When an event planner...

Tips and Tricks for packing for your trip!

 

When you fly, there are three types of luggage, personal item, carry on and checked baggage.  We'll go through each in more detail.  Whether you're flying or not, these tips can help you organize your trip

 

Carry On

There are 2 different types of carry on bags, one you can access in flight, one you can not.  Or should I say, one you can plan to access in flight, one you hsould be prepared not to be able to access.  With the costs of check bags rising, more and more people are opting to carry on.  Because of this many bags are getting gate checked.  The last 3-4 times I've flown, I have been forced to gate check my carry on.  That's right, I wasn't given an option.  Once was because the plane was too small to hold the roller bags, the other 3 times was because the flight was just plain full.  

 

So even if you opt to carry your bag on, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll have access to it on your flight.  Second, many times the bag gets placed in an over head bin that is inconvenient to access, whether not near your seat, or stuffed with so many other bags it’s difficult to retrieve.  What’s my point with this?  You need to plan that your carry on will not be accessible during your flight.  So the solution, your “personal item”  if you’ve flown before, you know you get 1 carry on and 1 personal item.  For most women, your personal item is your purse.  A man, perhaps a briefcase, laptop bag, etc.  If my purse fits the items I need (listed below)  I’l throw them in my purse.  Otherwise, I’ll throw my purse, as well as my comfort items in a tote bag.  

 

Personal Items

 

• ​Itinerary, boarding pass and ID- in an easy to access pocket

• “Comfort bag”

  • Socks- for tsa reasons I always wear flip flops or ballet flats.  But on flights my feet get cold.  So a pair of socks.  

  • Moisturizer- dry dry air.  Enough said.  (obviously follow TSA laws)

  • chap stick

  • super basic makeup- this is especially true for over night flights or early morning flights.  Recently I had a flight to Florida at 6 am, I had to leave my house by 3:45 am, so no, I was not taking the time for make up.  Once I got on the plane and settled I applied very basic makeup

    • BB cream or tinted moisturizer

    • a liquid or gel blush- lipstick works in a pinch- a cream based, not glossy

    • mascara

    • eye brow pencil

      • remember, planes moves, so nothing too complicated like eye liner or a fdarker lipstick that needs a more precision applicator

    • A face towel.  Close to landing, refresh face wiht towel.  apply moisturizer, apply make up.  You’ll land super refreshed!

  • A scarf or pashmina that can double as a wrap, again, planes get cold.  You can also roll it up for a pillow

  • on that note, if you want to try and sleep, a travel pillow.  

  • Ibuprofen- I get headaches flying, so I like to have something just in case.  Nothing worse than feeling a headache coming on and being trapped with nothing to do about it

  • moisturizing nose spray

  • baby wipes or moist towlettes

  • snacks

  • an empty water bottle- you can fill it up at a fountain after passing through TSA

  • headphones

  • a book or other entertainment

  • Charger- many planes have power now

 

Carry on

 

• Anything valuable, irreplaceable, or immediately neccesary at your destination.  Laptops, jewelry

  • If you’re heading to a wedding, your bridesmaid dress.  I had a bridemaid’s luggage get lost along with the dress.  No good.

• A change of clothes and underwear.  Besides extra space, your carry on should be treated like a security blanket.  If your luggage get slost, even temporarily, what could you not do without.  

 

Checked luggage

 

A few tips

• Try to stick to a similar color pallete.  Greys and black.  Or shades of brown.  With a few pops of color.  This enables you to bring less shoes and accessories, because more items will go with each other.

• Light weight and wrinkle free items are a plus.  Instead of a wool coat, one of those puffy jackets that roll up to nothing.  Instead of a chunky sweater, a lighter cardigan.

• Clothes with multiple uses.  Cardigans can be worn unbuttoned or buttoned.  Skinny jeans can be worn with sneakers, flat or boots.

Calculators

• 1 pair of pants for half as many days as you'll be gone, up to 4-5.  So if you're gone for 8 days, 4 pairs of pants.  If you're going for 2 weeks, you don't however need 7 pairs of pants, thats a bit excessive.  

• 1 shirt for each day

• Shoes- 1 pair of sandals, 1 pair of dressy, 1 pair of walking, like sneakers.  If it's winter, add a pair of boots.  Also, shoes you have worn before, traveling is NOT the time to break in new shoes.  My favorite pair of travel shoes are these, they're comfy, cute, versatile, can be dressy, and fold up.  Plus they come in about a million colors, ok 11, but that's still a lot!

• 2 dresses, one dressier, one more casual

• 2-3 sweaters- time of year you may need more or less.  When I'm going to the Caribbean, I rarely need one, so I only bring one.  

• pajamas

• underwear, socks.

• Misc- bathing suit, shorts, sun hat, winter accessories