Serene Travels: Packing Part I | A Short Getaway

I'm a homebody, just like Allie, last week's interviewee. But I travel fairly frequently -- to New York and Los Angeles for business, to Cleveland and South Bend for family. And as much as I'm a homebody, I just love to travel. On most of my trips, especially for business, I'm a solo operation. And because of this, I have learned to travel light in order to make my airport/plane adventures as serene as possible. I don't check luggage. I stick to the basics. I keep it simple. So on a recent jaunt to LA, I snapped a few pics of my accoutrement for this very post. I aim for my suitcase to be yet another - wait for it, guys - serene space.

With the exception of summer dresses, 1) I am a uniform kinda gal; and 2) layers are the name of the game. Button downs and skinny jeans are my go to. I feel good in them and they can be dressed up or dressed down (I'm looking at you, shoes & jewelry). They are appropriate for business meetings (creatives can be more casual and so I am) and brunches with girlfriends. My uniform works well in NYC and LA. What's more, I'm always cold. Especially in air conditioning. I've been to LA often in the summer. It's always cooler than expected and when the sun goes down and the temp drops, I add even more layers. (You'll see that I have a sleeveless blouse for this trip - it belongs in the same category as button downs. In the fall or winter it'd be swapped out for sleeves.) The one LA activity that requires different threads is hiking. It doesn't always happen on the trips out there but it's a favorite of mine so I like to be prepared.

Side-note: If I were going somewhere humid and scorching in the summertime I'd pack only light, airy dresses and call it a day (stay tuned). 

Here, you can see I packed several tops and a pair of skinny jeans. When I travel to summery climates, I throw in cut-offs, a day dress, a floppy hat and a bikini -- and that grey jumper for hiking. 

I like to wear the same outfit on the airplane there & back, and I like to wear the heaviest shoes (this makes for lighter luggage and more space). Again, I'm always cold on planes and in airports. So I like to wear the layers that I'll later need for chilly LA evenings. The most important piece is a huge scarf - it's my very own swaddling blanket on the plane and my chosen accessory when the sun goes down. (In the fall and winter, you'll find it snug around my neck. There's nothing worse than a cold neck.) An airplane is the one place I don't endorse skinny jeans because that's just uncomfortable on a long flight. Sweat pants with zippers at the ankle... are still sweat pants. But who cares? They're warm and comfortable. And if I add enough layers to this travel ensemble, I start to resemble the Olsen twins circa 2004, and I'm ok with that.

All these pieces are great for rolling. So that's how I pack. When I take the time to roll intentionally, I meet very few wrinkles when I arrive. Once everything is rolled, I use a lingerie bag to store the clothes. It makes for an organized approach to simple, stylish travel. There are specific items one can purchase to pack this way  - my man uses packing cubes, for instance - but I'm happy to find another use for a net bag (see below).

Sometimes I use cloth shoe bags for packing, but I also like those narrow bags newspapers come in - they fit sandals and flats perfectly (see below).

Toiletries take up room and I'm ok with that. Our beauty routines are paramount. Always. But a great travel kit can't be overrated. Mine's nothing fancy but it has three different compartments for various liquids and tools. I'm not digging around searching and everything is accessible so I'm a happy girl.

*For years whilst living in the Big Apple, my family travels were also via plane and I used similar solutions. But now that I'm in the Midwest I'm the first to admit that when I travel by auto, I pack more. I just throw it in the backseat, I add my yoga mat, I don't use travel size toiletries. Why would I, right?

*Many of you usually travel with someone(s) - perhaps a few munchkins who require car seats, food, diapers and what have you. To you, my lovely readers, I salute you. However, in terms of clothing and shoes, you may gain something from this post. OR, even better, you have created your own techniques for traveling serenely, in which case I invite you to share them in the comments below.

What are your packing procedures and go-to's? Share your tips and suggestions in the comments below!