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How to Pack for a Trip More Efficiently

We are going on vacation soon and today I am sharing some tips on how to pack for a trip more efficiently!

These tips will make packing for a trip much more efficient and they are super easy!

We are headed to Charleston, SC for a little getaway with my in laws!  I am SO looking forward to this.  Warm weather, relaxation, new experiences, new restaurants, & family time.  Vacations are seriously THE BEST!

Packing is always something I somewhat enjoy to do.  Is that weird??  LOL probably!  It's unpacking that I DON'T enjoy.  Packing typically means a fun trip is coming up & who doesn't love a good little vacay?

I wanted to share some of my tips for packing & what I do before a trip.  It's helped me become a little more efficient.

I am a huge nerd & LOVE lists!  I love the whole idea/concept of seeing something written down & then crossing it off.  Again, is that weird??  LOL probably!  This is how I start to pack so I don't forget anything.  I put things into categories & then cross them off as they get added to the pile to put into the suitcase.

Here is my list for this trip:

After the list is made, I start taking out the outfits & hanging them up so that I can see everything laid out. I am a very visual person so this helps me to see what I have come up with in my mind. Here is where I can add things that I feel I am missing or subtract things that are not needed.

I organize my outfits by category too. For this trip, I organized by dresses, shorts, tops, sweater/jeans outfit, & rompers. This will change depending on what type of trip you are going on. This really helps me to not over pack which I am somewhat guilty of from time to time. I also take out my shoes & place them underneath so that I can see that I have matching shoes for each outfit. Again, visual learner over here!!

I also create small piles of things that aren't outfits such as bathing suits, cover ups, PJs, bras, underwear, socks, toiletries, etc. It helps to see it all on my floor so I know that I am not forgetting something. This will of course be different for each trip (for example: you may not always need a bathing suit/cover up).

Once the outfits are all squared away & the piles are made, I start packing!  I begin with pants on the bottom, then tops, dresses/rompers, bras, underwear, accessories, & PJs on top.  Who wants to go digging for those PJs after a long day of travel?!  I put all my toiletries in a travel bag on top so they are easily accessible as well.  I put my shoes in the top pocket so that they are not sitting directly on any clothing.  Any accessories that I pack are put into individual bags (plastic baggies work if you don't have a lot of small travel bags).  This causes so much less stress when trying to get to them at your destination so that things are not tangled. Been there, done that & it is NO fun!

Now you are set to go!  This process has helped me visualize everything & make packing so much easier.  Between the initial list & seeing everything laid out, I know that I am not forgetting anything.

This is a little different story for John Paul who just loads up the suitcase & then talks through everything with me.  But that's ok, it's his way & it works for him!!  

The whole point of this is to just find an easier way to pack for your vacations.  This has helped me for so long that I thought, hey maybe this might help someone else out?!

Do you like to pack?  Do you over pack?  What do you think of my packing "technique"?

Thank you for stopping by the blog today!

XO
-LA

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