If there's one thing that I love, it's packing for a vacation. I know what you're thinking: "Is she crazy, how can you love packing?!" or "who even does that?!" Yep, me.
The thought that sometime in the near future I'm getting out of this dull, grey, drizzle-ridden weather and will be sunning myself in 30-something-degrees heat, clear blue skies, not a cloud in sight makes me full to the brim with joy!
The one thing that gets me, though, is that thought.. You know the one. "What the hell do I pack!?". I'll be honest, this holiday has been the biggest struggle of all, because we're a little unsure of what the weather will be like. Obviously, New York is freezing, and we will be getting on the cruise there, but then obviously it's going to get hotter and hotter the further we get to the Bahamas, so it seems as though I'm gonna need a little bit of everything!
Another thing that crosses our minds: SHOPPING! I think holiday shopping is the most exciting kind of shopping that there is, but I find myself holding back at this time of year. As I've said before, I go on holiday at the beginning of the year and then go away again some time in summer, so for the first holiday I tend to scrape together the bits that I bought for last summer.. Truth is, it's only really been worn once or twice and then put away ready for my Feb holiday anyway. You know, it's just been Christmas, we're all a little low on funds, and then it's my mum and sister's birthdays which leaves my bank severely sad-looking, and I quite simply can't afford it! Although, when it comes to summer, I tend to go all out on the shopping-front, so I definitely make up for it!
Back to the packing!
I'm so bad for packing- Me and my inability to separate with my entire wardrobe is always a running joke, so I definitely know that I'm a major over-packer, but last holiday, I made myself take a step back and travel 'light', (most people's 'normal'), and I thought that I could share a few tips that I told myself last year and also made a little checklist of typical things that we're gonna need this holiday, so I really hope that this helps.
Tip #1: Do you need all of that makeup? Pt 1.
I know that a lot of girls have their holy grail makeup that they never stray from, but if you're anything like me, I like to have a little variation in my routine. One day I'm there loving my Bare Minerals and the next, I can't decide between BB cream or liquid foundation, or I'm like "oh, I've not used gel eyeliner in a while, let's give it a whirl' and I'll decide that I love that now.. Literally so, so indecisive when it comes to makeup. I don't think I'll ever have that HG routine.
So my tip is, 2 weeks before holiday, try out all different makeup and keep a sort-of journal if you like. After you've applied your face, make a note of what you used, what you liked the most, and then during the day and at the end of the day make another note of what lasted well and what was mediocre. This way, you can read back and decide what the best items are and you'll know exactly what you need!
Tip #2: Do you need all of that makeup? Pt 2.
I'm very stubborn in my ways when it comes to makeup, and like I said, I will not stick to the one thing. Something I read a while ago said 'look at the makeup that you've packed to take on holiday, and now half it. That's what you need'. Now, this is what I used to take on holiday.. And the zip would be busting open, I'd cram that much in it! I'm very much "yeah, but what if...". I sometimes have days when my usual foundation doesn't sit right, and so I'll use something different, and I always panic that this is what will happen on holiday. But I went away to London towards the end of last year and I literally took a small makeup bag with one of each type of makeup in and I definitely survived! So that is my tip.. Just take one of everything, e.g. One foundation, one mascara etc. Trust me!
Tip #3: So many clothes!
Just like the makeup; put your clothes together and then half them. Honestly, the amount of times that I've got home from holiday & whilst sorting out my case, realised that half of the clothes were untouched and still clean is astonishing. I propose pulling out enough outfits for each night, and then weeding out 2 or 3 that you're a bit iffy on and rewear your favourite ones twice. I'll be honest, I usually do this anyway!
Tip #4: Mix & match
Look for clothes that you can mix and match, e.g. 1 skirt, 2 tops. (not a spin-off from 2 girls, 1 cup-ew). You could even mix daytime and evening wear- denim shorts are the easiest thing for this. Think plain white tee, sheer blouse and a vest. How many looks can you create? And not just that, you should accessorise in the evening- accessories completely change an outfit.
Tip #5: Take neutral shoes
I always make the mistake of wanting to take my nicest wedges, and I like to have outfits to match them.. I then feel totally overdressed and end up not wearing them for the rest of the holiday ---> waste of luggage space and weight! I suggest, (and I am definitely doing this), taking neutral flats; think nude and black cute sandals, maybe a little wedge. Generally, these are going to match every outfit #win.
Here's a little checklist that I made today of all the necessities that you should need on holiday.
You can save it and print it out and use it next time you go away!
Happy packing ladies!
xxx