I avoid checking luggage at all costs, regardless of the destination.
Why? I’m impatient. I carry on to be more efficient, to avoid being slowed down, to skip waiting in lines. I can arrive at the airport later and head straight through security. When I land, I can bypass the baggage carousels and be on my way. And I get the benefit of knowing that my bag will arrive with me at my destination. It’s all about being in a better travel state of mind, creating space for more free time.
To avoid over-packing when I have a longer trip, I invest more time in mapping out each outfit I’ll be wearing. The bonus is that, once I arrive, I already know what to wear each morning (which, let’s be honest, shaves many minutes off my getting-ready process).
Versatility is key. I want to be able to get several wears out of pants, shorts, and shoes, knowing that I might only be able to wear my shirts once (especially in warmer weather).
I like to use my guest bed as a staging area, laying everything out so that I can make sure I did not miss anything and so that I can decide the proper bag to pack it in.
#3FLOZ #ZIPLOC - If my favorite brands are not available in a 3 fl-oz container already, I buy containers from Muji and fill them up.
And now I'm ready for my week-long trip to Europe!
All my bags are packed, I'm ready to go...
Lastly, when I have time, I try to make a new playlist for a trip. It adds some excitement to in-flight reading or napping, or can be the soundtrack to down-time spent in a hotel room. For your listening pleasure, my New Folk playlist is now up on the SOUNDTRACK page.
Stay tuned for future posts on the #Eurotrip… For now, I have a flight to catch!
-J