packing 101

Just this past week, my family and I made plans for a vacation early next year, and while our trip may be a couple of months away, I already can’t wait to go! One week of just soaking up the sun and doing absolutely nothing productive is definitely my idea of a good time. Perhaps the only part of traveling that I don’t exactly look forward to is packing.

I’m the type of person who brings along much more than is necessary, thinking I’m better off safe than sorry. I always seem to find myself standing in the middle of my room for longer than I’d care to tell just trying to decide what I should pack. By the end of each trip, however, I realize that I don’t end up using or wearing everything that I take with me.

So last year when I was packing for vacation, I decided that enough was enough! I whipped out my trusty old duffle bag and decided that I would try to fit a week’s worth of stuff in one carry-on. Somehow I narrowed my necessities down to a couple of pairs of jeans, a bunch of t-shirts and camis, a sweater, a hoodie, my iPod, and my bag of toiletries. I saved time by not checking in my bag, and I was spared the trouble of lugging around a heavy suitcase.

So tell me CG!s, do you pack everything but the kitchen sink or just the bare essentials? What are your tips for packing?

Cheers,
Lauren
CG! Editorial Intern