Pack It Up, Pack It In

After traveling for the majority of weekends this summer, I’ve come to some packing epiphanies.

I used to despise packing. In the past I would stay up until the wee hours on the night before a trip, trying on every item of clothing I own and sorting each piece into yes, maybe and no piles. This was obviously a painstaking process, and inevitably I would reach a state of delirium and end up packing both the yes and maybe piles anyway and calling it a night. I always over-packed, but there is a better way! Here are my newfound packing realizations/tips.

1. Pack Warm Clothes, Even in the Summer

Whenever we go to the beach for the weekend I’m always cold at night. And trains are iceboxes. Always pack a jacket. Always pack a scarf. Always pack socks.

2. Don’t Unpack and Repack Key Toiletries

This is a huge time saver, especially considering the strict liquid laws for flying. I’ve learned to keep a designated travel toiletries bag, with toiletries already in it. Buying a second set of your essentials is worth the few extra bucks. It saves a lot of time and stress. How tedious is having to squirt face wash into a little plastic “travel size” container?! In my travel bag I keep a small zip-lock of q-tips, a mini Aquafor, a disposable razor, a travel sized shaving cream, a dab of eye makeup remover, shampoo & conditioner samples, a mini toothpaste, a small bottle of face wash, a mini face moisturizer and the smallest body lotion I can get my hands on.

3. Pick a Color Scheme and Stick to It

I usually pick pieces that match either a black purse or a brown purse. I went with brown (with a strong coral influence) for my most recent trip to Amagansett.

P.S. I once heard about a woman who kept only white clothes (including under garments) at one home and only black clothes at her second home… That’s one way to streamline your dressing decisions.