How to Pack Light for Holiday Travel

Message from Diana
Feature Article: How to Pack Light for Holiday Travel

Thanks again to everyone who emailed to say how much they enjoyed those "Lessons from the Gym" I wrote about last week:

What a hoot! Lots of "light bulb" moments all around. Glad I could help! Who knew you could have an epiphany pumping iron (while watching lots of young hot guys do the same)? Not me. Needless to say, I'll be going back for more.

Yes, I know it's only been a week since my last ezine. But since next Thursday is the American Thanksgiving Holiday and I'll be too busy cooking turkey to write, I've decided to bump things up a week with a much-requested article I get every holiday season: how to pack light. With airlines charging to check bags or for bags that exceed the weight limit, I think it's especially timely this year. Why spend money on your bags when you can use it for your trip?

Weddings and funerals and shows, oh my! What should you wear for the many occasions in your life? Get it wrong, and you feel like a fool. Get it right and you can enjoy yourself - and impress others with your fashion savvy. From barbecues to the ballet, funerals to film festivals, discover the simple way to determine "what to wear when" in the pages of OCCASION MAGIC:

http://www.occasionmagic.com

If you've ever packed way too much for a trip, struggled with your suitcase, or gotten to your destination only to realize you've left pertinent pieces behind, you may have wondered if there is a better way to go about packing.

All you have to do is make a plan, assemble a clothing capsule, and put it in the suitcase. Once you get good at it, you can be packed and ready to go in about ten minutes.

I've known lots of women who insist on packing just about everything they own because they don't know what they'll "feel" like wearing on any given day of their trip.

Translation: They don't know what they're supposed to wear so they take everything, hoping something will be appropriate.

ASK. Find out what you'll be doing, where you'll be going, what the weather's like, and what other people will be wearing. If you'll be visiting friends or relatives, ask them. If you'll be speaking at a conference, ask the meeting planner. If you'll be vacationing at a hotel in the Caribbean, email the concierge before you go.

It's such a simple little thing, but so few people think to do it. If you don't know, ASK! It's the quickest way to find your answer.

Once you have your basic itinerary, you can begin to consider what types of clothing you need to take.

The next step is to figure out how to take as few pieces as possible yet still cover all of your activities. You want to minimize your losses if your bag goes missing yet maximize the number of possible ensembles for the greatest flexibility.

While I've reviewed capsules before and cover them extensively in WARDROBE MAGIC (complete with tons of pictures),

I'll touch on it again because the information bears repeating. Once you master how to mix and match your clothes, as my grade school daughters have, you'll be astounded by what you can do with the clothes you already own.

A clothing capsule is approximately 8-12 pieces of clothing that mix and match easily with each other. They can be the same or complimentary colors, and in styles that work well with each other.

Let's say that you're headed to your Mother's or brother's for the long Thanksgiving weekend. You'll be eating, shopping, eating, cooking, eating, going hiking, eating, going to the movies, eating, going to church or temple, and possibly going out to eat. A good capsule might include:

Thanksgiving dinner:

White blouse, black pants, black cardigan

Shopping:

Blue T-shirt, blue jeans, black jacket

Hiking:

Red sweater, blue jeans

The movies:

Red sweater, blue jeans, black cardigan

Church or temple:

White blouse, black skirt, scarf tied at neck (or draped over shoulder or down back), black jacket

Jones New York
Macys.com

Printed scarf
Overstock.com

See how easy this is? If you stick with a basic color scheme and pieces that mix and match easily, you'll not only have a variety of

outfits, you'll be able to come up with something instantly if you find yourself headed somewhere or doing something you hadn't planned.

Another bonus? You can cut WAY down on the number of shoes and other accessories you need to take because you won't have to accessorize so many different outfits.

Once you've put together your clothing capsule and determined what accessories you need to take (jewelry, belts, shoes, handbags), stop for a moment to consider your undergarments. Do you need a camisole or slip? Special panties or foundation garments? Pull it out now so you don't forget it.

Put everything in your suitcase. Add nightclothes, slippers, and a robe. Put in your underwear and footwear for however many days you need. If you'll be swimming or working out, pack those clothes as well. You want to take what you need without over-packing or leaving key pieces behind.

Now go pack your cosmetic case. Use travel-size toiletries, and keep them in your cosmetic case from here on out. Pack any prescription medications you need and take along a stash of feminine hygiene products whether you're expecting your cycle or not. Stress has a way of messing with your body and you don't want to be caught without supplies.

Finally, always wear layers when you travel, particularly if you're going to be changing climates. You want to be able to regulate your body temperature easily, so wear cardigans or pullovers that can be added or removed as needed. If you keep them in the same color family as your clothing capsule, you now have one more piece to work with.

Traveling is stressful enough without struggling with a heavy suitcase, keeping track of too many pieces, and wondering what you'll be doing once you get where you're going. So make it easy on yourself.

Ask a few questions, make a plan, put together a clothing capsule, and put it in your suitcase. You'll look good, feel great, and save yourself an aching back. You may even raise some eyebrows by how few pieces of luggage you bring - especially when you look great every day of your trip.

Need some more help putting together clothing capsules, with tons of pictures for easy understanding? Then grab a copy of WARDROBE MAGIC,

http://www.wardrobemagic.com

to see how easy looking great - and traveling light -- can be.