Those of you that follow @megande.com.au’s social pages will know that I have just returned from a lovely escape to Airlie Beach with some special girlfriends. It was just what we all needed, a little reset and recharge embraced by the warm sun the Whitsunday Region is world famous for.
It’s the first trip like this I’ve been on for a while, you know the sort, where you leave your significant other behind, pack a party dress (and a book!) and prepare for a few nights of total indulgence.
But getting ready for a trip like this got me thinking. After packing for four nights in Queensland, I felt like I could quite easily have travelled to Greece for 3 weeks with what I’d packed… was it because I’d packed way more than I really needed, or was it that I had packed so well that what I’d selected could have serviced a much longer holiday? In my opinion it was the latter. Let me explain.
I enjoy packing for a holiday. I love the challenge of maximising each piece’s potential and making each piece work for its place in my suitcase. For me, major considerations are:
Colour Palette; Versatility; Fabric and Care Requirements.
First let’s discuss colour. It’s well known that I tend to lean towards a more muted, neutral colour palette in my everyday wardrobe, and to be honest this really helps when it comes to packing for a holiday. A neutral base allows you to easily create multiple looks with minimal effort. Think basic black, navy or tan. Choose the base that suits you the best and work out from there.
Now let’s consider versatility. In my opinion this is the most important factor of all. How many different ways can you wear each item you allow into your suitcase? If the answer is only one, I would urge you to consider if you really need to take it. An item that can only be worn one way (a fancy evening dress for instance) is taking up valuable packing real estate. On the other hand, a classic dress that can be dressed up for evenings with accessories or paired back for relaxed days out would be a much better choice.
Mix + Match is key when it comes to my packing strategy. I look at each piece individually and work out how many outfits I can create by mixing and matching each item. This is an interesting exercise, and it’s here that I realised I could literally wear my two small packing cubes of clothing for at least 3 weeks, easily.
Consider this: my lightweight long sleeved cotton shirt (for sun protection) could be worn with both pairs of shorts I’d packed, with long pants, over swimmers as a coverup, or even worn casually open or tied over a slip dress (taken from my one more “fancy” evening outfits). I realised I had so many outfit options from just this one well chosen item, that I didn’t have enough days to wear them all! Rookie error. Note to self… book longer holiday next time!
My final consideration is garment care. Natural fibres that can be easily laundered and cared for in a hotel room are an obvious choice. Anything that requires specialist care like dry cleaning is a risky choice. This became all too real when I opened up my suitcase on arrival…
I had packed a fun little linen playsuit, but missed putting it in my packing cube, so sat it on top. When I opened the case, lo and behold there was a terrible black stain on it. Fortunately I had packed my Tasmanian Tuffy Soap, my lifesaver both at home and on holidays, so a quick hand wash in the sink and the stain was a memory… a dry clean only garment would not have bounced back as easily!
In essence, packing for travel can be a daunting undertaking; but with careful planning, some well chosen items and the ability to give them a quick freshen up in your room, I guarantee there’ll be room in your luggage to bring back all those fab holiday finds! After all, isn’t that half the fun of travel!
