How To Pack For A Winter Escape

If you haven’t heard, Lacey and I are off to Vietnam on Monday!

We’re also taking along some Style with Cindy shopping enthusiasts with us and a few of brave hubbies!

So in our minds, we’ve been packing since Christmas – but in real-time, Lacey and I have had our suitcases open for about three weeks.

Now many of you may think that’s ridiculously early but why have a last minute rush? In a mad packing rush, it’s easy to forget your most coveted items or over-pack which is a big no-no if you’re heading on a shopping trip like ours.

Unless it’s actually a last minute trip I plan my packing – right down to the very last item and where it’s stored. While this does take time, I enjoy it. Who doesn’t love packing for a holiday?!

So firstly let’s look at the destination. Vietnam – think exploring exotic beaches, culture, food and shopping. So I’ll need lots of summer attire, comfortable walking outfits and shoes plus luggage room for all the items I plan to bring back. As you do – I’m hoping to have some pieces made including some replicas of some loved items in Hoi An.

While I’m only travelling to Vietnam for 11 days, Lacey is taking some annual leave and continuing to Laos and Cambodia so has a little more of a packing strategy to adhere to.

Over-packing and not securing items inside the suitcase are the most common packing errors. C’mon, we’ve all packed totally unnecessary items or had a shampoo or cleanser leak into our luggage at some point.

So today, Lacey and I think we’ve nailed it and want to share our top tips for packing:

Inside Cindy’s Suitcase

1. Shoes: (Just quietly, I find it ironic that I’ve listed shoes first – clearly a priority). Now, I have only packed neutral coloured shoes, flats and heels. Each pair is suited to all clothing items in my suitcase so I know they’ll actually be worn. Avoid taking new shoes on a walking type holiday unless they’re worn in (no need for feet blisters) and in terms of storage, I pack them in the bottom of my case wrapped in cloth bags. You can also use shoe bags and for shoes that need to keep their shape (i.e. sneakers or the front of a sandal), fill them up with your socks or bathers – see point five.
   
2. Underwear: I always top up with some new underwear. I pack in groups of colours, so it’s easy to access depending on what I’m wearing.
3. Tops & Bottoms: I selected all my tops on being able to mix and match them with most of my bottoms. E.g. shorts and skirts. Just like shoes, everything has a purpose. Again, I’ve stuck to neutrals, classic prints and colour-block pieces that are easy to match.
4. Dresses: These are the easiest things to travel in, particularly if the fabrics are lightweight. A dress is just so versatile and a comfortable choice. In a warm climate like Vietnam, it also effortlessly goes from day to night with a cover up and a heel.
5. Bathers & Beachwear:  I place these at the bottom of my suitcase and also in “filler spots” as generally these don’t crease (could also be a shoe filler). Now speaking of creases…
6. Travel Steamer: Yes, you will be semi-ironing on your holiday and it will be worth it. A portable travel steamer is a MUST in both our cases. Lacey purchased one for me a few years ago and it has been a blessing! (It recently died but another one is on it’s way!)
   

Inside Lacey’s Suitcase:

1. Have sections in your case to keep everything organised
2. I have a section for my shoes and hats that steers clear of touching any of my toiletries, clothing or underwear.
   
3. I store my underwear and bathers inside the inner mesh zip
4. My toiletries are wrapped in snap lock bags and placed into the elastic compartments
5. With my clothes I categorise them by type keeping all pants/shorts together, short and long dresses together, skirts and maxi skirts together. Then I section my tops in crops, t-shirts, longer tops and slips.
6. As for my camera, jewellery and technology, I like to keep these right by my side in my carry on case 🙂 Inside that you’ll also find my plane throw-over cardigan, books and writing utensils.
7. Then I also have my tote to carry my general handbag items, travel documents, magazines and general knick-knacks.
   
8. Before take off I also like to apply my 3 favourite products to target hydration. Throughout the flight I spritz myself with Thermal Spring Water.
   

Now toiletries are a whole other blog post but our only advice is to stick to a fairly basic and natural routine!

The Plane Outfit

So what will we be wearing on the plane? (We thought you’d never ask!)

Although we will be leaving a freezing cold Melbourne, taking a coat to Vietnam is a little ridiculous so I’m going to lightly layer instead. This will keep me warm enough for the travel transit.

Comfortable yet stylish are my two priorities when creating this outfit. While I love black, I won’t be working it into this look. Lacey on the other hand who loves black more than me (who knew?) probably will.

Instead, I’m working a neutral look that includes white elastic pants (that won’t crease), a short sleeved white peplum top (for when I peel the layers away), a thin pink jumper, my angora throw for the plane, a neutral bag and neutral shoes.

Oh – and wear shoes. I don’t understand people that fly in flimsy flip flops that could break and leave you bare-foot not to mention that glamorous foot swelling that goes on during air travel.

My final piece of advice? Avoid taking items just because you like them. The question is – will you wear them and with what? Make sure all your items have a purpose and check luggage limits before you leave. There is nothing quite as disheartening at having to leave items behind or pay an astronomical “additional luggage” fee.

So I hope we’ve offered some useful information on packing for your next destination. Do you have a tip worthy of sharing? We’d love to hear from you!

Love Cindy and Lacey x