How to pack for your next trip

A guide on how to pack light while giving yourself options that you're excited to wear.

You ever notice how people talk about packing when they are about to go on a trip? It often comes off as a daunting activity for most, but it doesn’t have to be. Understanding how to pack gives you some freedom from any unnecessary anxiety—because nobody should be stressed while traveling. That’s not the vibe we’re going for. Today’s guide is an introduction to the idea of how to make it easier for you to pack for your next trip. By using some sort of structure, you should hopefully eliminate some potential worries, like are you bringing enough or maybe you’ve overpacked?

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This week’s topic is a question from one of our readers! Appreciate the suggestion and hopefully today’s newsletter will answer some of your questions.

Ezra writes: I have some upcoming travel (both for fun and for work) and I always find it hard to find the balance of packing light while also giving myself options I’m excited about. I’d love to read your take on a travel packing guide — what are the essentials, how to put together interesting outfits with limited options / space, etc.

For today’s newsletter I’m going to use a carry-on suitcase to demonstrate how I pack, some tips and tricks to maximize space while you travel, what clothes to take with you to create effortless looks with less, we’ll also build some outfits using what I packed to demonstrate versatility you should aim for, and maybe even create some space for some new purchases to take home with you.

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ALLOCATING YOUR SPACE

So I usually take a medium/large backpack with me alongside my suitcase. Laptop, toiletries, chargers and miscellaneous items go in my backpack, and then the suitcase is strictly for my clothes. The suitcase you have does help with the way you pack. I recently picked up this one called Skylabo from Hands, a Japanese department store, that has pretty much anything you might need. Make sure you go here when you’re back next. Anyway, it came with a lot of compartments, which is something I never really had in a suitcase before.

Suitcases in Japan are extremely affordable. I think this one cost me just around $150. It’s built really well, has a lot of removable compartments if you want even more space, and has great quality wheels that roll quietly—an important detail of any suitcase in my opinion. I have the Away carry-on and check-in bags, and those both work great as well. I find that the lack of compartments do create more chaos within my actual suitcase because I’m just throwing things in there by the end of it.

Point is, invest in a nice suitcase. Buying one in North America should be your last resort if I’m being honest. Try to pick one up when you’re abroad, chances are the quality will be the same or even better for the fraction of the price. I would recommend looking for one that has good wheels and some compartments that are ideally removable.

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WHAT SHOULD YOU BRING WITH YOU

It’s about to be summer, so we’re going to focus on packing for the warmer weather. Traveling in the fall and winter require some special travelling maneuvers that we’re going to try to cover in the future.

I tend to pack pretty light because I usually end up buying more stuff that make my bag overflow for my return. Typically, 3 pairs of shoes is the max I’m bringing on any trip. I try to pick items that have completely different styles and colors in order to create more potential versatility for my outfits. This includes the shoes you already have on your feet, so 2 in the suitcase, one on the dogs—sandals and that genre doesn’t count because they are pretty thin and easy to pack.

2 shoes, one more casual and one that can be dressed up is always a good choice. I’m going a bit more casual for the dressed up version—Prada Luna Rosa sneakers. With the right pants they honestly look very presentable.

I usually separate the shoes and use the middle space for random stuff like belts, socks and whatever else I might need—sometimes that space is made for a portable steamer. If you’re really packing light then you can easily throw your toiletries in there as well. Basically you want to dedicate the other side of your luggage for clothing only. Here is where your folding technique really comes into play.