The 4 Rules I Follow to Pack as Efficiently as Possible

Photo by Kimberly Dawson-Duckworth

Last month, I headed on an extended vacation with only a carry-on bag. I had a backpack as well — which was mostly full of reading material — but the luggage is what piqued people’s attention. “How long are you going to be gone?,” a friend asked on Instagram, sending a line of exclamation marks when I said a little over two weeks. Someone else wrote “How?,” while another joked, “This is what I pack for a weekend.”

There are a few reasons why I like to pack as lightly as possible, but these are the biggest three: My parents met in the travel industry, and so efficiency through airports was as important a lesson to learn as, say, chewing with my mouth closed and sending thank you cards. The other reason is that if there’s ever a situation where I am absolutely left to my own devices, I want to be able to carry my stuff. But the last reason is perhaps more universal. When I have less to look after, I enjoy myself more. 

I took off on what I called a “rectangle ‘round America,” where I went up to Portland and the Columbia River Gorge, then over to Minneapolis and a small city in Wisconsin, and finally down to Kansas City. That route is enough to consider, and I didn’t want to worry about lugging too much with me in the process. I also like the challenge of packing light and seeing how many outfits I can piece together from a handful of options. If you’re hoping to do the same, read on for four tricks to follow. 

Say This Sentence as You Pack

There are a lot of necessities involved in packing, whether it’s for a short getaway or an extended trip. So, it’s no wonder that this sentence gets repeated a lot as a bag fills: “I need this.” But if that sentence extends beyond items like a toothbrush and sunscreen — ahem, when it gets applied to all of your clothes — then it’s harder to only pack the essentials. “I’ll need this jacket at night” is one thing,” but you probably don’t need four different dresses and seven different shirts. Instead, try this sentence to help clear out the clutter: “Here’s how I’ll use this.” If it doesn’t have a clear use, it'll hold tight until you get home. 

Most Clothes Need More Than One Use

Most people tend to wear the same five outfits in their everyday lives, but when they go on vacation, they tend to think they’ll need two dozen options to change into. Adopt the mindset of an early 2000s magazine when it comes to picking clothes: You want to be able to take what you’re wearing from day to night. Yes, you should always pack something formal, just in case. But everything else should be flexible — in fact, I like something like this dress, which can be dressed up or down. If you can’t figure out three different ways to style a shirt, a dress, a skirt, or shorts, then it stays. I’m saying this as someone who dresses for Instagram!

Choose a Color Theme

Speaking of Instagram, of course you want to show off your vacation. The best way to pack efficiently and look good for your followers is to pack complementary colors. Pick a theme based on where you’re going — Earth tones for the terracotta walls of Rome, ocean shades for Hawaii, and you know, black for New York City — and stick to that as you pack. It’ll not only make it easier to mix-and-match outfits, but it’ll also make your vacation photos look cohesive. 

Decant Your Morning and Night Routines

Skincare and makeup can take up so much room, even if you have a modest routine. I either decant or buy travel-sized bottles of my must-haves, reusing the smaller containers for all time, and only bring one of each category (so, one moisturizer, one blush, and so on). Try to also use things that can pull double-duty, like a foundation plus concealer stick, to save space. Is this too stressful a concept? Well, it’s highly unlikely that you’ll visit a place that won’t have a drugstore or pharmacy if you absolutely have to get something you didn’t pack. Personally, I love seeing what other products are out there and briefly feeling like a local. 

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