Packing/Planning Travel Tips

Packing Redemption

September 11, 2015
All my clothes

The past two weeks have been a whirlwind of parties, tears, toasts, drinking and goodbyes – providing me with the perfect excuse to further delay packing. After my previous trip packing meltdown attempt, I’d been avoiding the process entirely, but yesterday – exactly one week from my departure date – I finally sucked it up and got it done. Praise be! So here’s the skinny:

Plane outfit

Plane outfit

This is what I plan to wear on the plane, when comfort is KEY:

  1. Chambray shirt (with tank under)
  2. Black leggings
  3. Sneakers
  4. Big scarf (which doubles as a blanket)
  5. Purse (which will house my computer and other valuables that I don’t want to check.)
Electronics

Electronics

These are all of my gadgets:

  1. MacBook Air
  2. Herschel MacBook Air sleeve
  3. Unlocked iPhone 4 (I plan to get a SIM card in Portugal so I have a phone/data when I’m out and about without wifi)
  4. iPhone 6 (not pictured because it’s also my camera!)
  5. LifeProof iPhone case (waterproof, drop proof, life proof – just what I need)
  6. Speaker
  7. Adapters
  8. Corders/chargers
  9. Mini tripod
  10. Headphones
  11. Lock
  12. Olloclip Active Lens (accessory that fits over my iPhone to snap rad pics)
  13. Carrying case for electronics
Makeup

Makeup/Beauty

I’m not taking a hair dryer, curling iron, straightener, etc., but I’ll be DAMNED if I’m giving up my makeup. I don’t wear a lot and odds are good that I’ll just slap on some moisturizer when the time comes, but I was in no way ready to part with my Nars at this time. Here’s what I’m bringing in the beauty department:

  1. Truffle Clarity Pouch (TSA approved)
  2. Eyelash curler
  3. Smashbox photo finish under eye primer (helps me look awake)
  4. Maybelline master conceal
  5. Nars “And God Created Woman” eye shadow palette
  6. Nars lip gloss
  7. Smashbox lip gloss
  8. Nars lipstick in “Heat Wave” (the BEST color ever created and my go-to when I want to look polished with as little effort as possible)
  9. bareMinerals all over face color in “A Little Sun”
  10. Smashbox duo eye shadow
  11. Ole Henriksen tinted cc cream with SPF 30
  12. Texturizing sea salt spray for hair
  13. Nars beauty stick in “Riviera” (I call this my “dew stick” because the cream blush makes my skin look dewy and amazing)
  14. Essie nail polish in “e-nuf is e-nuf”
  15. A tic-tac box full of bobby pins
  16. Blending sponge
  17. Brushes (bronzer, eye shadow, eye liner, eye brow)
  18. Liquid eyeliner
  19. Smashox Full Exposure mascara
  20. Chapstick
  21. Lip duo color and gloss

Holy shit. When I write it all out that looks like a lot…

Toiletries

Toiletries

Because of space/weight restrictions, I opted to go with travel-size items in this department and replenish as I go. Nothing special in this department in terms of brands, so I’ll just list them:

  1. Toiletry case
  2. Tiny loofa
  3. Face wipes
  4. Deodorant (full size, cause let’s be real)
  5. Nail clippers and file
  6. Tweezers
  7. Scissors
  8. Tubes for shampoo, conditioner and body wash
  9. Face wash
  10. Body lotion
  11. Face lotion with SPF
  12. Vaseline
  13. Razor with extra blades
  14. Toothbrush and paste
  15. Hand sanitizer
  16. Brush with hair ties
  17. Headbands
Jewelry

Jewelry

I don’t wear a lot of jewelry and it’s not a great idea to travel with a bunch (especially if it’s expensive), but it’s nice to have stuff that helps mix up your look. Plus, I won’t be able to pick up much more than small trinkets in terms of souvenirs, so I can always add to my collect in this way. Here’s what I’m taking:

  1. 4 necklaces
  2. 5 pairs of earrings
  3. My favorite gold bracelet.
Bags

Bags

  1. Large pack that will carry most of my things
  2. Medium leather pack that I’ll wear on my front when traveling and use as a day pack when exploring
  3. Small-ish bag to use as a carry-on and daytime bag
  4. Tiny crossbody purse for evenings out
  5. Wallet with zipper pouch for cash and my migraine meds
Items for Southeast Asia

Items for Southeast Asia

I am wildly lucky that exactly one month into my trip I’ll be meeting up with my family in Seville, Spain to celebrate my mom’s 60th birthday! I love that I’ll have this check in with them and be able to recharge my batteries before heading off to Bali. It also comes in handy because I can swap out some of my more European clothing items (white linen jacket, LBD, etc.) for things that will be more practical in Indonesia and the rest of Southeast Asia. These items fall within that category:

  1. Flowy palazzo pants
  2. Breezy printed dress
  3. 3 T-shirts
  4. 1 tank top
  5. Crocheted crop top (because YOLO)
Swimsuits

Swimsuits

I’m left wanting in this department, but I’m guessing I can always grab another along the way.

  1. 1 one-piece for water activities
  2. 1 sporty bikini
  3. 1 stingy-er bikini
  4. 1 completely insensible one-piece for Lord knows what
All my clothes

All my clothes

And here are all of my clothes for one-year’s time:

  1. 1 maxi dress
  2. 3 long-sleeve shirts (chambray, white cotton, and a black cardigan)
  3. 4 short dresses
  4. 3 skirts (two maxi and one pencil)
  5. 3 pairs of pants (jeans, flowy cotton, and black leggings)
  6. 3 tanks (all the same in black, gray and white)
  7. 1 black cropped tube top
  8. 3 T-shirts
  9. 5 tanks (some day-time, some more dressy)
  10. 3 pairs of shorts (jean, athletic, and black cotton)
  11. PJ set
  12. Vest
  13. Scarf (that can be belted and double as a top or used as a blanket/shawl)
Rollin'

Rollin’

Here’s everything rolled before I shoved it into my Eagle Creek packing cubes.

Packed!

Packed!

And here it is, all packed and ready to go! You’ll noticed a few extra items:

  1. 2 pairs of sandals
  2. 1 pair of heels (they’re comfortable, cheap and I have no issue tossing them if need be)
  3. 1 woven belt
  4. 1 REI PackTowl Personal Towel
  5. 1 empty sack for dirty/wet items that need to be laundered

So I can finally check that big “To Do” off my list! What do you think? Am I missing anything? Bets on how long it will take me to ditch half of this?

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6 Comments

  • Reply Jessica September 17, 2015 at 3:29 am

    Underwear and socks…very important 😉 I’m really excited for you!

    • Reply Miss Marge @ Large September 17, 2015 at 7:06 pm

      Very good call, Jessica haha! One of my BFFs – Maggie – asked how many pairs of underwear I was bringing. When I replied “20” she said, “That will get you through a week.” This girl LOOOOVE to change her underwear haha. So I’m set in that department and have three pairs of socks. My first stab at laundry (probably in a sink) will be interesting 🙂

  • Reply Kait September 18, 2015 at 12:38 am

    Hot diggity damn! You are rocking out this packing thing! My husband and I spent 3 weeks in Thailand this summer, so if you head that way at all, I can give you some tips for must do/can skip items! XOX

    • Reply margarethenney September 20, 2015 at 8:38 pm

      I will absolutely be hitting you up for ideas on Thailand. I’ll probably be there in December and hope to meet up with some friends there for NYE. Any and all suggestions are welcomed!

  • Reply http://mintfy.com/ September 25, 2015 at 9:54 pm

    Usually, I don’t read long posts, but it had been worth the time. Nice article.

    • Reply margarethenney September 28, 2015 at 4:21 pm

      Thanks very much and glad you enjoyed! I am guilty of being a bit long-winded, but there was just too much to cover for this one haha! I hope you keep following 🙂

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