PACKING 101 (Vol. 2)
I've been on six flights in the last three weeks and these are the items I cannot travel without !
1. My Travel Uniform
I wear the same thing on every single flight which is basically head-to-toe Vuori. Vuori sweatpants, tank, long sleeve (layering piece), and whatever jacket or hoodie I need for the trip. That's it. It's comfortable enough to relax in, put-together enough to go straight from the plane to wherever I'm headed, and the jacket pulls double duty as my carry-on layer so I'm not wasting precious bag space. For the way home (if I’m not doing laundry) I’m packig my fav lululemon flare leggings and an Aviator Nation tee to wear under my jacket.
2. Carry-On Only
My Away carry-on goes everywhere with me. I have the classic Bigger Carry On and swear by it. It is perfect for a weekend trip; I think I’ve yet to check a bag this year. Packing cubes keep me organized and makes unpacking at the hotel take about three minutes. I usually fill half my suitcase with the bulk of my clothes - one packing cube for athleisure and one for my “normal” clothes - and save the other half of my suitcase for toiletries, hair tools, shoes, and anything too bulky to go in the packing cube.
For my long haul flights the clothing strategy changes a bit, but essentials are essentials for a reason!!!
3. In-Flight System
I use my Calpak as my personal item — or whatever tote makes sense for the trip — and it goes under the seat in front of me fully loaded. Inside you'll find everything I need to actually function on a plane:
Laptop / Ipad / Headphones
Kindle Paperwhite
Film Camera (it’s okay for film to go through TSA, it’s actually better than it being in your checked bag)
Whatever purse I am bringing with my two pairs of sunglasses inside (trusty Ray-Bans number 1 and number 2)
My friends got me a travel hatch and now I don’t leave home without it. In the electronics bag it goes!
SNACKS. I actually will not spend $20 on shitty airport food. I always bring a protein bar or a Chomps. Sometimes I will even bring a ready-made sandwich with me. Made the mistake of arriving to the airport empty handed once last month and was forced to make a small bag of Southwest pretzels last 6+ hours.
On that note of not spending unnecessary money in the airport, I always bring my own water bottle! My favorite airport hack is arriving with a water bottle full of ice (which I’ve never had a problem with at TSA) and then I fill it up at the filtered fountains once I’m through security. Because SmartWater should not cost $8.
Here’s to the next month of staying at home!!!!