This summer I am traveling more than usual - ahh, the perks of being a teacher and having three whole months off! I already spent three weeks out in the Boston/Cape Cod area. I’m currently in the midst of the Heartland helping out with two weeks of a girl’s leadership camp, then I spend two weeks in Milwaukee and 5 days in Atlanta, GA! I was home for a couple days between Boston and camp, but needed to pack everything for the next month when I got home because I won’t be back until the middle of August. Whew.

The key to packing for a long trip is figuring out how to get the biggest bang for your buck, or better said, the most outfits with the least amount of clothing. I’ve written about packing lightly for vacation before, but that post is 4 years old, so it’s time to update.

How To Pack for a Long Trip

Make A List of the Activities You Will Be Doing; Pack Accordingly. Vacations vary, as do the activities that take place while you are away. Maybe you are hiking and spending one night in a city you plan to explore. Maybe you are touring Europe and plan to eat out every night at fancy places. Those two vacation require really different clothing choices. Know your general plan before you pull a single item out of your closet.

Only Take Items You Absolutely LOVE. If you are going to be carting around a suitcase, trudging through airports and basically living out of the same rectangle container for a week or two or three, you only want things you absolutely love to wear.

Pack Basics. By this I mean, things like your little black dress that is perfect for every occasion, and the pair of jeans that work for a range of different activities. Take a couple basic t-shirts, or the equivalent of that in your closet.

Take Things That Can Easily Mix and Match. Everything in your suitcase should be in the same color family, that way you can easily exchange one shirt for another, create a new look and new outfit and not worry about whether they match. If you pack things in a wide range of color families you are limiting the number of different outfits you can create.

Lay Everything Out and Count Outfits. I spread each bottom our on my bed and then stack potential tops above them. That way I can count, saying this black skirt can go with 7 different tops and that pair of jeans can got with 6 of those same tops - that way with 9 pieces of clothing I have 13 outfits already.

Consider Accessories To Create a New Look. The addition of a scarf or statement necklace, heck even a change of shoes can create a completely different look and give you a new outfit without packing more clothing. At the same time, jewelry has the tendency to add weight, even if it isn’t a lot of bulk. When you only have 50 lbs to check in your luggage be selective of the pieces you take.

Take ONLY the essential shoes (okay, and maybe one fun pair). By essential, again I mean shoes that can be worn with multiple outfits. If you are taking this stellar pair of heels that can only be worn with your LBD, you are limiting the space in your suitcase without creating more options.

If you are wondering what kind of suitcase I use on these trips… lately I have been opting for the hardshell medium-sized suitcases. It forces me to pack less because of the size, but it also protects the things I take better than those softer suitcases.
This post is in response to a reader asking me to write a couple posts on packing for vacation - short and long trips, etc… Thanks for the request Kit, it gave me a lot to think about as I packed for this month away!