Traveling during the holidays is already pretty hectic, so there’s absolutely no need to add addtional stress by worrying about what to pack. This month, I’m sharing a few tips that I personally use each and every time I travel to minimize chaos and maximize the time I get to spend with my loved ones.
Let’s face it – traveling during the holidays can be downright stressful! Here are a few tips I personally use each time I travel to minimize chaos and maximize the time I get to enjoy with my loved ones during this crazy time of year.
Start with a checklist.
Ok, this first tip might sound a little nerdy, but I’m ok with that. I have a deep love of organization and spreadsheets, so over the years I’ve developed my own foolproof travel checklist. You can download a copy here and adapt it to your own needs. The first sheet, “Packing List”, spells out all of the items I plan to bring with me organized by category. The second sheet, “Itinerary”, gives a day-by-day breakdown of the weather, scheduled activities, and planned outfits for each day of my journey
Plan outfits out in advance.
Speaking of planned outfits… I leave absolutely nothing to chance. My husband and I are typically in alignment about most things, but our approaches to packing are like night and day. He usually starts the night before and hurriedly tosses everything willy-nilly into his luggage and hopes for the best. I, on the other hand, like to plan out each of my outfits down to the last accessory. Speaking of accessories… things like statement necklaces, scarves, and foldable hats take up very little space in your bag but can go a long way in transforming your looks.
Stick to a theme or color palette
With airport security and baggage fees at an all-time high, I’m all about traveling as light as possible. I’m the carry-on queen, and I’ve only checked luggage twice in the past 10 years. One thing that helps tremendously is sticking with a single theme or color palette. For instance, I cut down on shoes, belts, and handbags by choosing either black or brown—this way everything coordinates. The same thing goes for my outfits –I’ll pick a specific color palette and make sure all of my tops and bottoms are interchangeable for maximum versatility. Sometimes I like to get really fun with it. For example, on a recent getaway to Bar Harbor, I packed all striped tops and different bottoms that I could mix-and-match. I think that was the shortest packing time I’ve ever had in my life, and I felt so cute and chic on each day of our trip.
And that’s all folks! Hopefully these tips can help guide you this holiday season. Wishing you happy and safe travels!
