Embrace Your Wanderlust

When it comes to travel, I am overly organized. I make lists for everything, and I truly mean everything. I made a color-coded spreadsheet for my two week trip to Italy and it was my pride and joy of the planning process. Because of this, I have perfected my packing system for international trips. I can effectively pack every single thing I need for any trip in a carry-on suitcase with a duffel bag as my personal item and here’s how I do it:

Start with the essentials

For most people, the essentials will be the same. To start, you’ll want everything I listed in my International Travel Checklist. These items won’t take up much space in your luggage but these are the things you need to make sure you have, as you can’t get them at your final destination, or even get to your final destination, if you happen to forget it.

Next, you’ll want to check the weather for the time and destinations of your trip. For the sake of brevity, I’ll assume that you’re only traveling to destinations with similar climates. If you’re visiting places with vastly different climates, you may need to adapt this list or pack a larger, checked suitcase. Regardless of weather, everyone will need an appropriate amount of undergarments for the duration of your trip. While I try not to overpack, I do make sure I always have extra underwear and socks, just in case.

Capsule wardrobes are superior

If you’ve never heard the term ‘capsule wardrobe’ I’m here to tell you it’s the superior wardrobe to travel with. In short, it’s a versatile mix of clothing (and accessories if that’s your thing) that can be mixed and matched to create many different outfits. When traveling, and especially when traveling light, having this wardrobe can help minimize the amount of things you need while also providing slightly different outfits everywhere you go. Personally, I want my outfits to look just different enough that in pictures, it doesn’t look like I wore the same outfit for a week straight.

There are three key layers to a capsule wardrobe; the outer layer, the top layer, and the bottom layer. For my two week trip to Italy in mid-late November, I packed the following staples to round out my capsule wardrobe:

• A medium-thickness maroon cardigan
• A thin olive green cardigan
• A thicker gray cardigan
• Two basic, long sleeve shirts; one white, one black
• A gray short sleeve shirt
• A beige long sleeve shirt with lace sleeves that could be used as a fancier top if needed
• Three pair of jeans; one light wash, one medium wash, and one dark wash
• A brown leather skirt
• One long sleeve, knee-length, casual black dress

By packing three items per layer category, plus a few miscellaneous things, I was able to make different combinations of outfits almost every day. If you have the ability to book accommodations with a washing machine, that would be a great option to minimize the amount of clothing you have to bring. However, even on trips where I did not have that option, I have gotten by with the capsule wardrobe method. I also always bring laundry detergent sheets so I can wash anything in the sink at my accommodations if I need to.

Accessories and toiletries

Accessories are personal preference but I like to try to fit any jewelry in a small jewelry case like this one to avoid tangled necklaces or losing earrings. While I’m not personally a hat person, I do like to always have sunglasses and a nice over the shoulder purse with me. The key is finding something comfortable enough to wear all day long, looks good with a multitude of outfits, and is also large enough to fit a variety of things. This fanny pack was given to me as a gift and I used it every single day in Italy and loved it.

As far as toiletries, the usual things like a toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, and a hairbrush are necessary. You can also pack any makeup, moisturizers, and shower essentials you may want. For US travelers, the important thing to keep in mind for carry-on toiletries is that all liquids must be 100mL (3.4oz) or less and must all fit in a single, clear, sealed quart-sized baggie. My favorite way to store toiletries are in these containers. There are 4 bottles, 4 jars, 2 spray bottles, scoopers, a funnel, and a brush. They also come with a clear bag that is TSA approved and pre-made labels for an easy way to keep track of what is in each container. They don’t leak, are very durable, and are easy to clean.

Things you shouldn’t forget

Some other items that you may not think about but are always good to have on hand are things like bandaids, blister patches, over-the-counter medications like ibuprofen or acetaminophen, Tums or Pepto-Bismol for stomach aches. Lip balm and sunscreen are also essential, along with hand sanitizer and nail clippers. As I mentioned above, I always like to bring laundry detergent sheets that you can use in the sink if you won’t have access to a washing machine, if only to wash things like underwear or clean off any stains. Along with that, a Tide To Go pen is a must! You never know when that pizza sauce will accidentally make a detour to your white shirt.

How to pack it all – smarter not harder

Some people swear by packing cubes, other people prefer the rolling method, and some people just throw it all in a bag and hope for the best. I’m personally a huge fan of packing cubes but specifically compression ones. If you haven’t heard of them, these have held up wonderfully for several trips and I use them on both short, local weekend trips and long international trips. The key is to take up every square inch of the packing cube. Fold your clothes to the length and width of the packing cube to ensure that every inch is maximized allowing for more clothing to fit. The compression will also help to make everything more compact. After that, you just have to Tetris it all into your suitcase – fair warning, this can take a few tries.

Make life easier

My biggest piece of advice? Make lists. For everything! Make a packing list, make a to-do list, make an I-need-to-remember-these list, just make everything into a list. I tend to start my lists as soon as I decide to take the trip because it ensures that over the weeks or months leading up to the trip, I can edit or add things whenever I think of it. This way, on the night before my departure, I’m not scrambling to think of “that thing I wanted to pack 2 weeks ago but don’t remember what it was.” Traveling is such a wonderful privilege but sometimes it can be stressful, too. Make your life, and travel planning, as easy and stress-free as you can by making lists and packing light.

The world is waiting for you so go embrace your wanderlust!