Since I am about to leave on a trip to Italy I thought now would be a great time to talk about packing light and saving tons of money on checked bags.
So many of you are over packers...come on, you know you are...don't try to deny it!
The thing is so often we think we will need all of these items that we never will during the length of the trip, while on top of that it's so rare that you will be traveling some place where you wouldn't be able to buy something you might need in a pinch.
Think of it like this...just because you are going away for 10 days does not mean you need ten pairs of shoes. Really, when you are home do you wear a different pair of shoes everyday? Probably not, so why should it be different when you travel? When you are home do you change your clothes three times in a day or more, again, probably not! So really you don't need a million outfit changes.
We so often get consumed with what we need when in truth all we really need for a trip, or life in general, can fit into one suitcase.
Before you pack two toothbrushes because well you might lose one, really think about it...when was the last time you lost a toothbrush?
Before you pack the skirt you haven't worn in ten years, the heels that hurt your feet, the camera that you don't know how to use, the blow dryer that wont work cause you are going oversees, the ten books that you wont read, the 12 extra pairs of socks and underwear that will return home clean...take a deep breath. You are not facing the end of the world, you are going away for a week.
Trust me you will be so much happier when you and your one bag walk onto the plane and you don't have to pay a fee to check bags or have to wait for that bag to be the last bag off the shoot at baggage claim, or worse yet, your bag gets lost!
Much like family and good friends...if you always keep everything you need close to you, you will never have a problem.
xoxo
D of J.A.D.E.
Shoes always take up the most space, I always try and think of ways to deal with them. when I traveled to Europe, I brought ONE pair of nice shoes, but bought a few pairs of super cheap shoes on clearance at Payless and just discarded them at the end of the trip so I had more room in my bag for items I was bringing back. I recently took a trip to NYC and didn't want to check a bag. I was staying with my cousin - a shoe-a-holic who wears the same size as me. I brought one pair of shoes and borrowed hers when the ones I had didn't fit my outfit. :)
ReplyDeleteOkay I have to know how you are doing it! What are you taking to Italy? How many shoes? Fess up! Lol! I guess it helps traveling in the summer b/c you don't have to bring bulky sweaters and jackets but still I am in awe!
ReplyDeleteAmy's payless shoe trick is a good one. I might try that sometime.
Hoping to conquer my over-packing soon!