4 Secrets to Pack Less and Feel Great About It.
Updated: Jan 12, 2023
When I travel, I rarely check a bag. My secrets?
1. Pack neutrals. When your pieces are interchangeable you need less of them. Add a pop of color with a scarf or headband, colorful flats, bold statement jewelry or hats. I especially like colorful infinity scarves with hidden pockets (https://amzn.to/3fyCZoE).
2. Pack thin. When your pieces are thin you can bring more of them. Think thin dresses or thin shell tops or scarves for variety. Instead of a packing a stack of undies and pajamas to cover each day, consider packing just a few thin quick-dry items to wash and wear. Try pajamas made of thin bamboo, viscose, or tencel (https://amzn.to/3t1hYGo). Try fabrics engineered to wring in a towel and dry in a couple hours like these quick dry cross-over cami-bras (https://amzn.to/3NE2PEl) and bikinis (https://amzn.to/3fz2dTU) as thin underwear sets.
3. Pack categories. When you organize your items into bags or compression cubes (https://amzn.to/3fvlkOU) like you would in drawers at home its easy to spot duplicates to eliminate. Lay out all bottoms, all tops, all outerwear and special wear. Omit colors and prints that don't play well with others. Bag each category with the intention to mix and match the fewest items.
4. Pack what moves you. Life is short. If it doesn't spark joy when you touch it, leave it! You will take less. And be sure to drop in an Apple air-tag device (https://amzn.to/3UzLxKT) to track your bag as it moves.
Here are a few of my joy-sparked purchases designed by Black fashion influencers of African descent. They were featured in Amazon's "The Drop" limited collections, so current availability may vary:
Wide Legs Slacks by @highlowluxe. Lovely lavender or buttery cream. You may need to hit them with an iron on arrival but they are not too bulky. And the elastic waist adds comfort for someone like me who literally travels to eat.
Rhythm and Blues Tshirt by @H.E.R. Simple embroidered style takes a graphic tee up a notch.
Knit cap sleeve dress by @tenickab. Nice weight to the knit, I love the hourglass curves and bold solid colors.
Knit bell sleeve dress by @Theusufs. A not so basic little black dress. Asymmetrical in all the right places. Nice weight to the knit.
Silky Black Wrap Dress by @thetenillelife. Classic LBD. Packs thin. Layer on a top and use like a skirt.
BONUS SECRET: Doing with more with less and decluttering the rest can also help you help others. Instead of breaking down Amazon and other cardboard boxes, fill them with gently used clothing and household goods so a partner of the 501c3 organization @givebackbox.com can cover the shipping of your donations to PlanetAid.org and other charities. With sustainability in mind, let's help keep clothing, shoes, toys, and household textiles out of landfills. Simply enter your zip code and info to print a unique label for each box here: https://www.givebackbox.com/GBB/ .
Know your visiting Amazon through our links helps to offset the costs of hosting this blog, as we may earn affiliate compensation so we appreciate you accessing Amazon through any link above to search and purchase these or any other items you like.
