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Hello, lovelies!

One of the topics I have been most excited to write about for you is my packing tips. Packing light for trips is one of my favorite challenges and as a frequent traveler, I get lots of practice. I’m a big believer in only taking carry-on baggage when flying if at all possible. You won’t risk your bag getting lost, and I am even more convinced how important this is since my friend Barbara told me her big bag with all her favorite things was lost and never found! You will save so much time by skipping the long lines to check bags and avoiding the wait for your bag to get to baggage claim. And you can save money now that many airlines charge for checked bags. Even if you are checking your bag, it is just more practical to take a reasonable amount of clothes and shoes. Here are my five essentials for packing light, all but one of which are free!

1. Make lists

For any trips longer than a couple of days, and sometimes for shorter ones depending on the trip's purpose, I make a list ahead of time of what I’m going to pack. This not only helps me avoid forgetting anything, but also keeps me from overpacking. When I don’t have a list, I find I start throwing too many things into my suitcase just in case I need them. I make my packing lists on my computer or phone so that I can use them again later when I need to pack for a similar trip. Evernote is great for this because you can read your lists on any device. After a trip, I make notes on the list if there was something I didn’t wear or an item I wish I had packed.

I also have a general packing list, the current version of which I’ve included here for you. I don’t need all of these items on every trip! However, some of these are important not to forget when I do need them. It is embarrassing when your friends and family consider you the expert packer then you arrive somewhere without your laptop cord or the right undergarments for a dress. Whenever I finish packing for any trip, I look through this list to make sure I have all of the items I need. I keep this list on my computer and update it regularly.

2. Plan to rewear clothing

If you’re having an instant negative reaction to this advice, I get it. Like many of you, I try to mix up my wardrobe items and space out how often I wear the same thing. That is all well and good at home, but it isn’t practical when traveling. A trip is not a fashion show. You do not need a new outfit every day. You’re never going to see most of the people you encounter ever again. The family and/or friends traveling with you know you have a great wardrobe in your closet at home, and they don’t need extensive evidence of it on the trip. As long as you have plenty of clean underwear, you’re good. These are all things I’ve said to myself as I gave up (for the most part—there are trips that are exceptions) packing a new outfit for every day and night of a trip.

Pack solid, neutral pieces that you can mix and match like this ivory top along with blue and white jeans. For sightseeing during the day, I’m wearing blue jeans, ankle boots, and a scarf. When it is time to go to dinner, I swap to white jeans, ditch the scarf for a necklace, and change my shoes to neutral wedges. I’m a huge fan of wearing an ivory top with white or ivory pants. The column of color (a stylish expression for a monochromatic outfit) is so flattering, particularly for those of us on the shorter side.

3. Take as few shoes as possible

Shoes are bulky, and you want to give up as little of your valuable suitcase space as possible to them. Less shoes = more clothes! Shoes are also heavy, and you’re going to have to pick up your suitcase at some point. Plus you don’t want to be the one with that big ugly tag telling everyone you did not pack efficiently or, even worse, having to pay excess weight charges for your bag. So in addition to limiting the shoes you take, be sure to wear your heaviest pair on the plane so you don’t have them weighing down your suitcase.

Only a select few pairs of my shoes go on trips. Shoes for travel have to be comfortable enough for multiple miles of walking a day (never evertake new shoes on a trip—you will inevitably end up with blisters) and neutral enough to go with lots of different outfits. I’m not trying to have the best shoe for every outfit like I would at home. I just want to have shoes that will look fine with the clothes I am packing. My goal is to pack a maximum of three pairs of shoes. Here are the shoes I chose for a recent 10-day trip to Europe for which I only took carry-on luggage (an entire post on what I took is coming soon so keep reading my posts for more packing tips): one pair of ankle boots; one pair of nude, peep-toe, low-heel wedges; and one pair of trail shoes that are good for a variety of outdoor activities. Do I wear more than three pairs of shoes in 10 days at home? Absolutely. But I don’t drag all of those shoes on trips. And please be sure to note that comfortable does not mean ugly.

4. Roll your clothes

You will be able to fit far more clothes in your suitcase if you roll them instead of folding them, and they will be less wrinkled. Try it once, and you’ll be a convert. Here’s a step-by-step visual of how to roll your clothes when you are packing:

I never take a hanging bag when I fly. Rolling my clothes, including dresses, works just fine. I do take a hanging bag on road trips sometime. Speaking of which, I’ll let you in on one of my secrets: I often seriously overpack for road trips. As in I can go to Europe for more than a week with carry-on luggage but will fill up the car trunk to go away for the weekend. It’s like I am making up for how efficiently I pack when flying. Life is about balance, right?

5. Choose your luggage carefully

Here on Your Style Vault, we talk a lot about making the right purchases, and this is definitely important when it comes to luggage, which is not inexpensive. Here are some things to consider: What size do you need? This is especially important for carry-on luggage when flying. Do you want wheels and if so, how many? I am a big fan of wheels and would get two, rather than four, because they are generally more durable due to the way wheels are configured. What interior and exterior compartments would be useful for you? How durable is the bag? What is the warranty? There is a lot to consider! I’ve created a luggage collection with my recommendations from a variety of price points for Style Vault Insiders. And of course Complete Insiders have access, too. Not an Insider yet? Click here to receive a free 5-day trial as a Complete Insider and start shopping our fall fashion vaults, plus the extra collections featuring fall boots, jewelry, skincare, etc. inside the Complete Vault.

If you see me in an airport, most of the time it will be with these two bags: a tote bag with a slip-through back pocket that slides over my suitcase handle and a rolling carry-on upright suitcase. My purse (it is almost always a crossbody, which is the perfect travel purse—more on that in a future packing tips post!) is inside the tote bag. I highly recommend looking for a tote or backpack that will securely attach to your suitcase. It will save a lot of wear and tear on your shoulders. My suitcase is expandable, which I also recommend. An expandable carry-on suitcase is really two suitcases in one, which comes in handy if you have a trip where you need to pack more than a carry-on suitcase will hold or if you shop on a trip and need room to bring your purchases home.

Sometimes I’m going somewhere where I need a more stylish option than my usual black travel bag so I either take a business or casual tote. The tote shown here (Style Vault Insiders, get all the details in my luggage collection) is a great one because it is attractive (and comes in many patterns and colors!), has multiple pockets, zips closed at the top, and is very light. I especially like the outside zippered pocket so I can stash things I want to get to easily, like my ID for airport security. The features of this bag are ones you want to look for in any travel tote.

If you use these five packing tips, you’ll be a better packer no matter how big your suitcase is. I have more packing tips coming soon: be sure to subscribe to the blog so you don’t miss any of my posts. And if you want more of my style tips before I’m back here, follow me on Instagram.

Until next time,

Francie