I get ridiculously happy when I pack super efficiently. For me it’s not about squeezing the most stuff into a suitcase. It’s about extracting the most out of less stuff. It’s having just the right amount of really good things to meet the moment. Like a game of building the most interesting Lego set where I can mix-and-match endless combinations. Definitely an exercise in restraint and creativity.
I’ve always been a highly pragmatic person, thanks in part to my type A dad who plans for every worst case scenario and my mom who values simplicity and functionality. There is comfort and ease in being practical and prepared. On top of that, I get so much pleasure out of collecting, wearing and using beautiful things. So my approach to life and style—whether it’s getting dressed, decorating my home or even packing for a trip—is how can I execute this with the most ease while making sure it’s all aesthetically pleasing and very me?
Overpacking contradicts that ease I always strive for. Lugging around more stuff than we need can weigh us down, literally and figuratively. There’s a lot of mental gymnastics involved with keeping tabs on our stuff while we’re on the go. And there are enough moving parts involved with travel, so I prefer to really prepare and pack lightly. That way I’m better able to deal with the issues beyond my control.
I don’t mean to sound so dramatic when I say packing is an art, but there is a lot of creative thinking that goes into the process. A well-packed bag can enhance the travel experience and unlock some really cool outfits. If that’s not art then I don’t know what is!
“You don’t need more clothes, just a good mix of styling tools.”
BUT FIRST, SOME PRACTICAL AND TACTICAL TIPS
My dad traveled a lot for business and he taught us these 5 basics:
Lay clothes as flat across as possible.
Wrap your belts around the inside of the suitcase.
Stuff your socks into your shoes to maximize space and help them retain their shape.
Leave valuables at home.
Wear your bulkiest items on the plane.
All very practical points I still keep in mind! Over the years I’ve refined my own packing game plan to maximize space without sacrificing style.
Have a running checklist of essentials to ensure you don’t forget anything. I keep this in my Reminders app and reference it each time I travel.
Shameless plug here: use Indyx to plan your outfit packing list! It's a game changer! A digital wardrobe has made the packing process so much more fun and efficient. I can style looks in advance, see how each piece works with others, document try-on selfies (so I can capture how I felt in something and remember how I styled it) and add outfits to a calendar so I can spend more time enjoying the trip and less time figuring out what to wear.
Aim for carry-on only. Aside from cutting down on time spent checking and collecting a bag, a carry-on gives me more peace of mind since there’s less risk of losing luggage. Most importantly, I am forced to be super thoughtful about what I bring and can therefore exercise even more creativity. I’ve successfully done 2 weeks in Europe with just a carry-on and never felt like I had nothing to wear. Of course if I plan to seriously shop or need to pack a bunch of special occasion looks, I will check a bag. My carry-on is by British label Carl Friedrik. I’ve had it for a couple years now and it has held up beautifully compared to my old beat up Away bag. I appreciate the sleek design, luxe leather details and the very subtle branding. It’s modern yet has a timeless look to it. Did I mention it’s pretty reasonably priced for the quality? One last carry-on tip I have to mention! Packing for the return home is ALWAYS tougher even with the same amount of items since we tend to be in more of a rush compared to the start of the trip, when we’ve typically had more time and patience to pack as efficiently as possible. So I like to leave a little wiggle room for a potential sloppy return packing job, and maybe even a few treats.
Use packing cubes—I call this my Mary Poppins insert since it magically doubles as a hanging closet organizer. Game changer. I purchased the XL in grey to match the interior of my suitcase (The little details matter!) and it fits perfectly inside my carry-on. Keeps things tidy, very effective compression, and makes packing and unpacking more seamless. I have it on one side, and shoes and toiletries on the other. Heavier items go towards the bottom of the bag (by the wheels) and more delicate items towards the top.
A place for everything! More pretty and practical organizers I love:
I have a dedicated travel compact toiletry kit with minis of all my essentials always ready to go so I have one less thing to prep. Every inch and ounce of space counts. I fill tiny bottles (I buy the travel/sample sizes or order tiny glass jars, pumps and droppers on Amazon) with just a little more than the amount I need. If I’m traveling internationally with no access to TSA pre check (you don’t have to take liquids out of your bag) then I stash liquids in a small clear zip pouch, then I toss that into the hanging organizer after I’ve gone through the security scanner.
I use this canvas pouch for my makeup since it’s pretty enough to double as a clutch and style into outfits. Always opt for pieces that align with your style and can do more than one thing.
My supplements and medications are organized in this pill purse, which I prefer over the hard case types since they tend to take up more space. I like that I can just grab the small zip pouch with medications for the day instead of lugging the whole case around while we’re out exploring. And, once I’ve emptied the contents it packs flat in my bag.
This little folio keeps my jewelry safe and tidy without the bulk.
And last but not least, I buy these really inexpensive zip pouches at Muji (truly one of my favorite places to shop for travel essentials) to store tech accessories and cords.
Avoid packing appliances. If you’re worried about wrinkly clothes, try this simple steamer hack I came up with during my trip to London last year. Pack a tiny empty spray bottle (I typically use this to mist my hair with water before styling with a dryer). Fill the bottle with water, spray your clothes, then run the hotel hair dryer on high heat over the area while smoothing it out with your hands. Worked really well for this silk dress I wore to my friend’s wedding (you might want to test on thicker fabrics). I also don’t pack hair styling tools since I tend to keep things simple these days. At most I’ll toss a heatless curling headband into my bag since it’s light, takes up very little space and it’s just better for the hair.
Be ruthless with paring down items, focus on lightweight/easy care fabrics—and, no doubles! Each item should serve a different purpose and be extremely versatile. For example, if I’m packing two tops, I’ll bring a white button down and a gray tee. Not two white tees. I also avoid bringing denim or leather since they are dense and heavy. You’ve probably heard of the 54321 packing method (5 tops, 4 bottoms, 3 dresses or shoes, 2 bags or coats and 1 hat/sunnies/jewelry). I think this is a great starting point but I find it really depends on where you’re headed and what you’re doing. A better rule I give myself is the rule of 3’s. If I can style a piece into at least 3 different looks, it’s coming with me. Here’s an example of how I put this to practice—1 shirt used in 3 different outfits, and also styled 3 different ways in 1 outfit. A button-down shirt is my fave power tool:
Pack small accessories that make a big impact! You don’t need more clothes, just a good mix of styling tools. Even with a tight wardrobe edit, you can build interesting outfits with sunglasses (I typically bring two), jewelry, belts, hats/caps and lightweight bags that pack flat.
Include little luxuries that help you relax. The comfort level of hotel rooms can be hit or miss. And when I don’t get enough rest I feel really out of sorts, so I like to pack a few things that are a treat for the senses. This silk pillowcase, sleep mask and really good pajamas just do it for me. Silk is both luxe and lightweight and barely takes up any space.
Maximize your “Personal bag”: I use this one by Transience (looks like the cream color is the only one available now), and it’s also my gym bag. I love the very Old Celine-esque fortune cookie shape and how roomy it is. It’s technical without looking frumpy. Recently I’ve also used my Row Margaux. It worked just fine for a short trip since I had an organizer insert, but I definitely feel more at ease with a bag that can zip or close. I usually nest a smaller bag inside along with meds, my water bottle, sunnies, a cap, compression socks, valuables and electronics. For international trips, I take it a step further and carry a backup outfit.
“I always say there are no bad outfits, only ones that don't meet the moment.”
THE PROCESS
You want to balance packing smart with packing stylishly/creatively. Just because you’re bringing less, doesn’t mean your looks should be boring.
Create a vision board with the location and vibes. Most of the time I do this in my head. Other times I use Pinterest or create an actual mood board in Canva. Whatever floats your boat! Setting this scene helps to establish some sort of road map that will help guide clothing choices. Aside from the visuals, think about how you want to feel on each step of your journey.
Think like you’re a designer piecing together a collection. You want it to have a strong point of view and tell a cohesive story.
Decide on a color scheme to make mixing and matching more effortless, and consider the mix of fabrics which can add more interest.
Reference itinerary, local culture & weather to ensure you pack the appropriate pieces. I always say there are no bad outfits, only ones that don't meet the moment. J creates these super intricate google spreadsheets for every trip we take, they’re actually legendary. We like to balance having a few pre-booked activities like restaurant reservations or tours, but always leave enough room to switch things up. These spreadsheets are so helpful in figuring out the kind of looks I’ll need to prep for.
Plan for looks but pack versatile components. I have this theory that the reason we tend to underpack or overpack is we’re focusing too much on very specific outfits when we should be paying more attention to packing the right parts. A really good set of tools can create endless looks and offers wiggle room to play around, because sometimes things don’t go as planned. It’s not fun when you realize you can’t wear your very specific dress with your very specific shoes because of the weather and then they don’t play well with the other things you packed. So you’ve essentially overpacked and wasted valuable space. This never feels good. Or, if you’ve brought two pairs of very similar pants instead of trousers and a skirt, the lack of variety can feel quite limiting, like you’ve under packed. Focus on the individual item and how it fits in with the larger story.
“Nail the vision, but make sure that your wardrobe can bring it to life.”
THE PACKING POLL
In the middle of writing this newsletter, I asked my community on IG stories “What is it about packing that gives you the most anxiety?”. I thought it would be interesting to see if any of the tips I mentioned above help solve for them, just to make sure I’ve kind of covered most of the packing bases.
51% said they tend to underpack/overpack
26% said they tend to do it in a last-minute rush
17% said they don’t know what to pack
5% said they don’t know where to start
I had a rough idea of what the answers would look like and this is pretty spot on.
On underpacking/overpacking: refer to the last point in “The Process” section above. Envision the vibe, pack the tools and the outfits will basically make themselves. While we should be visualizing all the outfits we plan to wear, that’s more of a test to see how the individual pieces fit together. What I mentioned in “Practical and Tactical Tips” is also helpful here: use Indyx, or whatever wardrobe app you enjoy! When we have every item and outfit laid out clearly for us, it becomes much easier to spot holes or redundancies.
On the last-minute issue: I am a procrastinator. Sometimes my best ideas come when I’m in a pinch so I intentionally put tasks off. Other times, a crazy busy week takes hold and I have no other choice but to pack at the last minute. Knowing this about myself, there are things I do ahead to save time. As I mentioned above, my toiletry and medication pouches are always ready to go, so there’s two less things to worry about. And again, I can’t stress enough how helpful it is to have a digital closet app of some sort. I style looks whenever inspiration strikes so I have a bank of outfits when I need it. I can filter for travel outfits, pick what feels appropriate/what I’m in the mood to wear and toss it all in.
On not knowing what to pack OR where to begin: I find that the first point in “The Process” is a great place to start. Most of the time we don’t know what to pack because we don’t have a clear idea of what we want to achieve. Nail the vision, but make sure that your wardrobe can bring it to life. I think vacation mode has a tendency to shift our mind from “real me” to “vacation me” so we kind of get confused and go on shopping sprees in an attempt to dress a fantasy version of ourselves. I don’t need a flouncy floral bohemian dress for Ibiza since that isn’t my style and I know I won’t be wearing it again. I’ll pack looks that give off the same breezy vibes, but with my own point of view—like a relaxed 90’s minimalist slip dress or a pair of linen shorts, a tank top and some refined/weird/statement-making sandals.
Ok if you’re still with me, I actually had another section here that dives into building a travel wardrobe but decided it should have its own post since I’m already getting “This is too long for email” notifications. More to come on travel topics soon!
Hope this helps you find more joy in the process and inspire you to pack artfully! Happy summer travels friends!
Xx, T
Loved this! Bought the hanging organizer and the muni case, excited to pack!
Okay this was aspirational packing on a whole new level... Need to get my dad that hanging organizer for his travels!