How Not To Pack

     

1. Don't make a plan. Generally, I pack everything because I'm unsure of what the weekend will have in store, because I just don't know what exactly I'll be doing, because there is always a chance the weather will change course from what the pros have predicted, or because I may just be having a fat day come Saturday.  This game play often ends in me packing a weeks worth of clothes for a weekend with the accompanied 6 pairs of shoes and jewelry options.  Learn from my mistakes people, this is not the best way to do it.  Make a plan, check the weather, verify your itinerary.  At the very least, pack multifunctional clothing.  Knowing or at least having any idea of what's in the works is a great start, from there, you know you don't need a ball gown, and can start to take a more realistic approach to packing your bags. 

2. Pack a variety of colors. I'm not saying you should pack all black, but sticking to a mostly neutrals, which can be easily interchanged (ie. all of those "pack a year in a carry-on" Pinterest posts), will minimize the need for extra shoes and accessories. 

3. Just throw it in there. Even though I always pull out the luggage a day or so before, I rarely actually pack any earlier than I absolutely have to. "Oh I'll just stop by the house after work to grab my bags and the dog" means I have packed less than 5 things the night before and will throw about 25 more items in my suitcase in a 10 minute period.  If I do pack the night before, I either start packing about 10:00pm (aka bed time) or I'm getting on a plane and have to fit a weeks worth in a carry-on (side note, I have managed to pack over a weeks worth or business and fun clothes on a carry-on; proper rolling and folding was the only way I managed to do so).  Believe it or not, this is not the most efficient form of packing.  Taking time to roll your shirts and undergarments, stuff your socks inside your boots, and actually refill your tiny shampoo bottles saves so much space!