As a mother of 3 littles, streamlining any and everything is pretty much a necessity.
And packing is no exception to this rule.
Traveling with only one suitcase is essential, and yet, I’d rather not be caught unprepared.
So how do I fit 9 days worth of ensembles, shoes, toiletries, coats, and accessories into one suitcase?
I ‘ll show you.
Some people suggest only packing one item of clothing per day of travel and then using said items to remix their way through the journey.
I prefer to plan an outfit per day, rather than risk being caught unprepared or (heaven forbid) having to do laundry on the trip. However there are always ways to slim down the suitcase.
Winter travel is particularly tricky because it’s cold, and boots, sweaters, jeans etc. are all heftier pieces of clothing that take up more space in your suitcase.
The key with filling all your travel needs and still fitting it all in your bag is organization.
1. Consider your needs. Rather than tossing in an excess of clothing, think about what each day of the trip calls for and fill those needs. For instance: on this holiday vacation: there will be one formal dinner, one Sunday attending church, several day time outings, some frolicking in the snow, and a few nights out on the town. Planning for several dressy events means I included enough dressy pieces to accommodate each event. But I also included a few casual pieces for all the other times.
2. Pick a base color and work around it. I started with Navy because it works with everything. Every color I incorporated into my packing can pair with it. Then I pulled out several staple pieces: white blouses, neutral cardigans, etc and those help round out my base. Then I incorporate colors.
3. Choose items that are less bulky and layer them.
4. Plan outfits. Don’t just throw a bunch of random shirts and pants into your bag and hope they materialize into something fabulous when you get there. Plan in advance, that way you won’t waste a bit of space on something you don’t end up wearing, and you won’t have to waste any precious vacation time trying to figure out what to wear.
So here’s what I packed:
3 skirts:
2 colorful pencils, and a lightweight dress. All can be dressed up or down to accommodate different needs.
3 pairs of jeans, and one pair of slacks:
this is an area where you can cut corners. You don’t need to pack 18 pairs of pants. Jeans can be worn several times and still look fabulous. Plus they take up a lot of space, so limiting the number of jeans you pack can be a real space saver.
I included one pair of trouser jeans, one pair of bootcuts, a pair of skinnies and one pair of wide-leg slacks.
7 Cardigans: this is a layering item. The are all slimmer cardis so they take up minimal space, and they are a great extra layer in the cold. Four of them are neutral staples and three offer a splash of color.
2 Shirts:
You’ve got to have at least a couple comfy knit tees to go to. I kept both in navy, so they can be paired with virtually anything in my suitcase.
3 pullover sweaters: another great layer. One neutral, two colorful.
1 coat, 1 blazer, and 1 jacket.
Another way to cut down on the bulk is to limit the amount of coats you bring. I opted for this classic black peacoat, a brown tweed blazer, and a tan mandarin collar jacket. They are all ridiculously versatile and create maximum warmth when layered with other items.
8 blouses. All of my blouses are lightweight and take up minimal space while allowing for a lot of flexibility with my wardrobe while I travel. It’s where I spice it up a bit and include sequins, silk, ruffles, and polka dots.
2 button-ups: a crisp white oxford and a chambray shirt. Need I say more?
5 pairs of shoes. Another way to limit your space used is to cut down on the shoes. By keeping your color scheme cohesive you can cut down on the necessary amount of shoes. Because our trip is taking place in snowy northern Utah I made boots a priority as well as close toed heels and one pair of flats.
Belts, Scarves and Jewelry :Accessories, as always, are your friend.
So how do I make all that stuff fit into one bag?
First, I fold all the clothing neatly and pair it up into outfits. That way I can reach in and pull out an ensemble without unpacking my whole bag. I stack them into three neat piles. Jeans and skirts on the bottom, one pile of workout clothing and pajamas.
Then I place it in my suitcase. This leaves a nice vacant area at the front.
Then I lay the scarves neatly on top of the pajamas and workout clothes.
And the coat and jacket across the blouses and sweaters.
Next, the shoes find their home in the vacant spot at the front of the bag. Lay them in with the bottoms facing away from the clothes.
Next comes my straightener on top of my sneakers. When traveling, I usually stick with one hair style, rather than packing multiple hair tools I stick with just one. I also opted out of bringing my blow-dryer as it is very bulky and my mom has a blow dryer at her house that I can use. Most hotels provide a blow dryer as well so its a great way to cut down on bulk.
Then I load shampoo/conditioner (in the plastic bag) and my jewelry/brooches (in the turquoise bag)
And the rest of my toiletries and make-up fit nicely in the space left over. (yes the green bag survived as explosion once. don’t ask.)
Another shot of the toiletries/ accessories.
Finally, boots on top, belts and underwear (which you don’t get to see) in the front zipper pockets. And voila!
We’re packed.
I always wear my bulkiest shoes, and one of my bulkier jackets on the day of travel to cut down on space used as well as to protect my riding boots from getting beat up inside the bag.
I’m so jealous of all of your clothes!
I thought you were going to give instructions on how to pack for your WHOLE family in ONE suitcase. Now THAT would have been impressive.
holy wow!
also, that tweed blazer = love. uber jealous.
thats awesome how much you fit!! I adore you clothes!
That’s a lot of clothes! You are definitely prepared. I just went on a 4 day trip with my two youngest kids and we were able to pack only 1 carry on. Our family of 5 also did a trip to San Francisco for 4 days last year and we got everything into 1 carry on and one backpack. I’m notorious for consolidating. I try to only bring 2 pairs of shoes (workout shoes and fancy shoes), and 1 pair of jeans. Then of course have everything else coordinate (sweater with dress, sweater with top and jeans…)
Have a great trip!
I LOVE your riding boots!!!! They are absolutely fantastic. I’ve been searching previous posts, but don’t see them. Are they a recent acquisition? Can you share where you got them?
Nine days? You have enough there for a whole month and more. Fab clothes though. Have fun.
Wow I think I need you when I pack my suitcases, because I take too many suitcases and have no organization! ha ha Good job and thanx for the info! Have a happy Thanksgiving!
Natalie
http://www.projectdowhatyoulove.wordpress.com
So impressed! With a family of five, how many suitcases in all?
Monica, 5 suitcases in all. One for each of us.
Mrs. Smith, the boots are new they are from Aldo. I can’t remember their name, but I’ll be sure and look them up.
And yes, I always error on the side of extra clothes because I hate being unprepared. I have had enough vacation mishaps when I underpack. ;-)
Hi Cori…would you mind sharing where you got that gorgeous brown tweed blazer? I’ve been on the lookout for one for quite a while, but I’m picky and can’t find one that I love. Have a great vacation!
My mind is blown. You have so many nice things.
I’d love to see how you wear that dress, and I would also like to see your bedding. Is that a blue silky dust ruffle and coordinating blue pillows?
Hi Cori, where did you get the tweed blazer? I like it.
Happy Thanksgiving!
If you EVER need to get rid of any of your stuff….{like a closet purge to make room for new stuff} PLEASE come talk to me. I will gladly take it, buy it, and even pay for shipping. LOVE your clothes!
Awesome post! I learned a fab idea: place a large stack of clothes into a jumbo zipper plastic bag, lay/sit on it and zip close. It becomes a home made space bag and you can fit a TON of stuff in your suitcase because the bags all stack nice and flat into your suitcase. Just in case you have a 20 day trip coming up or double in size :). Think bigger clothes, bigger shoes. :)
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How do you make a post like this and not expect your blog to blow up with peeps loving your duds!?! I sure do. Seriously though, I am dying to know where you got those brown boots. I hope the price doesn’t blind me. :)
I don’t know why I think this but, When I pack, I roll (like a rug) my clothes instead of folding them. I have no idea if that saves room but In my head it seemed like it did. paha. You seem like you’ve got the organizing down!
Love your blog and your gor-ge-us riding boots! Please, please, oh please share where you got them and maybe how much they cost. That way I can see if I can swing it or I just have to drool over yours ;0) Thanks!
So,way great post! I think you have more clothes in your one suitcase than I have altogether in my whole closet. . . Hope you’re having a fantabulous time with your family. Happy Happy Thanksgiving, Friend!
Woah! I was totally thinking you packed you and your family with only one suitcase! Man! What was I thinking! I think you did a really good job at packing so much (and a good variety) into a suitcase, and you gave yourself tons of options, something I lack when I go on a trip.
Are these the boots? http://www.aldoshoes.com/us/women/boots/knee-high-boots/85915030-roediger/28
I love the rich color of them in your pictures a lot more than on the Aldo site. Do you think your pictures more true to the real color?
very impressed!!!!
I too, thought this was one suitcase for the entire family. An impressive number of items to pack for 9 days. This is from the woman who (I thought) packs EVERYthing.
Happy travels.
You can roll clothes for extra space in the suitcase. Plus it prevents wrinkles as your clothes shift during travel. Great job packing all of that in there and planning for the shoes and toiletries!
Oh you make it look so easy! Great packing ideas!
I would love to see these items used in a 30 for 30. You have such great style! Have you thought about doing another 30 for 30?
Wow that is really impressive!
I’m currently trying to figure out what to pack for my 18 month mission and this has been super helpful! Especially since I’m only able to take about 8-9days worth of outfits: perfect! Thanks Cori!
I love this entry Cori. It all looks like stuff I could wear, but somehow it doesn’t look as good on me like it does on you. I mean you know how to put it all together and you look stunning! Keep up the good work!
How much does the suitcase weigh? Thats the problem!