Yesterday we talked about My Packing Do’s, the things I found so important on my 15 day Pacific adventure, and the things I wish I had thought to bring!! Today I’m going to share with you some Don’ts. It’s actually not as long as the Do list, but still just as important!!
Think carefully: carry-on Backpack vs. Tote: I used a tote as my carry on: an adorable black Kate Spade with a zipper closure & enough room for my laptop. It was great & I love the bag so much, however I think I may invest in a backpack before my next flying experience. You can do a lot of walking at an airport, and there’s nothing worse than having to walk 3 miles, uphill, in the rain, with a 15 pound tote over your shoulder!:) Ha! Hope had this backpack from your boyfriend Drew and I feel in love with that! It was roomie, has a laptop pouch & can hold so much stuff. Plus how fun is the teal? I think it’s on my wish-list, friends!
Don’t get shoe crazy: Another tip I was given when I posted an SOS Facebook status came from Catherine; she said to stick with one neutral color palette for shoes. I took leopard flats, black tieks, gold strappy sandals, casual flip flops, tennis shoes & toms wedges. Honestly, I didn’t need the wedges or the leopard flats since I wore tennis shoes far more than I thought. However, I packed shoes that were easily interchangeable with my outfits & made sure I didn’t bring a pair of shoes if they only went with ONE outfit in my bag!! My advice? Don’t go shoe crazy like I did! I promise you, if you’re hesitating even a little bit, you don’t need it!
Don’t forget your portable charger: Please don’t make the same mistake I did! Matt got me this adorable pink charger a few months ago & I forgot it in the states! So annoying! I used my phone as my camera & really struggled to keep the battery alive when we were gone all day. Luckily quite a few others had their chargers & they could charge quite a few phones before dying; I was able to borrow theirs when needed. If you don’t have a portable charger, it’s a life saver in tight situations! I’ve had my phone die one too many times at a wedding & love my small but mighty portable charger!
Don’t pack your hair dryer: even though I had an adapter that would also adjust the conversion, my hair dryer did NOT like it!! (Hope’s literally shot sparks!) Mine smelled like it was burning within 1 minute of turning it on & was SO hot even on the cool setting. I wasted precious space in my suitcase packing in when I couldn’t even use it!
Don’t overthink it: this is not the time to pack that dress you never wear. Now is the time for comfortable, chic & cute. Be yourself. Don’t pack 15 maxi dresses for a 15 day trip. Don’t pack 10 short sleeve t-shirts for a 15 day trip. If you decide to overpack on anything it should be underwear & socks because, well, you never know!:)
What are your Packing Don’ts?? Are any of them the same as mine?
xo! kat
Photography: Hope Taylor Photography
I completely agree with the hair dryer comment! Most hotels and AirBnBs will provide them these days. I have known too many people whose hair dryers short circuit, even with the adapter!
On another note, what are your preferred tennis shoes?
here’s a packing do – pack clothes that are in the same color palette. that way things can easily be mixed and matched. you’ll have a variety of outfits without having to pack a million items.