FROM A BED COVERED IN CRAP TO NEATLY, ORGANIZED PACKS OF ESSENTIALS - LEARNING A FEW SIMPLE PACKING TRICKS WILL MAKE YOUR TRIP LIFE MUCH EASIER. AS A SELF PROFESSED OVERPACKER, I'LL GIVE YOU MY TIPS TO PACKING WITH PURPOSE.

1. Pack with each day in mind:

What will you be doing on that day?
What will the weather be like?
What could change?

2. Don't bring anything you wouldn't normally wear or needs too many additional pieces to work. If you wouldn't wear it at home, you probably won't wear it while on vacation.

3. Do bring items that can be re-worn or are versatile (jeans, jackets, solid shirts).

4. Roll your clothes, don't fold. This keeps them mostly wrinkle free and you can fit more in a small space.

5. Remember, if a clothing emergency occurs, you can probably buy what you need (unless you're in the Amazon or Idaho (just kidding... kind of). Packing for the impossible is not the way to go and will just clutter your trip.

PACKING CUBES

My favorite travel accessory. Whether I'm going on a month long excursion or a romantic weekend getaway, my packing cubes come along for the ride. You can find them on Amazon for about $20 for 3 (my personal favorite is the Rick Steves set). I organize them 1 of 3 ways:

1. By Type of Clothing

Socks, underwear, accessories
Shirts, pants, pajamas
Jackets, dresses, extras

2. By Day(s)

Each cube has 1 or 2 days packed inside so that when I don't feel like fully unpacking, I can just grab that day's cube and save myself the mess

3. By Location

Especially helpful when you are experiencing major climate or activity changes during your trip
For example: beach wear, active, hot weather, cold weather, dressy, etc.