It’s spring break and you’re going to the Caribbean with a bunch of friends. You’re going for seven days maximum, because spring break is only a week long. What should you pack? How much should you pack? So many questions…but we’re here to offer you the answers to all of your packing questions.
Problem: When you go away with your friends, there is always that feeling of competition with having to look as good or better than everyone else on your trip. You love your friends, but competition is a natural part of life and it will be on your mind while packing…you’ll pack ten times more than you need because you aren’t sure what everyone else is bringing.
Solution: Pack with your friends. This may be tricky because, well, how does a group of people pack together when all of their stuff is in different houses? What you can do is pack on your own and then meet up with everyone before you go and condense and eliminate all of the extra things you realize you don’t need based on the stuff everyone else is bringing.
Problem: Last minute packing always leads to disaster. When you wait until the day before you leave to begin packing, you realize you still have laundry to do, someone borrowed your favorite sweats which – even though you’re going to a hot place – you take with you no matter what, and you still need to buy supplies like sunscreen and Claritin, Ibuprofen, etc. (just in case).
Solution: Do not wait until last minute to pack! My friends, when you do this, you never bring the right things and you almost always pack too much or too little. You’ll end up borrowing your friends’ things throughout your whole vacation and parts of of your suitcase wardrobe will remain unopened. Just pack a few days in advance, that way as you remember more things, you can throw them in the bag up until the day you’re leaving.
Problem: You’re a shoe lover and you feel the need to pack a different pair of shoes for each outfit you bring – including bathing suits – and that makes you have an extra suitcase. Not that I can judge, because this is – was – my personal packing problem, until it started preventing me from taking my luggage carry-on style, and there is no way in hell I’m checking a bag for a week-long trip – I hate baggage check. So how do you fix this one?
Solution: Go with solids. Pack flip-flops in white, black and leather (brown), and maybe a pair of cute ballet flats and one pair of heels that can be worn with anything. If you stay simple with neutral colors, you won’t need to change your shoes with everything you put on. It took me a while to get used to, but trust me, vacation has been a breeze since I made this discovery.
See, there is no need to go away for one week with four bags. Totally unnecessary. You just need bathing suits, night outfits and pajamas. That’s it. So enjoy your spring breaks with your light, carry-on suitcases.
