how to pack like a pro

In 24 hours, I’m flying to Europe for a 3 week trip.  Since I’m traveling for two conferences and vacationing in my spare time, I need to bring an array of different clothing—business casual, casual, cocktail attire.  Packing has become a tricky issue.  Fortunately, having a Type A personality and a splash of OCD, I am a rockstar at packing.  Now I will share some tips on how to pack successfully.

1. Liquids. The 3-1-1 rule makes it difficult to bring all the liquids you need.  Of course there are the essentials: bug spray, toothpaste, allergy cream (apparently the bugs in Lindau are ferocious!).  Though I’m not a high maintenance person, I am still a girl, so the next tier of priorities include toner, concealer, and mascara.  Since I’m bringing a few small jars of Oregon jam as gifts, the bag-o-liquids filled up quickly.  This is where lab equipment comes in handy.  In the picture below, I filled up a 15mL conical with toner (yellow arrow), and a 1.5mL screw cap tube with concealer (pink arrow).  Pretty creative eh?

2. Undergarment bag.  Unless your suitcase has a separate compartment that you can dedicate to undergarments, invest in a simple drawstring bag.  Because if your luggage is so lucky to be selected for a random search, the last thing you want is having some stranger’s hands rummaging through your underwear.  And really, they don’t want to touch it either! So gather up your more intimate attire and put them in what I’d like to call a “dignity bag.”

3. Personal hygiene bag.  Once in a while, cosmetics stores has these enticing sales where if I spend a bazillion dollars on make up that I never use, I get a free make up bag out of it.  And I ALWAYS get sucked into it.  Gimmick or not, the bag actually comes in handy for situations like this.  I use it for make up, jewelry, and other small items that are likely to get lost.  Remember to pack some vitamins!

4. Roll up your clothes.  Instead of folding squares, a superior method is to roll them up.  It reduces the space that they take up, and they unfold upon arriving at your destination without weird creases.  I read it in a in-flight magazine once, and it’s true!

  

5. Shoes.  Now this is where it gets excruciatingly painful for any girl, because in every situation, you always want one more pair of shoes!  But you must remember to exercise sense and logic, and think more like a man.  Do you absolutely need a different pair of shoes for every outfit? Probably not. So set a limit, and bring comfortable and versatile shoes.  I’m bringing a pair of beige sandals, a pair of black flats, and a pair of killer black heels. 

6. Spare room for souvenirs.  How can you go to Paris and bring nothing back? It’s impossible.  So I’m packing an empty carry-on bag with a large purse stuffed in it.  On my way there, I will only have carry-on items (wouldn’t it be a horror story if my luggage got lost and I had to survive three weeks in Europe with no spare clothes? GASP!).  On the way back, I expect to fill the large purse and the carry-on bag, and the suitcase will be checked in. 

The finished product:

 

Now THAT is how you pack for a 3-week trip and only have carry-on items. WIN!