Packing Like a Pro

Jackson may not be a fan of me traveling, but I love it…kind of.

Traveling is kind of the worst. Airport lines, sick people, bumpy flights, cramped spaces…it’s all overwhelming. So you might as well make it as easy as possible on yourself so you’re not miserable the entire time. Today I’m talking about ways that have made traveling smoother, easier and more enjoyable, all while packing like a pro and getting the most out of your carry-on suitcase.

So let’s first start with how I pack. I’m leaving for LA today for Expo West and this was how I packed my suitcase yesterday. Most of the time, I’ll know exactly what my schedule is going to look like, but since this trip was planned last minute AND I’ve never been to Expo West, I didn’t really have any idea of what I needed to wear. So I simply picked some of my favorite jeans, comfy tops, and a couple more dressed-up looks plus a couple activewear outfits in case a workout or two slips in.

If you’ve been trying to figure out what kind of suitcase to invest in, this one is my all-time favorite. I seriously LOVE it! It also comes in brown in case you’re worried about getting the white one dirty! What I love about a hard-case suitcase is that you don’t have to worry about anything getting smashed whether you’re checking your bag or crushing it into the overhead bin or it falling over while you’re sipping on a cocktail at some airport bar. All things stay put in the hard-case. The second part that I love for packing is this packing cube set. My friend Diane from Balanced Bites recommended them so I recently grabbed some and it makes keeping everything organized easier than ever. No sliding around in your suitcase or digging to find whatever you put on the bottom when you packed. Everything is nice and secure!

When I start figuring out outfits for the week, I check out what the weather is going to be like where I’m traveling to, then lay everything out to see if I have an outfit for every day and if I can mix and match some of the items. Since jeans take up more room, I will pack more tops and less jeans. I personally don’t care about wearing jeans multiple times or days in a row, so I try not to overpack with jeans.

I try to save room in little ways:

• Taking workout tops that have built in bras so I don’t have to pack extra sports bras.
• I’ll wear whatever shoes will take up the most room in my suitcase actually to the airport instead of packing them.
• Take shoes that can be interchangeable for multiple events like a workout and walking around a city. Less shoes, more room.
• I won’t bring a hair dryer because almost EVERY hotel you stay at has one.
• I also don’t bring a curler or straight iron and just decide that blowing out my hair will do.
• I’ll ask my hair stylist if she has any samples or travel size products. That way I won’t bring any shampoo or conditioner (I’ll just use the hotels products) but then will have some of my favorite after-shower products like smoothing oil or leave-in conditioner.
• I often bring a larger size purse so that way I can carry some extra items that don’t fit in my suitcase and store them in my purse. I’ll often put my makeup, snacks, computer, camera, etc. in my purse to help with storage room in my carry-on.
• Within my larger purse, I’ll pack a smaller, crossbody purse where i’ll store my wallet, phone charger, etc. That way I have a smaller purse option whenever I may be wandering around a city and not want to carry a big shoulder bag the entire time.
• I pack lots of paleo snacks with me so I always have options and don’t end up eating sh*tty food. I also pack all these snacks in a ziplock bag so they aren’t spreading throughout my purse and taking up too much room.

These packing cubes help keep all my toiletries, prescriptions and all those little travel size items in place. I carry a lot of glass bottles because of the face products I use so I’ll stuff all those bottles into a ziplock bag and then put a few cotton balls in that ziplock to make sure the bottles aren’t clinking together too much. I use place face pads (like the ones you use to remove your makeup) inside any of my powder products to keep them from breaking during all the movement.

With traveling in general, I HIGHLY recommend doing these things because they have helped me so so much :

• Getting TSA pre-check. I’m not kidding you, it was the greatest money ever spent. I think it cost $85-$100 and looking back now, I would have paid over $500 because it makes life so much more sane. Once in a great while, there won’t be a TSA pre-check or it will be closed, but that’s not very often. Getting TSA pre-check means you don’t have to take anything out of your bag or take off your shoes or jacket. You get through lines extremely quick and onto your destination faster. It’s awesome.
• Pack snacks. Make sure you have options in case you get stuck somewhere or find yourself in a bind.
• Look at the airports you are flying in to and see if they have any better options when it comes to dining. More airports are adding in better quality restaurants and food so make sure you’re in the know and can eat a good meal between flights.
• Wash your hands as often as possible. People are disgusting and they are touching everything. If you want to get sick, the airport is the place to do it so wash often!
• Try not to touch any of the handles or handrails or whatever else.
• Download podcasts.
• Work from your computer.
• Pack a collapsable water bottle so you have room in your purse and can stay hydrated during travel.
• Drink water – stay away from alcohol. Not only will you save money but you’ll keep up with your health goals even while not at home.

Those are things that have worked for me. I can’t stress enough how amazing TSA pre-check has been. It has been one of my best purchases of all time. Ever. And I’m really loving these packing cubes because they seriously do save A LOT of space. I hope these little tips have helped because they have definitely helped with in the past 3 years when I’ve been traveling so often! Leave a comment below with what things you have done while traveling to make your life easier and more enjoyable! Can’t wait to hear your own tips! Happy traveling!