How to Pack it Right!

I’ve been investigating this whole packing business for a bit now. Every time I go away, I’ve been altering my list over and over and over… ok, you get it. 

Well, I have found something! That there is a method to the madness of packing. You see sometimes we over do it. The Answer: Take what you NEED, not what you want. Yes, If you have been reading my blog for a while now, you know I’m going back to the basics of which I wrote about in the early parts of this blog.

Need Vs. Want… and on this one, Need wins yet again! (yay need? LOL)

So this is my list with explanations so you can understand it.

A three week trip, two tropical places:

Things you will need to get organized: 

• Luggage: One medium, one carry on, one backpack  
• Seven (a few) Ziplock bags.  
• A toiletries travel kit
• Some “No air”  bags

List of Items Luggage one: 

•  One business card in the WHOS BAG THIS IS section and one inside. Just in case they loose it, there is no excuse to have it lost in Timbuktu instead of being sent to you.
• Your Underwear (LOL LOTS OF IT!) just kidding
• a few pairs Learn how to wash in La Pila (the washboard).
• 4-6 bras At least all sexy… you never know. LOL jk Not really.
• In the Travel kit add: 

• your favorite shampoo, conditioner, and any much needed things. Your own shampoo will remind you of home and feel safe. UNLESS you’ve recently had a fall incident in your shower or your hair dryer fell in your bubble bath…eeek. DO NOT TAKE YOUR HAIR DRYER unless you are a beautician or stylist and really NEED it.
•  One toothbrush with a cover (you don’t want to get to a place with out a toothbrush) YUCK!
• Soap and your wash cloth Lavander makes a cloth/scrub where you can put your soap in. 
• Q-tips, lawd knows you should not have yellow guck coming out of your ears. 
• Cotton pads/swabs – just in case you need to clean your face? Always a use. 
• Lotion, SPF 65 so you won’t get burned. 
• Your make up – you never know, might find me right now. If you are taken, well good for you. 😛
• Hair Brush 
• you get it. 
• Two pair of Jeans. 
• Wear one pair on the plane ride to reduce weight on your luggage. And just in case your plane falls down and you get LOST. Just messing.
• Several COMFORTABLE tops. 
• Cute and comfort. Some Cute are not always comfort. FYI 
• for three weeks, I took 9. You can always  re-use one or two and Wash them. 
• take cotton ones, they dry faster than other kinds. And last longer.
• Three Dresses 
• one semi-dressy, classy, short
• Bathing suit(s) no more than two. 
• Light hoodies/ sweaters (Jackets if you must take it on the plane) 
• Shoes  

• Tennis -wear them on the plane less bulk 
• Heals if you must, I do wedges because they are more comfortable 
• Sandals
• Fashionable sneakers ( girl needs to look cute!
• if you have a big foot like me, good luck! If i didn’t have business meetings in my vacation trips (yes I don’t stop) then I would take only tennis and Sandals.
• If you are picky like me, take your own bath towel… I am cautious of towels that have been used by 100s of people. 

All the above Items you can place in those bags that you can suck the air out of… more space, less weight. This same bags you can use for our dirty clothes. So you wont stink up the other clothes. 

• A Ziplock filled with small snacks.
• Your Vitamins in another. In a post-it Place what you have, by color 
• Ex. Orange- Daily Multi-Vitamins 
• White- 2x daily- Calcium 
• Blue- One weekly Vitamin D  
• Red- Iron ….etc.
• In another, your Meds, if any. Always good to carry some Tylenol and/or Ibuprofen.
• One can of Self open soup. (you never know, don’t want to get stuck with out food) 
• Any medical electrical things. I have to take my Spine Muscle stimulator. 

Carry on Bag:

This bag is intended for your valuables, to take with you on the plane. Intended for an emergency in case your bigger luggage gets delayed, and we hope not lost.  You will have a lot of space on this one. It will allow for you to come back with trinkets, presents and what not. For me, It will be COFFEE! 😀

• One dress outfit
• Pjs
• Tooth brush 
• All your jewelry (if any) 
• Presents (if any) 
• One can of Soup 
• One clutch or purse 
• A Zip Lock bag of Almonds or some nuts (snacks). NO ICE CREAM!
• One business card in the WHOS BAG THIS IS section and one inside. Just in case they loose it, there is no excuse to have it lost in Timbuktu instead of being sent to you.

Back Pack: 

• IPAD or Lap top (if you really NEED IT!)
• One book to read in the plane 
• Your Camera (take loads of memories!) 
• In two separate Ziplocks wind all your cords and tie them up with your hair bands. This way you have your hair bands and they are being put to use all at once.
• Your Emergent meds, Inhalers, vicodine and a snack. (I love almonds)
• One Small Emergency kit (Johnson & Johnson make a cool one) 
• Gum 
• Two working Pens. 
• Small Make up bag (ONLY the necessary)
• Your glasses/sun glasses
• Your Wallet – 

• Inside  Cash, about $160-200. One big bill, the others in 20s, 5 and singles. 
• Your ID
• Passport 
• Credit Cards/Bank cards 
• Contact all your cards so they won’t think they stole your monies and you cannot use your cards where ever you go.
• Insurance Card 
• contact your insurance company before you leave to find out if you are covered or if you need to buy supplemental coverage 
• If you are a AID, Like CPR certified take that. You never know when someone will need help. 
• Business cards 
• A bag of Change. 
• A copy of any Doctor notes needed. (I use mine to get through the scanner due to my spine metals) 
• Tissue (blow your nose) 
• Headphones/ Ipod 

Try to have EVERYTHING bagged one or two days before the day of travel. Doing this at the last minute will only make you worry and you don’t need all of that before a PLANNED trip.

Day of travel: 

• Stretch, yoga it up. Chill. 
• Wear what you planned. Make sure you have a warm sweater you can pull over your mouth just in case you hear people coughing in the plane, It’s recycled air…
• Get comfy 
• Enjoy the ride.

I hope this helps you some. I will be gone for a few weeks, but I will blog at least once or twice from my destination. 

If I forgot something, Leave me a comment. Or Just leave me a comment to feel the love from far away! 😀 <3

Smile (if you want)

Jes Sofia Valle