Tips on how to stay fashionable with limited packing space
Think before you pack.
Summer is the time for week-long road trips and weekend getaways at a cabin. Whether you pack a week ahead of time or an hour before leaving, you will likely run into the same problem: not enough space for all your clothes.
It doesn’t matter if you are traveling by plane, car or foot. There is almost always limited space for luggage. If you’re traveling on Spirit Airlines, you know you’re going to be paying for just about every piece of fabric you bring, so you really have an incentive to pack light.
If your luggage is overflowing and you don’t know where to start, check out these tips for traveling fashionably this summer.
Neutral base layers
Acquiring a good supply of neutral-colored pants and tops is one of the best ways to vacation fashionably. You will exponentially increase your potential outfit combinations if you can find items that go with just about anything.
Solid, neutral colors are important for two reasons. First, they match with just about every color and pattern, so you can feel the freedom to pair it with most accessories. Second, a beige tank does not stick out as much as a bright orange dress with huge flowers. If it isn’t memorable, most people won’t notice it, and you can re-wear that base layer endlessly.
Neutrals do not need to be the only colors you pack, but they will give you more flexibility to wear bold patterns.
Lightweight accessories
Pack accessories to complement your neutral bases. These add-ons should be lightweight and provide an extra pop of color or style. Accessories include scarves, shawls, bangles, headbands, sunglasses and more.
Make sure each item works with multiple outfit combinations before adding it to your suitcase. This strategy will help you cut back on unnecessary bulk.
Rework your suitcase
The best way to avoid hard decisions about your vacation wardrobe is to figure out how to fit more clothes into your bag.
Frequent vacationers often debate whether rolling or folding clothes saves more space. Writer Jessie Beck compared the two methods on the Tortuga Backpack blog, and she found that both took up about the same amount of room. However, rolling clothes helped reduce wrinkles, provided a sense of organization and filled smaller spaces in the suitcase.
Packing your rolled clothes into resealable gallon bags can also give you extra room. This trick works because you can squeeze out extra air and compress the clothes — no fancy vacuum-sealed bags needed. The other positive aspect of this method is that if your luggage gets wet, your clothes stay dry. If you’ll be traveling in relentless rainy weather, plastic bags will be your wardrobe saver.