My husband and I are heading out to Nantucket for a short vacation next week. After a hectic event season, I am ready for some R&R, and Nantucket — with its peaceful, laid-back, island pace; beautiful, pristine beaches; and a slew of great restaurants — is just the place for the restoration I need.
With all of the luggage restrictions and fees these days, I have to attack packing in a whole new way. Efficiency is key. Before, I had no problem packing as many shoes as I needed, for example. Now, I approach the shoe problem by being thoughtful about my attire.
I map out a rough schedule of what I plan to do each day (nothing rigid — just things like Day: hiking, beach; Night: dinner out (be sure to research in advance the dress policy of the restaurants you are going to)) and then count the number of total outfits I will need. I pull them out, lay them on the bed, and begin to assess — can I reuse a pair of pants instead of bringing two? Are most of my outfits “black shoe” outfits or “brown shoe” outfits. I pick a color and stick with it so I don’t have to bring both color shoes.
I think about the shoes I am going to wear traveling on the plane. Are they easy to slip on and off? Can I reuse them again? (I shy away from boots, for example, unless I plan to wear them again on the way home and I REALLY want to bring them.)
My toiletries usually consist of travel-size versions of my regular beauty routine. Tip: I ALWAYS buy my makeup at Neiman Marcus when they have their Beauty Event. I don’t buy any other time of the year. If you spend a certain aount at one counter — Laura Mercier is my favorite — they give you their gift and on top of that you get a gift from Neiman Marcus in a cool tote/hand bag. It is full of travel-size containers of products. So convenient!
Here are some other ideas and tips for efficient travel packing:
- Martha has some great tips for packing carry-on luggage, including a video.
- Of course, it is always helpful to review TSA’s packing tips and latest guidelines.
- Fodor’s 9 Tips For Packing Light is a helpful resource, too.
Happy and safe travels!
