How To Pack for a Weekend Away

I’ve written a post on how to pack for a long trip, but what about the short little getaways? What about the weekend warrior? What do you pack for a weekend away? I do a lot of these little three-day weekends throughout the year and I have gotten good at taking only the bare essentials because to me, the less clutter you take along with you the more you can really enjoy that time away. After all, as we keep saying life is about the experiences not the possessions.

How To Pack for a Weekend Away

Consider Where You Are Going and Why. Obviously, this is pretty apparent when packing. A weekend to explore a new city is going to be different than a family wedding, which will be different from a white-water-rafting trip or lounging in a cabin in the woods. Plan accordingly.

Take Only Essentials. Don’t go overboard packing a dozen outfits for the three day you will be away. The same goes for shoes and accessories. Since you are gone for such a short time you should have a pretty good idea of what you need. Take those things. Don’t take more.

Pick Items That Can Be Coordinated. You might only need to pack 5 pieces of clothing, but ones that could give you a dozen different outfit combinations. This way you are prepared if something unexpected comes up or if you wake up and don’t ‘feel’ like wearing the one and only outfit you pre-selected for the day. I NEVER fully plan an outfit for a specific day, but that’s just me.

Go Easy On the Extras. You are only gone a few days, no need to bring your entire jewelry and makeup collection. Grab a couple small zipper-closed bags and take only what you really need to complete an outfit. Free yourself and leave the rest behind.

Use Sample Sized Toiletries. I like to save those little samples my stylist gives me or the ones you might get in the mail or as you stroll through the mall. I pack a couple of those and then don’t need to worry about them leaking and I don’t feel guilty leaving them behind at the end of the weekend.

Remove At Least Two Things. I place everything out on my bed and consider it before rolling it up and packing it away. Usually as I am looking at everything I pulled from my closet and debating the finer points of bringing another shirt or two, I remind myself that less is more and that I need to put two things back, maybe more.

Use a Small, Easy-to-Carry Bag. Utilizing the classic ‘weekender’ sized bag to pack will force you to stay within those parameters. It’s also usually a good indicator of whether you are taking too much. If you can’t zip the bag closed, you need to remove more than a few items.