Like so many people, I love to travel. I even like airports. And who the heck likes airports?! I love the hustle and bustle inside them, and the fact that there is like a million coffeeshops down every concourse (at least in American airports. ha!) I have a giant bright blue suitcase that makes me excited and I check google flight prices to random places throughout the world all the time. This is getting weird…you get the point. 😉
BUT sometimes my GIANT suitcase is not a suitable option. For example when flying on Spirit Airlines where they charge you half of what you paid for your entire flight just to check a bag… So, for my birthday this year I scored round trip tickets to Chicago for $78. Why would one NOT go to Chicago for the weekend for $78?! I only spent 3 days there… and I practically feel an oncoming breakout of hives just thinking about bringing only a carryon bag on a trip. I have a hard time keeping it under the 50lb weight limit on most “real” trips. It’s something I’m working on guys…don’t judge me!
I successfully survived my weekend trip with only a bag that adhered to Spirit’s carryon standards. It wasn’t even that painful, I promise. 😉
Here are some tips that I have to offer on lightweight traveling. From one over-packer to another. 😉
1. Versatile Shoes
Shoes are easily one of the bulkiest things to end up in your bag. I now hail from the land of palm trees where flip flops reign supreme year round, but this is certainly not the case for my motherland… Chicago. I bring hoodies when I visit Chi in July.
I opted for white Converse. They are not sandals, and yet…they go with everything. I fought the urge to bring the booties. Hard. If there is moderately cool weather, I’m wearing booties…and I had to leave them behind. :'(
Then, I brought one pair of heels. I went with my bff… We were gonna go out one night. I probably could have made the Converse work. But I narrowed things down to two pairs of shoes people. One of which I wore on the plane, let’s not push it.
2. Roll
The other bulkiest thing to go in your carryon? Jeans. Also optional in Florida… but definitely not in Chicago. Rolling your jeans saves major space. I don’t know why it is so much better than folding them flat on the bottom…but it is. Science.
3. Bare Necessities
Sometimes the smallest items are the most difficult to limit. I had leftover tiny shampoo and conditioner bottles from our trip to Georgia earlier this year. Also, I washed and straightened my hair right before I left. Then, I did the most terrifying thing of all… I left my straightener behind in favor of a bottle of dry shampoo. I know, I know. So brave. I go three days without washing my hair all the time, plus Illinois is majorly dry compared to Florida practically eliminating any oil on my body/hair whatsoever but…this still felt majorly weird. Since chopping all of my hair off thusly removing the messy bun from my hair arsenal, I don’t feel dressed unless this mop is styled.
For makeup I would opt for a good neutral palette with staying power. I brought my UD Gwen Stefani palette and got compliments on eyeshadow that was over 12 hours old. haha! Seriously though, I was busy that weekend. Ain’t nobody got time to redo their makeup on vacation. And when you’re visiting for only a long weekend, all of your days are over 12 hours. 😛
Also, my Naked Flushed palette is my absolute fav for traveling; blush, bronzer, and highlight in one tiny package!
4. Neutral Colors
And I don’t just mean your makeup. I packed alllll neutral colors that weekend. Even the green shirt that I packed for St Patricks Day was a pale minty shade. haha. That way either my brown jacket or my gray sweater would match everything that I brought. Also, my white Converse or my black heels. Even one of my two pairs of jeans were black. Like my soul. 😉
Despite all of my anxiety over leaving behind my booties and my straightener, I had a great trip. I honestly didn’t feel like I was missing anything, other than about 25lbs of suitcase that I wouldn’t have needed. 🙂
Are you an overpacker too? It’s okay, girl…the first step is admitting that you have a problem. 😉
