Packing for a week+ in a carry on

My favorite activity is sleeping. Why, you ask? Because I’m lazy AF. People tell me I’m quick to get ready, and I am. I have figured out the most efficient ways to do so to maximize my sleeping time. But I’m not so great at packing and now that I’m on the road all the time, I need to get better at it. But guess what? Being a female is kind of a hard time packing-wise…so how do I make it all fit and still look professional for a client? Here goes nothing:

1. Color scheme – pick one for the week and stick to it. Navy/Brown or Blacks. This way you can bring only two pairs of shoes at max (nude ones that match almost everything, and navy/brown or black). You can switch pairs every day so that your feet can have a rest from one type and it doesn’t look like you’re wearing the same ones every day (and even if you do, I’m told that men don’t notice — most women probably don’t either).
2. Dresses – Dresses and tights (or bare-legged if weather permits) take up far less room than pants and shirts. Also, one piece = no matching = lazy. Dresses always look very polished as well, and you can bring a cardigan or blazer to go over them and wear with the one pair of pants or so you bring.
3. Only bring one pair of pants – black, brown, grey – think about your color scheme. Wear them at the beginning, middle, and end of the week between your dresses. You don’t need a separate pair for each day, unless you spill a lot (sometimes guilty of this)
4. Shirts – remember the cardigan or blazer you wore with your dress? Bring a light top or two to put underneath it. Small and easy to pack and versatile.
5. Bathroom bag – Invest in a good one! I’ve used this one for years. I like having a set of make up to stay at home and one I travel with. I’m also pretty serious about what goes in my bag (and what does not). I don’t bring my personal shampoo, conditioner, body soap, lotion etc. The only products I bring with that hotels don’t have is the hair gel I like, travel hairspray, deodorant, and toothpaste. Really you could skip the toothpaste and get that at the hotel too. Other stuff – comb, q-tips, finger nail clippers, tweezers, band aids (if you get blisters from shoes like I do), pain-killer, sleep aid…
6. Jewelry case – you can lay out your jewelry and it rolls up flat. I got this one from Amazon and it does the trick.
7. Cord Organizer – this is a must have if you have electronics. It’s what people ask me where I got it the most.
8. Oh – and make sure you know how an outfit will look together so try it on before! Packing light means fewer options if an outfit doesn’t look right so make sure you know how your outfits look before you pack them.

Other misc things – underwear – tuck into shoes, water bottle to stay hydrated, Kindle vs. real books (space and weight), a cute belt or two for more fashion.

Oh and if you have bulkier items, try to wear them as you travel so they don’t take up space in your bag (coats, boots, sweaters). Just don’t over-layer at the airport if you have issues regulating your body temp as I sometimes do when late and brisk walking through the airport – hope you packed your deodorant (see #5). And now I’m off to pack for 2.5 weeks on the road. Packing cubes are amazing!