Favorite Finds: Packing Tips

jumper + more darling ones$42 here + $76 here  |  white tee  |  shoes  |  jacket  |  necklaces  |  suitcase

This past weekend I got to step away from the mom life for a little getaway with some of my favorite girls at Pelican Hill! It’s always so hard for me to leave my people! I’m glad I convinced myself, because a break to relax was exactly what I needed! I’ll be sharing more about the trip on our Weekly Update tomorrow! Since I’ve been doing more traveling than usual lately, and have a few trips coming up, I thought I’d share 5 of my biggest packing tips for this weeks Favorite Finds!

suitcase  |  shorts $44  |  polka dot swimsuit bottom + top

DO ALL YOUR LAUNDRY FIRST…

This one might seem a little strange, and like the last thing you want to be thinking about when you are trying to prep for a trip. There are two reasons this makes my top tips. First of all, if the laundry is done it gives you access to your full wardrobe. You can pack the items you actually want + see what you have to work with. The second reason I always try to do this, is so when I get home I only have trip laundry to do, and not everything I failed to do before we left!

STICK TO A LIST…

I swear these days I can’t function without multiple to do lists. Packing, especially for 5 little people, means a definite list. I usually go through and write down all the activities for the particular trip, so I know exactly what we need. This not only makes sure my mom brain doesn’t miss anything, but also makes sure I’m not packing things we don’t need.

PICK VERSATILE PIECES…

This is probably my number one tip. If you are packing a full outfit for each day of your trip, with no multi-use pieces, you will quickly find yourself over packed. I always pack a good pair of jeans, that fit well and don’t stretch too much. That way they look just as good the second time around. A good basic tee is always on the list too. These two items are kind of my “power couple” because I know they can easily transition to nice evening looks by just adding accessories and heels! The same goes for my little people. I go into detail on my must haves for them in this post, but everything has to work for multiple looks.

PACK SMART…

Saving space in a suit case is kind of like a puzzle. I sometimes find myself taking things out and rearranging them to make it work. After a lot of trial and error there are a few things that always help. Number one is ROLL DON’T FOLD! You will always always fit more if you roll your clothes. Second, is to wear your bulk. I try to wear the things that will take up the most space. Usually that means wearing my jacket and tennies to help save space!

CARRY-ON IF YOU CAN…

When we are flying, if at all possible, we try to stick to only carry on luggage. There are actually a few reasons why we do this! First of all, with 5 little people, we want to spend the least amount of time at the airport as possible. If we aren’t checking luggage, we can arrive a little later. Another reason is to avoid all the insane baggage fees. We really love our Away luggage. Each of the kids love having their own suitcase to be in charge of. They especially loved picking out their own fun color! Joe and I love them because they have built in chargers so we never have to stress about a phone or ipad dying. We also take advantage of the “second” small bag rule. Each of my people bring a little backpack full of snacks and entertainment for the trip.

With spring break just around the corner, I hope these tips help you conquer the challenge of packing for you + your people! You can find a few more tips + tricks I swear by here as well as my go to travel beauty faves!  I’d love to hear any tips you have!