Travel Light, Save Big. The Ultimate Guide to Carry-On Packing
Pro Tips from Stylist Angie Dorchak
How to Avoid Baggage Fees
It’s no secret that airlines go a little fee crazy. So at TH Travel Designs, we try to save our clients as much as possible, including reducing airline surcharges. While we don’t have control over 99% of the fees, there is one that we try to avoid as much as possible and that’s luggage fees.
Our biggest tip is to travel with a carry-on, not a checked bag.
It may seem impossible, especially if you’re traveling for more than 4 days but we promise, it can be done.
In this blog post, we’re bringing in our friend Angie Dorchak, stylist and wardrobe consultant to share some of her biggest packing tips with us.
Angie has traveled all over the world and has learned many good travel habits along the way and she is sharing all of her wisdom with us.
We’ll let her take it from here. 🙂
Stop Overpacking - The Case of the “What-Ifs”
This is so hard for so many of us especially because we have the mindset of “what if”.
What if I need another pair of leggings?
What if my feet hurt and I can’t wear my heels?
What if it gets too cold at night, I need to pack another sweater.
Those what-if moments rarely happen and you come home with a suitcase full of things you didn’t wear. I would rather leave room in my bag to bring things back from my trip.
Make a Vacation Packing Checklist
Make a list of the things you don’t want to forget.
Chargers
Vitamins/medicine
Sunglasses
Kid Activities
Make-Up
Sound machine
By creating a packing list, you can add things as you remember them and check them off as you're packing your suitcase PLUS you’re less likely to forget something and need to buy it at your destination.
Do a Fit Check Before You Pack
My top tip to not overpack is to always try everything on before the vacation.
Make sure that what you’re taking fits and is right for the look you’re going for. I mean let’s be honest. We all want to look well put together even around strangers on a tour in Rome.
Plus, when we feel good and comfortable with what we have on, we tend to feel more confident and have a great time!
Be Strategic with Vacation Outfits
Pack just the right amount of outfits for the number of nights/days you’re staying.
If it’s a longer trip, try to find ways to incorporate articles of clothing that you can wear with another look. That cuts down on the number of items you take.
For example, you don’t need 5 pairs of jeans on a 7-day trip. You may take 2. One light wash and one dark wash or if it’s summer time one white pair and one denim pair. The same goes for shoes. No need to pack 5 pairs of shoes, keep your shoe selection down to 3 pairs.
Take shoes that you can wear during the day as well as at night. The “extra’ pair you may take is if you have dressier occasions at night, but even still this is one pair that fills that void. Please don’t take a pair you will only wear once on a trip. This takes up room and most of the time you don’t end up wearing this Lone Ranger.
How to Pack a Carry-On
Organizing your things in pouches. I love packing cubes!
If your items don’t end up fitting in your organization bags you’re packing too much.
These things are designed to help you from overpacking as well as stay organized. They also make unpacking super easy when you get to your hotel or villa.
Last but, not least here’s a link to check out my favorite travel essentials.
We hope this has been helpful and your next trip will be much more successful when you pack.
Not sure what to pack for your next vacation? Take a peek at what the TH team can’t travel without for inspiration!
If you still need help with packing for your next vacation, we highly recommend contacting Angie! She would love to help take one more thing off your plate so that you can enjoy your beautifully curated trip.
Bon Voyage!
