Tag: list making

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Fun Ways to Organize Travel

Summer Packing Tips

Hello all!

Happy Wednesday! I hope this past week has been filled with sunshine, nights grilling, lemonade and maybe even some fruit salad. There’s nothing quite that says summer like eating outside with some fresh food and good conversations-summer nights are a favorite for me!

Nothing says summer like grilling lunch or dinner.

 Another thing that completes my summer is getting away, whether it’s for a family vacation, a girl’s trip or even just an overnight. Taking some time off always gives you the chance to recharge and return to your everyday life feeling refreshed, relaxed and maybe even a little tanner.

Before you jet off, you may need to complete that to-do list before it’s vacay time- which includes packing. Some people may dread packing, but I enjoy it. I do dread the unpacking when I return home, haha. Whenever I get home from a trip, I immediately start unpacking, putting things away and starting laundry. To me, there’s nothing better than everything back in its place when you get home.

 There’s something fun about planning and being intentional with what you need and what you want to bring on a trip. You can also have some fun picking out things you may not wear every day, like different dresses, bolder jewelry or brighter shoes. It can also get stressful especially if you are packing for more than one person. Whether you are packing overnight for one, or a week-long trip for a family of five, here’s some tips for efficient packing that will have you feeling relaxed before you even leave home.

  • Make a List-It may sound cliche, but make a list of everything you need, from clothes, makeup, medicines, even things you bring in your purse or carry-on. I typically create a list on my phone so I can reference it throughout the trip and make sure I have everything before heading back home. I write everything down I take, even to the amount of things I’m taking, so I can just do a visual check of things before I leave. This also comes in handy if you are staying at more than one place over the course of your trip. Make a list and check it twice before you bounce from place to place. Plus, if you have children, keeping a list of things you are packing for them in addition to yourself makes things even easier for travel.
An example of a packing list(mine are more detailed but this just an example)
  • Don’t overpack-It can be easy to overpack especially when it comes to clothes and shoes. You may think to bring outfits for different meals, events or activities and think you will wear them, only to wear one outfit for a day and not change for dinner or other activities. I always try to be intentional with what I am packing, but I always bring a neutral outfit as a backup. This can be an easy t-shirt dress that can be worn for a dinner or outing, or an extra pair of short if you will be doing lots of outdoor activities or walking. I always, always, always bring an extra white t-shirt, it can go with pretty much anything (jeans, shorts, even skirts and it never hurts to have a backup in case an accident happens0hello stains!).
Having an easy tee shirt dress always comes in handy when away and it travels well too!
  • Use it or Lose it-This is one of my favorite rules, whenever I travel, I always try to use products that are almost out, so I can toss it when I’m away and come back to fresh products. So, what does this mean exactly? If I’m really low on full size products (i.e. face wash, toothpaste, lotion, I will take them with them and use the remainder of them and toss them when I’m away so I can come home to fresh and full products. Now, this doesn’t always work out with products, but when it does, it’s always a win!
A few examples of things that I’ll try to use up on a trip.
  • Use Free Samples-Now, let’s say you don’t have any products that are close to being done to bring on vacation and you prefer to use travel size things, here’s a fun suggestion, when traveling take the time to use free sample products. Whether it’s through Ulta Beauty or wherever you get your beauty products, I’m sure you have accumulated your fair share of sample products, use any free samples you have on vacation to see if it’s something worth investing in, whether it be serums, body lotions, face washes, or different color pallets for makeup. While you are away you can try out new products and if you love them, great, if not, you can toss them before you come home. By using your free samples while you are away, it forces you to use your products you have besides having them sit there and it gives you a chance to try new products too
An example of some free samples that I can’t wait to try when I go away.
  • Be present and have fun! I know this may sound like no brainer, but after planning and organizing there’s nothing better than really unwinding while on vacation. Take the time to unplug, put the phone down and be present where you are at and enjoy it.
Sweet summertime!

Those are just a few tips and tricks that help me for when I travel, not just in the summer but all year around. For those frequent flyers and road trippers, what are your top tips for travel? Let me know in the comments below! 

Until next week, happy traveling!

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Fabulous living Fun Ways to Organize Travel

Weekend Away Essentials

Last week, I blogged about my weekend trip to Chicago! I love to travel, and I try to take any opportunity available to me to travel whether it’s near or far. Throughout, my weekend away I made mental notes of things I want to remember when it comes to future traveling, especially for a college student on a budget. Here are my must haves for weekend adventures:

  • Don’t over-pack. Yes, it may seem tempting to pack several cute outfits and figure out what to wear when you get there, but that’s not the answer. Pack simple and efficient. For example, for my trip I packed one pair of jeans, a few different tops to alternate, an outfit to wear at night, and two pairs of shoes, as well as comfortable clothes for traveling. I wanted to make sure I had the essentials and things to mix and match for the weekend. Although, I didn’t look the cutest in all my photos wearing my north face, jeans, and sneakers, I was very comfortable walking several miles each day. I also packed pretty simple when it came to luggage. I had a duffel bag, small tote, and cross-body. The small tote came in very handy for the souvenirs I bought while I was away.

All packed! Simple but efficient

  • Plan accordingly for traveling. We drove down to Chicago over night on a bus, so I made sure I was comfortable for the long bus ride, therefore I made sure I brought a blanket and pillow for the bus. This came in extremely useful when I was able to sleep a few hours driving down. The same goes for flying, planes are notorious for being chilly, be sure to throw an extra sweatshirt or socks in your carry on so you aren’t freezing your whole flight. Overall, be sure to pack for your destination and any accessories that may come along with it.

It’s was very chilly in the Windy City. The weather was in the 30’s the whole weekend so i was bundled up. Yes, it may not look super cute, but I was very warm

  • Make a Plan. When we found out that we were going to Chicago, my friend and I made sure we had a plan of things we wanted to get done and when. There is nothing worse than going to a new city for the first time and not knowing what to do or where to go. Don’t be afraid to ask for suggestions of places to try. I have several friends who live in the Chicago area, so I made sure to get their opinions on their favorite spots. This helps to ensure you get the authentic experience while being in the city.

I found these tricks to be most helpful while traveling for a weekend away. Do you prefer weekend getaways or week-long vacations? What helpful hints do you have for trips? Let me know in comments below!

Have a happy Tuesday!!

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Fun Ways to Organize

Planning for a Trip (or Planning to Come Home)

Hello! Hello! Happy Tuesday friends!

As the holiday season winds down, college students, like myself are heading back to school. Back to school means bringing lots of your belongings to your dorm room. Everyone hates packing whether you are in college or not. We worry if we over packed or if we forgot something. My school is a few hours away, so I don’t travel home often. I tend to go home just on breaks. After traveling to and from school for two years now I have a system that works for me when packing. This system would also work when packing for business trips, family vacations, or weekend getaways. Here’s what works best for me.

  • Make a list. Make a list of everything you need to bring and how much you want to bring of it. For example, 5 t shirts, 4 shorts, 1 sundress. Be specific with your list as well, instead of writing jewelry, write gold necklace with hoop earrings. This makes it easier to identify what you are packing and its easier to organize your belongings when you are coming home. I write out a list when I’m planning what to pack and use it the whole trip and when I am leaving to come home to make sure I have everything I came with. *Tip for college students packing to go home*: make a list of things you need to buy or bring when you are at home. It helps to get all your shopping done at home and come back to school with a stocked dorm.

My latest list of things I need to get while I’m home

  • Only bring what you need. Whenever I plan to come home, I plan out exactly what outfits I want to wear. I also have clothes at home, so I try not to over pack or pack doubles. For example, I don’t bring sweatpants and hoodies home since I already have them. Also, when you are planning your winter vacations, prioritize what things you want to wear. Don’t forget to check the weather to make sure you plan accordingly for whatever Mother Nature has in store for you.

 

  • Plan what you want to do. Whenever I come home, I have a separate list for things I want to get accomplished. Things such as doctor appointments, seeing friends, or activities are all examples of things I write down. Whenever I come home, I try to space things out, so I’m not waiting till the last day to do my shopping, seeing friends and getting everything done. The same goes for when you are traveling. Make a list of everything you want to see or do while you are away.

    A list of everything I want to accomplish when I’m home!

As I plan to head back to school this week, I always keep these things in mind. There will always be stress in our lives, but if we can plan ahead to avoid these stressful situations it makes all the difference.