I used to be a chronic over-packer. I would essentially dump all of my favorite clothing items into a massive suitcase (or two), and hope that when I got to the other end, the mess equalled something I would want to wear. What happened almost every time, was I ended up lugging massive amounts of luggage from place to place, only to be frustrated by what I brought, waisting valuable trip-time trying to figure out what to wear.
Then about 8 years ago I discovered the magic of capsule packing and I have never looked back. Now I always travel with just a small carry-on, but have everything I need, like my outfits and don’t waist one minute of the trip trying to figure out what to wear.
I’ve been planning my Norway capsule for months because I knew that the unique challenges of traveling to a Nordic country would make packing a little less straight forward than in trips past. But I love a good challenge and the process was incredibly fun and got me really excited for the trip. The good news is, because I was planning for a cool and rainy trip, I basically built a great fall capsule I can use over and over when I get home!
Here’s what I packed for Norway:
Cashmere sweater. cashmere boyfriend cardigan. henley. black rain coat. button up Oxford shirt. white tee. Sezane Mariner. Dress. Freda Salvador EDA sneakers. Lug boots. Hiking boots. wool socks. hiking pants. Levi’s wedgie straight jeans. Leather belt. Neck scarf. Camera bag. Beanie.
For Norway, I was packing for cooler mid 50’s-60’s degree rainy weather. Packing for colder trips is always a bit trickier because you need more layers and warm clothes as a rule are bulkier. The weather in Norway can fluctuate quite a bit throughout the day so my focus was on light layers that I could put on and peel off as needed. Fabrics like cashmere that don’t take a lot of space but add a huge amount of warmth played a big role in the way I packed for this trip.
Most importantly, every item has earned its space in my little carryon bag. It’s useful, versatile, fits the trip at hand and can be worn several different ways. I only need 9 days worth of outfits, but I’ve created 12 below with the pieces I am packing. And I could probably make another half dozen at least without breaking a sweat!
The pieces remixed.
Tips for packing well.
-Limit your shoes. They take the most space, so pick one or 2 pairs and stick with those. This is honestly more shoes than I would normally bring, but we are going to be hiking quite a bit in Norway so I am bringing some hiking boots along with my normal 2 pair limit. Versatile, comfortable shoes are the best for travel, so make sure whatever you bring is tried and tested.
-An ounce of planning is worth a pound of overpacking. Do your homework on weather, climate, what activities you’ll be doing and what your needs will be and then just bring what you need.
-Plan your outfit combinations. Put together at least a few of your outfit combinations before you leave for your trip. Travel time is expensive, and you don’t want to waste a minute trying to figure them out while you’re there, so plan your combos in advance.
