Packing Doesn’t Have to Suck

I’ll probably already be in Texas visiting my good friend when this hits the blog! She lives in the land of Joanna and Chip Gaines and I couldn’t be more excited to visit my best friend obviously, but also Magnolia Market! While any vacation is super exciting, it also requires packing which can really SUCK. But if you do it right it really doesn’t have to!

How To Make Packing Not Suck

1. Make a list of all the categories of items you need to bring. This helps eliminate the constant feeling that you’re forgetting something important. I broke it down like this: Outfit for baby shower, 5 regular outfits, 2 sets of jammies, extras, shoes, bags, makeup, hair, accessories, and toiletries. If you need to break it down break it down down low(er), go for it. This just feels a little less overwhelming for me!
2. Plan your outfit from head to toe. I mean even down to your bra and underwear. Nothing’s worse than grabbing those white denim jeans to wear to brunch only to find you packed only your bright colored undies that have “get happy” stamped on the butt. Like I’m not even gonna lie and say that I don’t own the pair of underwear I just described. I honestly don’t know why other than I liked the color combo *inserts shoulder shrugging emoji here.*
3. If outfit planning is the part you hate. MAKE IT FUN! Turn on some music and have yourself a little fashion show. Maybe even picture yourself in those shopping montages in the movies where the girl tries on a million outfits and then finds the perfect one. Have some girlfriends that could come help you out? Everyone needs a hype girl at some point. Whatever you have to do to enjoy the process do it.
4. In the first step where you write your categories, I listed extras. For me extras are things you might want just in case. I always add 2 extra shirts, an extra pair of jeans, and extra underwear. You never know what you’ll be feeling, so you may want to change out a piece from an outfit you already planned. Or you might spill something on yourself and need an extra shirt to change into. Extras are nice to have, just don’t get too crazy because that’s how the desire to pack everything you own starts.
5. Don’t let your shoe selection overwhelm you. If you’re the kinda girl that needs a different shoe for each outfit, do you! But if that overwhelms you, I recommend trying to find two pairs of shoes to pack and one pair to wear to the airport. The shoes that you bring should obviously be the ones that match all the outfits you’re bringing along the best!
6. Have a set bag you use for specific items for each trip! I have a backpack purse I always use as my carryon, a certain bag for my makeup, a case for my jewelry, and one for my toiletries. When you travel with the exact same things each time, you create a routine that will always make packing so much easier.
7. Place your outfits in your suitcase exactly how you’ll wear them. This helps because it’s all organized and you can see exactly what you have and don’t have. That way you really can’t forget anything. Plus when you go to get dressed you don’t have to pull every single thing out to find something.

Unpacking Doesn’t Have To Suck Either

If you have one of those suitcases where you can pack things in both sides of it, use that to your advantage. Any dirty clothes can go in one side and all your clean clothes can go in the other. That way when you go to unpack, you know exactly what can be put away and what to throw in the wash. If you don’t have this kind of suitcase, travel with a laundry bag or a trash bag to throw your dirty clothes in.

Trips are meant to be fun, and planning outfits for those trips should be fun too! Don’t let the thought of packing put a damper on your excitement. Get organized with these easy tips and packing will be a breeze.