The Art of Packing: There’s a Method to the Madness

After years of planning and packing for countless trips, I’ve learned that packing well isn’t really about being a minimalist. It isn’t about having the perfect suitcase. It’s about having a system.

Over the years, I’ve developed a little routine that helps me feel organized, prepared, and—most importantly—not completely frantic the night before I leave. So I thought I’d share my tried-and-true packing process with our Just Be Travel Co. community. These are the little things I’ve learned along the way, including a few lessons learned the hard way. You’ll hear about the overweight suitcase later.

That excited feeling of settling into your long-haul flight to Europe. Packing complete. Adventure begins!

Step One: Get Your Thoughts Organized

I always start by creating a trip in the Packr Premium app. I’m not here to give you a sales pitch for Packr, but I genuinely love it as a starting point for organizing a trip. You enter your exact destination and travel dates, and the app uses that information to help build a packing list. It considers the weather during your trip, the type of accommodations you’ll be staying in, and the activities you’ll be doing.

You can customize the lists, check things off as you pack, and add your own items. There are even options for creating lists if you have kids and checklists for things you need to do at home before you leave.

For me, the biggest benefit is that it gets everything out of my head and onto a list. Once I have that framework, I can start making it my own.

• 

• 

• 

About a Month Out: Start Thinking About Your Wardrobe

About a month before a trip, I start looking at my closet—not my suitcase. I think about where I’m going, what the weather will likely be like, what activities we have planned, and what I already own that might work. This is when I start putting together a capsule wardrobe.

If you aren't familiar with the term capsule wardrobe, the idea is simple: instead of packing a completely separate outfit for every day, you choose a smaller collection of clothing pieces that coordinate with one another so you can mix and match them into multiple outfits. Think three tops that work with two or three bottoms. Add a jacket that works with everything. Maybe a dress that can be dressed up or down. Suddenly, you have a lot of outfit possibilities without bringing your entire closet. I recently did this for a trip to Venice, Rome and the Amalfi Coast, and I’ll include some photos of what my own outfit capsules looked like.

• 

• 

• 

• 

And here's the important part: look at what you already own first.

If you realize you’re missing something important—a comfortable pair of walking shoes, a lightweight sweater, a particular type of pants—this is the time to figure it out. Give yourself plenty of time to shop, order something online, try it on, and return it if it doesn't work.

And don't sleep on the thrift store!

Thrifting can be a fantastic way to find something you need without spending a fortune or buying something brand new that you may only wear a handful of times. It's also a great way to reduce clothing waste. And honestly? You can find some pretty fabulous and fashion-forward pieces secondhand.

Don't Forget the Outerwear!

While you're thinking about your wardrobe, take a minute to think about what you're going to need on top of it. Do you need a rain jacket? Do you even own a rain jacket? Did you know there's a difference between waterproof material and water-resistant, and it kind of makes a BIG difference when you are in a rainy, cold place? Are you going somewhere that calls for a heavy winter coat? Or maybe you need something in between—a lightweight jacket or sweater for cool evenings.

What about your shoes? Will you need waterproof shoes? How much walking will you be doing? How many pairs of shoes are you actually going to bring? If Europe is a part of your itinerary, a good pair of walking shoes is a must. I like to alternate between two pairs on my trip.

These are questions I like to sort through about a month before the trip. That way, if I discover I need a rain jacket or a new pair of walking shoes, I have time to make a shopping trip without feeling like I'm racing the clock. I never recommend using your trip as an opportunity to ‘break in’ your new shoes.

About a Week Out: Check the Toiletries

About a week before departure, I start going through my toiletry bag. Do I need to refill my little travel toothpaste? Do I have enough disposable contacts? Are my favorite products running low? And if you travel with medication, check it now. Do you have enough to get you through the entire trip?

I find that having my toiletry bag completely sorted several days before a trip makes me feel so much calmer. I don't want to be standing in my bathroom the night before departure thinking, Oh, I need to pick that up tomorrow morning on the way to the airport.

Get it done. Put the toiletry bag aside. One less thing to worry about.

Now We Begin Packing: Start With the Most Important Thing

When I finally start putting clothes into the suitcase, I always begin with the most important item:

UNDERWEAR. I mean, can you imagine getting all the way to your destination and realizing you forgot your underwear? Okay, we're getting personal here. But we're friends, right? My general rule is one pair for every day and every night, plus one extra. But you do you. You know your own underwear needs better than I do!

Once that's taken care of, I move on to my daily outfits. This is where that packing app comes in handy again. I've found that it does a surprisingly good job of estimating how many shirts, pants, shorts and dresses you might need based on your trip. But remember: the list is a guide, not a rule.

If you're more of a sundress person and you don't enjoy wearing shorts, then pack the sundress! Your packing list doesn't get to decide what you're comfortable wearing. The goal is to pack clothes that you'll actually want to wear.

Don't Forget Your Tech Essentials

While I'm packing the clothes into the big suitcase, I always have a little Charging Station going. I'll have my laptop, phone, tablet, AirPods, extra battery pack and whatever other devices I'm bringing all plugged in and charging at the same time. The goal is simple: start your trip fully charged. I keep all of my chargers and cables together in one zipper pouch that I call my Tech Essentials. That way, I'm not digging through drawers at the last minute trying to find the right cord. Everything goes into one pouch, and that pouch goes into my suitcase.

My Personal Method: Pack a Few Little Lifesavers

Then there are the things I like to call my Little Lifesavers. These are my just-in-case wellness and comfort items—the things you may not need, but you'll be very happy you brought if you do.For me, this might include things like:

• A few basic medications

• Extra medicine packets

• Eye masks

• Blister bandages

• Shout wipes

• Vitamin C packets

• An occasional hangover remedy
  

I don't go crazy with this. I might bring one little collection of these items, or two if the nature of the trip calls for it. If I'm going on a hiking trip, for example, I'm probably bringing more blister protection. The idea isn't to pack for every possible disaster. It's to have a few small things that can prevent a minor problem from becoming a major inconvenience.

I learned this lesson the hard way in Costa Rica when I got bitten by some mystery bug. It itched like crazy, especially at night, and I lost so much sleep over it. Eventually, I had to buy some very expensive anti-itch lotion at the gift shop because I hadn't packed any. That was a lesson I didn't need to learn twice. Sometimes the tiniest things really are lifesavers.

Odds & Ends

Now what do you do with all those random things? Your umbrella. Laundry bag. Extra Ziploc bags. Miscellaneous little items that don't really belong anywhere but absolutely need to come with you. These are my Odds & Ends. And my advice here is: don't stress about them.

I don't have a special system for making all of these things beautiful and organized. I usually pack them along the sides of the suitcase at the very end. There's almost always a little wiggle room around the edges, an extra pocket in the lid, or a front compartment that isn't being used. You can also throw miscellaneous items into a packing cube if that's your preference.

One thing I always tuck into my suitcase is an extra gallon-sized Ziploc bag. Why? Because sometimes things happen. Like your sunscreen exploding in your suitcase. Ask me how I know. Because it’s happened to me. But now I’m prepared. And you will be too. BOOM.  

Give Your Important Things a Home

My husband has always talked about the importance of “having a home for your things.” It's one of those little phrases that has stuck with me, and I find myself thinking about it all the time when we travel. Your passport. Your wallet. Your keys. Your phone. Pick a place for them and keep them there. Don't move your passport from the hotel safe to the nightstand to your purse to your jacket pocket and then spend 20 minutes wondering where you put it. Don't set your wallet down in a different spot every time you walk into a hotel room.

For me, this has become one of the easiest ways to feel more organized—and it takes almost no effort. When I arrive somewhere new, I establish where my passport, wallet and other important items are going to live. Then I make a point of putting them back in that same place every time. 

And Finally… DON'T OVERPACK

Here's my final word to the wise. After reading all of these wonderful packing tips, you may become so organized and prepared that you accidentally overpack. Don't do it. I learned this one on my last trip to Italy. I was experimenting with those vacuum-seal bags for clothing, and let me tell you—they worked too well. Suddenly, I could fit SO MUCH STUFF in my suitcase. We were a little rushed getting to the airport, and in the chaos, I forgot to weigh my bag. We got to the airport and discovered that my suitcase was already overweight on the way to Italy. Not exactly the travel-advisor look I was going for.

So here's my final packing rule: Always weigh your suitcase. I personally recommend traveling with a small luggage scale. They're easy to pack, take up practically no space, and can save you from an unpleasant surprise at the airport. Because there is nothing worse than having to stand at the check-in counter trying to decide what you're willing to wear three times on your trip in order to get your suitcase under the weight limit.

The Goal Isn't to Pack Everything. It's to Pack Well.

After all these years, I've realized that packing well isn't about getting every possible item into your suitcase. It's about thinking ahead. Give yourself enough time to figure out what you'll actually need. Look at what you already own. Build outfits that work together. Think about the weather and activities. Take care of the little things now so you aren't running around the night before your trip. And then leave a little room for the unexpected. Because travel has a funny way of throwing those at you.

Happy packing—and happy travels!