It only takes a few weeks into a New Year for most resolutions to become a distant memory. But this year, my resolution--to pack lighter--won't be put to the test until the first weekend in February. So I have time to practice and get it right.
It starts with the bag. If I have a large bag, I will fill it up. My brain takes one look and says, "Why waste all that space?" So I over-pack and wind up having to lug all that stuff around wherever I am going. It sounds like a good idea to have a lot to choose from but if I planned ahead for the outfits I was going to wear, I could save myself a lot of time.
If I have a smaller carry-on, that means 1) no baggage fee and 2) I have to pack less. I am getting this down to a science thanks to Katrina Bischoff, founder of a-dresstheissue.com. She is a wardrobe consultant/stylist and her philosophy is to that smart dressing should appear effortless.
Here's her three-step approach:
1. Understand the itinerary. What will you need where you're going? Beachwear? Formalwear? Both? Neither?
2. Choose the outfits. Pick the outfit for each event and lay them out on the floor or bed (including accessories).
3. Pair them up. See what can be mixed and matched to reduce the amount of clothes to pack. If something has only one use, it stays home. Even the PJS have to serve more than one purpose. The t-shirt you sleep in can be the one you work out in the next day.
If you follow Katrina's three steps, you will not only pack lighter, you will feel lighter.
