Pack It Up

How and What to Pack for Your Trips

Granted, most people are probably on their way back from their travels, but this might be a good how-to for future reference. Plus, I’m leaving for the time of my life (so far) in 5 days, so packing has been on my mind. My personal predicament: what clothes to pack when you’re going on a study abroad program for 3 months (I’m going to Rome!).

The Essentials

1) Check luggage restrictions for wherever you’re going
2) Know what the weather is going to be like
3) Keep in mind how long your trip will last

The Basics

1) Have good-quality, recognizable suitcases (imagine grabbing the wrong bag, or having your 40+ pound bag lose a wheel, fall apart, etc.)
2) Conserve space as much as you can (for example, socks/underwear can get stuffed into shoes rather than take up more space on their own)
3) Pack mostly low-maintenance clothing (i.e. non-wrinkling, easy to air-dry)
4) Don’t over pack (7 pairs of heels for a 2-day trip might count as too much… so might 7 pairs of heels for 3 months, if that time is going to be spent walking around a mile everyday)

Tips and Tricks

1) Bring clothing that will be appropriate for the places you’ll visit (miniskirts and the Vatican do not mix)
2) Look into how the locals dress (you probably won’t be able to blend in completely, but at least you’ll have an idea of how everyone else is going to look)
3) Go for clothing that you can easily mix-and-match to maximize outfit potential (in other words, don’t bring the bulky chartreuse sweater if you only ever wear it with one outfit)
4) Cram in as many accessories as you can (jewelry, scarves, etc. are great ways to jazz up outfits and make them your own—plus, they take up so little space)
5) Remember that you’ll be able to shop while you’re at your destination (I plan to do lots of this—just make sure there’s room in your suitcase for the trip back)