My favorite activity.
Weirdly, this is a question I get a lot from friends and coworkers: “how do you pack for all of your intense trips?” I think packing is absolutely a science (there is no art here. at all.) and can be boiled down to a few guidelines.
In truth, I was a terrible packer until I started traveling for business. Something about that experience makes you absolutely ruthless – do you want to be weighed down by three unnecessary pairs of shoes and an oversized toiletry case as you sprint across Charlotte Douglas trying to make the last connection of the night? No! You will sleep in Charlotte, and that’s rarely pleasant.
The beauty of it is that the skill has extended to my personal travel, to the point that I can confidently take a three week trip (between late Spring and early Fall) with just carry-ons. Goodbye, lost luggage. Hello, never having to wait at baggage claim.
I highly recommend it.
For the past year, I’ve been traveling with an Away rollaboard. I only bought it because a friend gave me a gift certificate for Christmas last year but really leaned into the whole millennial thing with the color scheme. In truth, I was always a backpack traveler (see: sprinting across CLT), but I love their bag and it’s easier to carry atop a rollaboard than a shoulder, so here we are. I hate to be a cliché, but they are excellent pieces of luggage and the price is right.
I picked the pink (this one is called Striped and was limited edition… it’s not Blush which is still available but a tad more saturated) because I didn’t want to be yet another person with a Black/Navy bag and run the risk of getting accidentally grabbed by someone else while deplaning. People love to make comments on my ridiculous pink bag and honestly I’m here for it. There probably isn’t a more on-brand Mik bag, if I’m being honest.
Sidebar: this looks like an ad. It isn’t. I’m just really happy with my luggage.
I have three key pieces of packing advice:
Pick a color scheme! A capsule wardrobe will never serve you wrong, minimizes pieces while maximizing options, and keeps you from being indecisive. I will typically pick one or two neutrals (black or navy or white), one color (usually red or pink), and one accent (usually ends up being blue or yellow, but I would love to do green one of these days).
Always carry silk scarves! They can jazz up outfits, keep your hair out of the way, serve as a makeshift sling, double as jewelry, keep your neck warm. Truly the best thing, and as an added bonus they take up next to no space.
Wipes! This is a hold over from my backpacking days. Look: are they the most environmentally friendly thing in the world? No. But you don’t always know when you’re going to have access to a sink. Sometimes you’re so gross and sticky and miserable… a wipe can fix at least part of that. If you’re traveling traveling there’s a good chance you’ll get yourself dehydrated at some point and nothing feels better on a red overheated face than a cool wipe. Trust.