Packing Tips – rebeccawanderlusting

Every week or so, I decide that I’m going to go through all my clothes, donate everything I never wear and be left with a perfect capsule wardrobe. Due to my inability to part with clothes I rarely way, it never happens, but the idea behind this obsession has inspired me to pack capsule wardrobes for each of my last few trips. The point of a travel capsule wardrobe is to streamline your packing and allow you to mix and match staple items for multiple outfits while you’re abroad. I used this method for a few of my longer trips and it worked like a dream. Not only was my luggage much lighter, but I had different outfits for every day I was away.

Here are the 12 pieces you can pack to make for 10 days of outfits; aka, the perfect travel capsule wardrobe:

Jeans
Leggings
Skirt
Dress
White Button Up
T-Shirt
Blouse
Tank Top
Cardigan
Booties
Sneakers
Flats

Day 1: Jeans, White Button Up, Flats

Day 2: Leggings, T-Shirt, Sneakers

Day 3: Skirt, Blouse, Booties

Day 4: Dress, Cardigan, Flats

Day 5: Jeans, T-Shirt, Flats

Day 6: Leggings, White Button Up, Booties

Day 7: Skirt, Tank Top, Cardigan, Sneakers

Day 8: Jeans, Blouse, Booties

Day 9: Skirt, T-Shirt, Flats

Day 10: Dress, Booties

The key is to bring mostly neutral colors so everything can mix and match easily. Add in a seasonally appropriate jacket, some jewelry and a purse and you’ll be good to go. What is the best way to accumulate these items for a travel capsule wardrobe, you ask? Well, with the right resources it’s pretty easy and not as expensive as you’d expect. Here are my favorite shopping hacks for buying clothes on a budget:

Raise: Raise is a brilliant way to spend less on your everyday items by buying discounted gift cards through their online marketplace. I’ve used them to buy gift cards for my favorite clothing stores (Gap, Madewell & Nordstrom), and it’s super simple to buy the gift cards, print them out (or download them into the Raise mobile wallet app to keep them handy with all your other gift cards) and use them instantly. If you’ve never used Raise before, use the code WANDER20 for $20 off your next purchase of $40 or more.
Stitch Fix: This online stylist has changed the way I shop for most of my clothes, especially the basics that would comprise a capsule wardrobe. It’s basically a subscription box customized to your shape and style that can come once a month or as often as you’d like. My coworker talked me into trying this service and I have been hooked ever since.
Outlet Malls: So obvious that it has they have to do the trick, outlet malls are my go to when I feel the need to supplement my wardrobe without spending too much. The outlet mall closest to us is the Fashion Outlets of Chicago in Rosemont, IL which feature two levels of stores. Outlet malls can be a free for all of bargain hunters elbowing their way to the deals, but sometimes you can find pieces so good it’s worth the fight.

What are the key pieces in your travel capsule wardrobe? What are your best tips for building a wardrobe on a budget?

Carry-On Essentials

I like to think of myself as a pretty organized packer. I make lists, I pack ahead of time, and I have a straight forward system for the morning of the trip to pack up my last minute items. I always strive to only pack carry-on when flying, due to my impatience with baggage claim and fear of having luggage lost. However, when I’m forced to check a bag, there are a few things that absolutely need to be in my carry-on for the flight. I’m a pretty low-maintenance traveler, but I do get a little cranky if I forget to pack any of the following items:

1. Make-Up Remover Wipes: I absolutely need these for every trip. I always feel so greasy after a flight, and it makes me feel infinitely better to be able to wash my face. These wipes are an easy way to freshen up without much hassle. I prefer Simple Brand, but any kind will do.

2. A Good Read(s): I refuse to travel without a book to keep me company. And while I love actual paper books more than I love electronic ones, my iPad is more space-friendly when I travel. I tend to burn through books with that much time on my hands so my iPad allows me to bring back-ups without bringing an extra carry-on full of paperbacks (yes, it’s happened before).

3. A Scarf: It really is one of the more versatile and useful things you can bring with you on a flight. You can accessorize with it, use it as a blanket, put it up as a makeshift curtain between you and your seat mate…whatever you want. I like wearing a scarf on the plane because it jazzes up my usual travel outfit of leggings and an over-sized t-shirt.

4. Concealer: Like I said, I’m not all that high-maintenance, but I do prefer to step into a new city with the confidence of having hidden under-eye circles and pimples. I like to have a good concealer on hand to handle these problem areas, which somehow always seem to worsen after a flight. I prefer Benefit Erase Paste, but again, any brand will do.

5. Empty Water Bottle: I think this is a pretty well-known airport hack, but it’s definitely worth over-mentioning. Bringing an empty water bottle in your carry-on allows you to take it past security and fill it up by your gate to avoid overpaying for an airport bottle of water. The water fountain is free, people, take advantage of it! I won’t bore you about the importance of staying hydrated while traveling, so just think about it on your own.

What are your carry on essentials? Do you have any baggage/airport hacks you stand by?

P.S.- Things that didn’t quite make the cut: headphones (an obvious choice), ZZquil (only necessary for the really long trips), snacks (another obvious choice, for me anyways), Notebook/pencils (duh) and Nivea Crème (no need for more emphasis on the importance of hydration).

P.P.S- The products are linked for your convenience, not for my benefit. 🙂