcase every time I traveled to a new location. It was all a disaster and I ended up sending almost everything back home when I got to London (sooo expensive and I ended up having to pay another $50 COD) and bought a few new things at Zara’s big sale. That was desperation shopping though, and those items haven’t ended up being super useful now that I am back home. I also ended up having to check my suitcase bc I was in super duper economy and could only bring a personal item. So, I could have used a larger suitcase with no problem. My suitcase did make the executive decision to hang out in Dublin an extra day, however. Luckily it did that on the way home and it was nice to get it delivered to my home the next day. My mom said, “that’s why I never check my bag.” I had no choice in that – and also ended up having to run from one end of the Dublin Airport to the other and then back again (to go through customs and then get to my connecting flight), so was very glad to not have to tote a suitcase. Good times.

Often I am packing for a dream self who is a little bit chicer and more organized than my usual self. I think that’s ok and part of the anticipatory joy of travel but also needs acknowledgement 1) to get the feeling I really desire, which is sometimes as simple as fabric that drapes well over a new silk slip for dinner out 2) because of the impractical parts (wherever you go, there you are).

And always always put spare knickers in your purse! Trust me, it was embarrassment up to my eyeballs when the airline lost my luggage on a work trip & I didn’t have time to go shopping & had to ask to “borrow” ( because why would they want them back?!!) A few pairs from co workers!

I can’t believe I only recently figured this out: I keep a fully stocked toiletry bag that I only need to throw into my suitcase – no more forgotten toothbrushes or tweezers. My sister has a box for the whole family in case of road trips.

I keep a separate, always packed bag of toiletries that I know I can just toss in my bag. Comb, toothbrush , toothpaste, emery board, a few flossers, deodorant, eye makeup remover, eye pad, mini mascara, eye pencil, mini pot of face cream, mini perfume, some bandaids, bacitracin, mini advil, a tampon or two, mini dry shampoo. Other than remembering to change out the toothbrush, I always have what I need & never think about it. My clothes, though…most of the time I end up forgetting socks or underwear or both.

I do a version of this where I make a pie chart of types of activities I’ll be doing on the trip- so there’s big and little sections for things like lounging, sightseeing, fancy dinners etc- and then I try to pack equivalent amounts of appropriate outfits. That way if I’m not feeling a specific outfit on a certain day, that’s ok because I have more of a collection of pieces that fit each category and can swap things around.

Wow. My mind is literally blown right now. Such a great idea!

My tip is to prioritize color scheme over outfits. I try to pack outfits, but then I never want to wear them that way. But I do try to make sure that everything generally coordinates so I can wear whatever I want without a major clash. Also great if the weather does something you weren’t expecting.

When I think I’m done packing I go over my whole body methodically from my feet up to my hair and see if I have everything I need for each body part. Shoes? Socks? Pants? Pain meds for my knees? Belt? Snacks? Tummy medicine? Period stuff? Bras? Asthma meds? Short sleeves, long sleeves, jackets? Jewelry? Soap? Etc… ending with a Brush and hairties. My partner thinks it’s funny to watch because I point to each part and around my face gets goofy pointing to teeth, inside my mouth, eyes, ears, mole (tweezers for that one hair) and finally patting the top of my head. The only thing I consistently forget is my charger.

My husband and I are traveling to Japan(!!!) for the first time this fall, and would love any outfit tips! We’ll be there 2 weeks and traveling to a different city every few days. I love to walk anywhere I can when I visit a new place, so between that and navigating the train stations, I need some comfy options- but still looking put together and not like a tourist lol! Thanks in advance!

THIS!!! https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/sudoku-packing-method-37544410

Great approach! My ADHD trick is to gather my favorite clothing items, throw them all in a bag and turn figuring out how they fit together into a “fun game” when I arrive at my destination. I’m actually serious. The grief I save myself packing is worth the chaos on the other end. Maybe it just means I get to buy myself something new when I get there!

I always plan my outfits for each day of travel but choose them so I can wear the same bottoms and toppers more than once. So things have to be in the same general palette even if not limited to a few colors. And always pack an extra top. For kids, if you are using packing cubes, instead of one cube per child, pack one cube by type of clothing. So all PJs in one cube, all swimwear in another cube, same with outfits. It’s much easier to just take out a cube and have all the kids’ outfits in there for a day then to take out the cube for each child and sort through the options.

Ladies, what should I pack for Chicago and Philly in mid-September?? Will it be shorts and t-shirts weather still? Or jeans and a jumper?! Will I need a coat?!

I’ve been working with ADHD OT and am on my way home from a trip that my OT and I planned outfits for and oh my gosh it is life changing. I wound up staying an extra 5 days, I went to fancy and non fancy events, I unexpectedly spent two days in the hospital with someone (they are doing ok!) and I had something to wear that I actually liked for every single thing. This has never happened to me! I’ve also been buying more clothes I actually like and work for me to rebuild my wardrobe after some life changes, which helped, but it was still the packing method that made the difference. Also highly recommend ADHD OT!

Years ago there was a CoJ post about packing in one color scheme for the trip so you didn’t have to worry about mixing and not matching. I try to follow that rule and just pack blue and white for my summer vacations. Always cool, always chic, always matches :)

I’m sure someone else has said this, but your best packing friend (if you wear them)–DRESSES. One garment = one outfit. For summer, you’re done. For winter, add tights and/or a couple of cardigans and/or a blazer. If the dresses are fairly simple in style and color, you can differentiate with jewelry or maybe a scarf. I admit that I don’t always go all-dresses. When I don’t, I pack mix-and-match stuff. I am already in the process of winnowing down to a capsule wardrobe, so it’s pretty easy for me to put together garments in shades of blue/green/gray/black that all go with each other. Then it’s simple to create an outfit every day. I really can’t fathom choosing separate outfits for each day–unless we’re talking about a wedding or another occasion with dress codes, it seems like this is going to lead to massive overpacking most of the time. As long as you have some basic sense of how the items you’re packing can go together, you’ll figure it out as you go. Also–an this is SO BASIC but I can’t believe how many people don’t do it–check the weather forecast!

I do this! I’ll add to create a list in your notes app for each day and occasion with exactly what you think you want to wear. Then you know what you packed and what to look for in your suitcase. Monday Day: white t-shirt, jean shorts, birkenstocks. Monday night: Green button up, black jeans, black sandals Extras: blue stripe sweater, blue baseball cap, etc.

I actually do a version of this for busy work weeks. One of my Sunday rituals is to draw the 5 outfits I want to wear, planning for weather, commute (I bike if weather is nice), and the day’s activities. I can always veer from the plan on the day, but it helps reduce daily decision making to batch all the wardrobe thinking at once!

I’m leaving soon on a 3 week trip to Europe and no way am I packing 21 outfits! What works for me is to have a color palette – mine is black, white, denim and aqua. If they’re not those colors they get left at home. I also make sure everything goes with everything and that the clothes I take are appropriate for the activities I will be doing. And only 2 pr of shoes – for this trip they will be sneakers and sandals. It doesn’t all fit in a carry-on but my checked bag is not very heavy and easy to handle because I travel solo.

I did this for the first time just last month and it was so convenient. I am sold!

I kind of plan by outfit, but I also leave room for swapping! I do rewears, so I pick a color palette when packing and make sure every top can go with every bottom, and then when I am traveling I can play it by ear. Eliminating wardrobe items that can only be worn with one other piece of clothing (other than occasion wear, if I’m going to a wedding or something) makes this approach much more doable!

I hate packing as well! Years ago, I traveled 50% of the time, so to drastically reduce my mental load, I created a “master packing list” in a note on my phone with absolutely everything I could ever need for a trip – items of clothing, toiletries, stuff I’ll bring on the plane (laptop, charger, etc.), passport, and so on. A few days or so before a trip, I make a copy of the note and update it for that trip, deleting things I won’t need and adding anything trip-specific (like a gift I might need to bring for an event). I never forget anything and it makes packing nearly brainless. The hardest part is choosing outfits, but as Kelsey noted, I do find that to be the best way to pack – an outfit for each day, with maybe an extra option or layer.

I once packed 24 tops for an 8-day trip to Italy because there was always room for one in my rolling carry-on. I didn’t count them until I was unpacking at our hotel in Florence, and how I laughed. Then I decided to wash my face and used the lovely little wrapped sponge I’d found in the bathroom, and discovered I had covered my face in shoe polish that refused to come off.

I have just tried this and it works!

I’ve found this style of packing ESPECIALLY helful for roadtrip style trips, where you’re switching hotels every night. Last fall I did Utah National Parks roadtrip and were sleeping somewhere different almost every night. I had packed full outfits for each day and rolled them up and fit 3 in each packing cube. Then each morning, instead of disassembling my entire suitcase to find socks, undies, a shirt, everything, all I had to do was open one packing cube and there was a whole outfit for me! Just add shoes and coat.

This is how I pack for my kids (I even have plastic bags I reuse every vacation) but can honestly say it never occurred to me to pack like this for myself 😂. Duh.

I keep a list of toiletries on my toiletry bag. Just pull out the list and put it what it says in the bag. Almost no thinking other than “Do I need the sunscreen/bug spray/fancy barrette bag for this trip?” but the list tells me to consider. ahhhh

I just saw this Reel from influencer Clara Infante, and I love her packing math! There’s something that appeals to my “logic” brain about mixing and matching this way. https://www.instagram.com/p/DbicG1qOZze/?hl=en

How am I still a failure at outfit packing? I’m 53 for goodness sake. I try to do this, but still end up panicked and wondering if I have too much, too little, etc. We leave on Thursday for a 12 night Colorado trip. The weather is all over the place. HOT and sunny for half the time, and in the 60’s and rain for the balance of the trip. I cannot pack for these extremes. I will be taking 2 suitcases just for me! Thank goodness we are driving, and I don’t have to worry about airline fees, weight limits, etc.

I’ve been doing this forever. I have a full excel spreadsheet I use when I pack. I start with the day, what I think I’m going to be doing, and then I pack the outfit for that day. I have a separate grid for non outfit related clothes like workout clothes, swimsuits, pajamas, etc. And then I use packing cubes and pack in outfit order. That way I never miss a adventure because I don’t have the right sartorial option. Now, I’m not a total nut, I don’t necessarily have to wear the outfit I packed for Monday’s sightseeing on Monday. If I’m still just sightseeing on Wednesday and I’m feeling Wednesdays, outfit, then I can swap. But at least I know I have something to wear for every day I’m away. It keeps me from massively over packing and forgetting things that I’m definitely going to need.

My packing/trip tip: Accepting that I am in fact the EXACT SAME SASHA, no matter where I go in the world. I will not, in fact, become super glamorous with hair and makeup done and jewelry and cute shoes and a nice outfit for sightseeing. Nor will i dress up for a fancy dinner, that we won’t actually go on! Just like at home, we’ll go hiking. We’ll grab tacos from a truck. We’ll go to bed early. And I’ll do a million push ups. I can, in fact, just wear what I wear at home!

I’ve found the perfect formula so I never run out of underwear.. take the number of days you’ll be away, multiply by 2, and then add 2. When I’m away, I tend to change twice a day – especially if there are water activities, sweaty activities, or fun dinner plans. After far too many times running out of underwear, I found this is the perfect amount. This summer, I went on a week-long trip and decided to remove the +2 that I usually add. Wouldn’t you know, I had to wash two pairs of underwear in the sink since I RAN OUT?! Gotta stick to the formula!

Kelsey, I always laugh out loud when I read your posts! Love your sense of humor. And this is great advice. I’ll try it next time. ❤

Love this tip! I have gone so far as to write each day and/or event on a post it and line them up on my bed then put the outfit with the post it. It’s WAY over the top but I have never been left with nothing to wear. Of course I am under no obligation to wear the exact thing I had attached to the exact post it on that exact day, it’s just that all events/days are accounted for.

This is always how I pack for my kids– full outfits in separate one gallon bags with their names on it. Makes it easier for all of us to pack in one suitcase. The other tip I finally started following is remembering to pack a laundry bag to put all of the dirty clothes in– those tiny bags they give out at hotels are never big enough!

Dear CoJ babes, in the spirit of vacation wear packing smartly, I am looking for tips – how can one easily change out of a single or two-piece swimsuit on a public beach (sandy, which can complicate things) without flashing the teenage boys lounging near you. I thought I’d gotten enough practice by now but dang, some days and moves still seem tricky, and I am not as dexterous as I used to be…

This reminds me of the time I went on a work trip and FORGOT PANTS. I brought several nice tops (for a one-day trip) but the only pants I had were the well-worn jeans I wore on the plane and I didn’t realize until I was in the hotel at 10 pm the night before an important client meeting. Amazingly, I found a Target that was open until 11 and rushed out for the quickest shopping trip ever. I fondly refer to those pants as my “emergency pants” now.

I would slightly amend this to say that before I go on a trip, I put together outfits, but to avoid overpacking, I try to make each item work in more than one outfit. Then I take pictures of each outfit. That way when I’m getting dressed on vacay I dont need to think about what to wear with what. I just look at the album on my phone and pick out an ‘fit from the album.

Does anyone else find their imagination just… gets in the way of minimalist packing? I’m about to go to Italy and of course I know I need t shirts and shorts and sandals. And swimsuits and some beach cover ups. But what do I wear if it’s a little breezy at a glamorous beachfront restaurant one evening? What will I wear for a day on a boat? What does one wear to sip espresso at a cafe before visiting a Renaissance gallery? Etc. etc. Basically I convince myself I’m becoming a different person (or 8 of them) rather than just going to a different place. And each of those personalities needs at least one outfit… My husband despairs.

Also, pack layers smartly. Or else you’ll be like me, wearing a gorgeous wool sezane sweater on a HIKE because I thought the weather would be warm enough on our adventure outings.

Love the picture with this. Love the tip. I’ve been outfit packing for forever but sadly I’m not a visual person, so I have to actually try on each outfit while packing to see if I like the ~vibes~ . So then it still takes me forever, but it is less stressful, I agree. I actually can’t imagine me trying to pack by clothing article type haha

I’m SO bad at packing! I always either overpack or forget some crucial item. Why does packing make me so anxious? Maybe it’s because I’m an anxious traveler… I hate flying. And yet, I’m about to take a six-hour flight (each way) in a few weeks… wish me luck (and yes, I will be medicated when flying!).

I’ve gone the packing outfits approach, and it is easier. That being said , I still overpack! Currently traveling with the family on a road trip… had to pack for my husband as he has a broken ankle…and I overpacked for him too!

I do this. Pre kids (aka when I had more time) I would write down the day, weather forecast, and activities planned for that day. Then I would pack the piece of paper on top of the outfit so I could grab the right thing for the right day. It looks like this: Tuesday, 65-87, picnic. Then I know to pack a light sweater for that day in addition to my picnic clothes.