Bringing you along with me as I packed for NYC this Winter in today’s Vlogmas! I also wanted to share my packing tips and how I stay organized when packing for trips.

Shop my NYC packing list here.

PACKING TIPS:

MAKE A LIST

I find it very helpful to write out a small schedule for your trip so you can write out your outfits for each activity you have planned. That way, you are packing with a purpose. For example, if you’re not doing a nice dinner.. you don’t need to pack a nice dress! I can also see what items I can restyle other ways when I write it out.

I also add a list of items I don’t want to forget, like all my chargers and camera equipment! I start this list about a week out from a trip and add to it when I think of things before I actually start to pack.

layout your outfits

In addition to the list, I also like to lay out all my items so I can see what I’m working with. You can see if you can use other multiple times and what you can take away. I recommend only bringing one pair of jeans you can wear during the trip. Also, try to narrow down bulkier items like shoes and coats if possible.

pack a carry on wisely

I learned the hard way to always pack necessities in a carry-on. A little back story on this.. growing up my Dad worked for Delta so I always only packed with a carry-on or backpack. Fast forward to my honeymoon it was the first time I ever checked a bag and… it didn’t arrive until day 2 of the trip and I had to purchase necessities while there. Now, I always pack a carry on as if my luggage may get lost.

If packing designer items or things you can’t replace, always keep those on hand with you in a carry-on. If you need to save space, stuff your bags with items you also need to pack, such as underwear, socks, gloves, Spanx.. etc.

Then, pack an extra outfit or the items you need the day you arrive. For this trip, we had a photoshoot the day we arrived and a nicer dinner, so I packed those items accordingly. To save space, I actually wore one of the outfits I needed to shoot to travel in!

Leave extra space in your bag and carry on

I always try to travel with the expanders on my carry-on closed so if I shop or can’t pack the same way, I have a little extra space for the trip home. I learned this trip to also have extra space in my carry on bag as well. I had to check my checked-in luggage at the gate, so I ended up pulling things out of my luggage I didn’t want out under the plane and was glad I purchased this larger travel tote for the way home.

Use packing cubes to stay organized

I don’t think packing cubes necessarily save you a ton of space, but they do help with organization! I don’t unpack my luggage for the sake of keeping my belongings together, so going in and out of my luggage on a trip can get messy if it weren’t for these cubes. They just help keep everything organized so you know where to look for things and don’t have to dig through a large pile in your suitcase. You can also use them to color coordinate in your luggage if you’re packing for multiple people.

fold or roll?

I know people have firm opinions on whether it’s better to fold or roll your items. I’m personally a fan of rolling my clothes because I can see items easier and I feel like my items wrinkle less.

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I hope you enjoyed packing with me for NYC! Any other helpful packing or travel tips? Leave them in the comments below!

xo Amanda

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