Saturday, September 29, 2012

get out of town: packing up for a last minute road trip

the husband and i are really good at getting out of town. sometimes we're so good that we're already on the road before we've decided where we're going. i thought i'd let you in on a few things i've learned about packing up in a hurry but still having exactly what you need. this time i was packing for a weekend road trip to Seattle (about 6+ hours away).

this is how i pack for quick weekend excursions where we have a place to stay and i'm not flying.
one backpack, one bag...

i keep a backpack that's pretty much ready to go when i need it with a few basics pre-loaded like my flat iron, body wash, face wash, lotion shampoo and conditioner. i keep a spare make-up bag packed with minis of my regulars and smaller items that i can use as well and toss that in to the backpack too.


you'll have to actually put some thought into what you're going to wear and what the weather is going to be like. i bring clothes that are versatile and can be easily matched up with each other. light layers and basics work best for me. i'm never too fancy. the weather for this trip was going to range from 60s to 90s over the four days. this is what i brought as far as clothing:

  • DRESS: 1 light dress (for the hottest day)
  • TOPS: 1 long sleeve shirt, 1 button up, 1 t-shirt, 2 layering/undershirts, a tank and a sweater.
  • BOTTOMS: 1 pair of skinny jeans, 1 pair of shorts, 1 skirt and 1 pair of leggings
  • UNDER: 2 bras (one strapless for the dress), 3 socks, 5 panties
  • EXTRAS: jacket, hat, scarf, bandana, swimsuit, pajamas
  • SHOES: 1 pair of sneakers and 1 pair of sandals


folded and stacked, everything fits perfectly inside the backpack. i left a few things out to wear.

next i pack all of my little essentials in the bag. its a decent sized shoulder bag and it has a padded pocket for my laptop and enough room for all my things i'd have a hard time living without.


in the bag is: my laptop & case, writing utensils, lotion & sunscreen, a carabiner, hair tie, computer and phone charger, a waterproof wallet (just in case), iPod, iPhone, keys, candy, notebook, sketch pad, markers, glasses, lip gloss, mascara, lip balm, compact, aspirin, my wallet, a headlamp and hand sanitizer.

also, last minute i added a little draw string bag for laundry because the last thing i need is for my dirty socks to fall out while i'm digging around and a small zip bag to keep my clean panties together.

i always bring a bandana or two... i lay one over a pillow so i have my own surface to put my face on, use one for hiding a bad hair day, an emergency belt, wrapping up fragile souvenirs. lots of stuff.

and, last thing, i did bring a small cross-body purse so i didn't have to lug around my giant shoulder bag around while sight-seeing, eating out and shopping. it fit into the big bag and i just threw my wallet and lip gloss in when i used it.

Z and i will be flying to California in November and i will try and write about how to pack without checking any luggage. for now, this is how i pack for a weekender.

xo, pearl

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