Your Step-By-Step Stress-Free Travel Packing Plan
Stress-Free Summer Packing Exists!
There’s hardly anything more stressful than packing for a trip. You’ve probably had your own nightmare experience whether its forgetting the most important outfit for your business trip (the complete outfit is hanging in your closet 3,000 miles away) or you forgot your makeup bag on the bathroom counter. Or maybe the new shoes you purchased for the trip have left you with blisters on Day One. It’s time to adopt a new plan for packing! Start with a timetable and work your way up to the big day.
Here are some pre-departure tips to help you
14 Days Out
Although your trip seems far in the future, it’s time to start prepping now!
Try on and write up or take pictures of all the pieces in your highest impact outfits. What are high impact outfits? They’re the outfits that are the most important outfits you’ll be wearing on the trip. Attending a wedding? Interviewing for a job? You know which days or nights mean the most to you so be sure you create those outfits early. This way you’ll have time to purchase any components that might be missing.
Do you take prescription drugs? Check the refills now. Your pharmacist will help you stock up so you won’t miss any days.
12 Days Out
Investigate the condition of your outfit pieces by looking closely at each clothing article.
Finalize your high impact outfits and check closely to see if any articles need repair, alterations, or cleaning.
10 days Out
Start brainstorming your low to medium impact outfits.
These are the outfits you’ll wear on day trips, visiting museums, going to the beach, socializing with friends, relatives, having casual dinners out. Try on the different possibilities and be sure to include the accessories. Let these possible combinations simmer for a couple of days in a section of your closet. That way you can mull over your outfit ideas without feeling rushed.
7 days Out
You can start creating your non-weather related pre-packs.
Some items can be packed right now. Consider gathering up your panties and bras now and packing them in a small travel bag. Nightgowns or pajamas and anything you use just before bed can be packed in a small travel bag. Do you have a favorite lip balm you apply at night? Do you wear earplugs or eye-shades? Designate a travel pack for just these items. When you get to your destination, you just pull out this nighttime pack and you could be asleep in five minutes!
Make another pre-pack for your workout gear if this is included in your itinerary.
Count out your daily vitamins and/or medications and put them in mini-plastic pouches for each day of your trip. You’ll feel so good taking care of this ahead of time.
Your toiletries and hair products can be pre-packed now too and placed in your suitcase. A benefit of having an extra set of makeup is that you can pack this early and avoid any panic about forgetting a most important product.
5 days Out
Your anxiety might be presenting itself. Keep calm and get more of your packing prepped.
Check the weather at your destination. Now you have a clearer idea about the forecast and how it will affect your wardrobe. However, always pack a couple of pieces of clothing for each extreme weather possibility. That could mean a pair of shorts and a long-sleeved sweater.
Since you already planned out your high impact outfit ideas on Day 14, time to put them together completely. Check to be sure you have the accessories for each outfit.
Make the final edits of your travel wardrobe for your low to medium impact outfits. Do laundry if needed. Plan your actual “day-of” travel outfit.
1 Day Out
Don’t worry, you’re ready for this day. Time to fit it all into your suitcase and get some good night sleep, stress-free.
Make yourself a note of anything that needs to be put into the suitcase just before you leave. This could include a curling iron, makeup, and makeup tools.
Have your travel outfit laid out and ready to go, especially for those early morning flights.
Need more simplifying?
Let me help you. I've packed my clients for many different destinations and occasions. They love how simplified their packing experience becomes. You could be the calmest customer in the security line on your next trip!