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Carry On Packing

This is a repost from and old blog of mine from 2011, but it still applies...

Well, I'm Europe bound in 2 weeks, and my dream is to travel light.  Really light. Now, I have done this before; on my last trip to Italy, I was quite proud of myself for restricting my packing, and being frankly brutal about it. I packed a few t-shirts, a frumpy skirt, and a pair of cargo Capri pants that I wore everywhere (even in Capri!). The result of this is that I looked, well, gross. I didn't look the way I imagined myself looking while wandering around some very sophisticated places- I looked like I do when I'm cleaning the tub and taking out the recycling. It didn't take long for me to regret my packing job. Especially considering that my travel buddy managed to get a bunch of skirts, a straightening iron, and what seemed like 50 lbs of coordinating jewelry into her carry-on. I vowed to do better next time.


Well, it's next time. Rather than packing the clothes I took last time, most of which have olive oil stains on them anyway, I am planning to look more put together. This is the plan: I'm packing 5 dresses, a denim skirt, 4 tops, (nice) cargo pants, and a bathing suit. 

For the flight, I'll wear jeans, slip on shoes, a t shirt, sweater, and jacket. Easier to wear the bigger things, and I am always freezing on planes, so this works fine for me.

Here are all the clothes laid out; we have a washing machine at the villa in Umbria we're renting for the first week, so I'll be able to clean things before heading off to France (I'm sure this year's olive oil stains will be a challenge, however.)

Everything rolled up looks pretty packable, right?

I'm taking 3 pairs of shoes- all comfortable, and the sandals are cute enough to wear in Rome or Paris. I'm very into comfort, but I wouldn't be caught dead walking around Europe in running shoes.


The espadrilles are toe to toe along the long end of the suitcase. The sandals will be wrapped together and shoved down the right side.

Enter the packing cube, meant to hold things together and to maximize space. I'm addicted to organizing products.



About half of the rolled up dresses, shirts, and skirts fit nicely into the packing cube.

Stick the packing cube into the suitcase, with shoes on 2 sides.

Everything else fits on top, with the bathing suit shoved into some empty space by the shoes.

Yes, I am bringing a hat. As much as I wanted a really nice Panama, this linen hat is super-packable, and that's what it's all about on this journey. (Intimates are rolled and stuck in the inside zippered section of the suitcase top, for those who care).

Toiletries- small sizes, including some Tide for washing clothes, and everything else I should need, for the first week, anyway.

The non-liquid toiletries- makeup includes stick foundation, mascara, and a Nars palette. I'm also bringing floss, bandages, a small sewing kit, in case I have to go full MacGyver for some reason.


Ta da! Everything is in the carry-on, waiting to go. Actually, it's all back in the closet. Rolling supposedly helps avoid wrinkles, but even I'm not anal enough to pack 2 weeks before departure.

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