How the 5 4 3 2 1 packing method worked for me on a 6-week trip.
It’s been a long time since I shared any organizing tips. Summer is here, and to help you prepare for your travels I thought I’d share some packing tips and vacation planning that serve me well.
I love a challenge…well…I love some challenges.
Run a marathon, actually, run at all? Nope, not your gal.
Pack clothing that will serve for six weeks in just one carryon suitcase – yep, sign me up!
Imagine floating through the airport with a small roller bag in tow. A little tote slung over the handle and enough pieces of clothing to create plenty of outfits.
Just imagine ~
• No more wrangling multiple suitcases in airports.
• No need to pay for a larger, more expensive rideshare, rental car or cab.
• No more baggage fees.
• No more heavy suitcases that are tough to maneuver through cobblestone streets of far-off destinations.
The first time I needed to pack with intention was way back in 1991 when my then boyfriend (now husband) and I embarked on a three-week trip to Europe with nothing but a backpack. I can honestly say I wanted to burn every piece of clothing I took on that trip. I didn’t have near the variety needed to not get bored.
Years ago, I found a packing list that included only nine items (not including personal bits). I used this method for many years but recently I was finding it a bit boring, and I was pretty sure it wouldn’t serve me well for a six-week trip.
Imagine my delight when I stumbled upon the 54321 packing method.
I was intrigued.
In a nutshell, it’s 15 items:
• 5 tops
• 4 top layers
• 3 bottoms
• 2 shoes
• 1 outer coat
MY VERSION OF THE 5 4 3 2 1 PACKING METHOD
I opted to use it as a guideline and landed on this combination for my six-week trip to Europe in September.
• 5 tops
• 4 shoes
• 3 bottoms
• 3 top layers
• 2 dresses/jumpsuits
• And full transparency another 5 items just for hiking.
5+4+3+3+2 = 17 + 5 = 22
Hiking pieces - 2 tops, 1 bottom, poncho and hat for sun protection
Here’s what I adjusted when I took a one-week trip to a similar climate a few months later for a trip to Mexico in February. 5+3+3+3+2 = 16 + 5 = 21
• 5 tops
• 3 top layers
• 3 bottoms
• 3 shoes
• 2 dresses/jumpsuits
• 5 pieces for hiking only (see above)
I always travel with a hat and scarf.
It’s good to note a six-week trip is actually six one-week trips. Meaning you’ll need to do laundry – more on that later – and you’ll be wearing the same clothes for six weeks. Before you balk, remember ~
Most of us wear 20% of our clothes 80% of the time
And, yes, this all effortlessly fits in a small roller bag with plenty of room for souvenirs.
Here are some tips and lessons learned when packing.
TIPS
Tip #1 – You need a capsule wardrobe. Meaning, pick one (or two at most) color palettes that work together. Every item needs to coordinate with multiple other pieces. If you don’t already have a capsule wardrobe, I highly recommend you reach out to a personal stylist from Color Designers International (CDI). There are many talented professionals who can help determine colors and styles that are perfect for you.
Tip #2 – Bring clothes you love and that you wear regularly. Trust me, I learned this the hard way – see Lesson learned #2 below.
Tip #3 – Give yourself permission to buy something if the weather is different than expected – See Lesson learned #1 below. Don’t try to pack for ‘all’ conditions. Pack most pieces for the expected weather (use a weather app). If it’s going to be hot, pack accordingly with a single heavier piece. Do the opposite in cold weather.
Tip #4 – Choose pieces that are easily maintained. This is not the time for your finest silks, precious pieces or pieces that will show dirt easily. When packing for hot weather, I use linens, light-weight cottons and wrinkle-free, moisture-wicking performance fabrics. I know some people balk at linen because it wrinkles, but that’s the beauty of linen. I invite you to lean into linen wrinkling. This actually makes linen easier to embrace. No need to iron. Let’s be honest, unless you plan to stand perfectly still while wearing linen, expect it will wrinkle. This is true whether you’re traveling or wearing it to an afternoon out with friends. There’s a reason why locals rely on it heavily in hot environments…it’s comfortable!
Tip #5 - Wear your heaviest items and layers on the plane. For these trips, I wore my boots, leggings, top, scarf and one outer layer.
LESSONS LEARNED
Lesson Learned #1 – Weather changes! I looked at the weather as far out as available for the six-week trip and I was expecting the weather would gradually cool. I intended to wear short sleeves early on the trip and need the longer sleeves later. Nope. It was HOT the entire time. I almost never needed longer sleeves except on a few occasions. Better choices of tops and top layers would have solved this issue.
Case in point ~ I was in London and the weather was predicted to be warm. We were wearing short sleeves, and the sun was shining one day. The next day, rain! Yep, bought a raincoat. In fairness, that was before weather apps. 😊
Lesson Learned #2 – LOVE the clothes you pack. Two of the tops I packed for my six-week trip were chosen because they coordinated well with the bottoms and could be dressed up or worn casually. Turns out I hated one so much I donated it as soon as I returned home. I should have dumped it along the way and taken my own advice in TIP #3 above. The other top I like well enough, but don’t love it. It’s also on its way out. Why am I living with clothing I don’t love?!? That’s a whole blog in itself.
Lesson Learned #3 – I really needed only three pairs of shoes. I’m all about comfort so the shoes I wear, whether in daily life or while traveling must be comfortable. No breaking shoes in for me. They are either comfortable from the get go or they don’t go home with me. Shoe buying tip – try them on at the end of the day when your feet are at their most tired and swollen. If shoes are comfortable then they will serve you well.
DETERMINING WHAT TO PACK
When I’m deciding what to pack, I use my tried-and-true method of making a list. Oh, how I love lists. I like visuals so this works well for me.
• I start by pulling everything I think I want to wear out of my closet and placing it onto the bed. Again, seeing everything together helps me visualize outfits.
• I jot down each day of the trip, and I note what I expect to do that day…loosely (e.g., food tour in town, hike, visit a goat farm, in a car for a tour vs. walking all day, etc.). Seeing my itinerary helps me visualize what outfit and most importantly what shoes are best suited for the event.
• Next, I start selecting the pieces that are most suitable for the activity.
It becomes pretty obvious which pieces will not be coming along for the ride and get returned to the closet. Outfits start coming together and I continue fine tuning and removing extraneous pieces. Think of the quote from Coco Chanel “Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off.” Similar concept.
To some this may sound overwhelming, but I truly enjoy the entire process. Which I should mention, is a process. As soon as I have a trip booked, I begin identifying what I have that can work or what I may need to buy. This is not something that happens a week before I leave. It’s all about the planning, my friend. I begin to really get into the mindset of my upcoming travels. Plus, I like puzzles and (some) challenges.
Also, as I have traveled over the years, I continue to acquire pieces that work in different climates so I’m needing to buy fewer pieces with each trip.
HOW TO PACK ~ ROLL, FOLD, CUBES?
I am partial to the roll method. I do not use packing cubes and fold very few things. I find pieces are easily accessible when packed this way and it keeps wrinkles to a minimum.
And if you’re not already stuffing your undies and socks into your shoes when packing, it’s a great space saver and way to keep the shape of your shoes so they don’t get smashed.
LAUNDRY
OK, a note about doing laundry while traveling – especially in foreign countries. I have used many of the different options:
• Sitting in laundromat while clothes wash/dry (early in my travels when $$ were a bigger issue) – Least preferred method, btw.
• Using the laundry service at a hotel. Depending which country you’re visiting, this can be so affordable it’s laughable.
• Search out a wash and fold service where you drop your laundry in the a.m. and it’s ready for you to pick up after your adventures of the day.
• Book a vacation home with a washer. Many countries don’t use dryers so when in Rome…which is to say, embrace drying racks. They really work quite well.
Each of these laundry methods (for me) is preferable to overpacking and lugging heavy suitcases.
TOILETRIES
A few notes about toiletries.
TSA has it out for us women of a certain age. If you are partial to potions, lotions and creams, you’ll be hard pressed to fit all of what you need in that TSA-approved bag. But, if you have tips that work for you, please do share.
No problem, I thought. I will bring enough of the essentials that fit and buy what I need along the way. Easy peasy, right? Ha…not so much.
As someone who goes through sunscreen like its water, I very quickly realized other countries are not as serious about their skin protection unless you’re in a beach community. Hmmm, to the kids’ section I went often buying sunscreen for children. Hey, if it’s good enough for their tender skin, it will be good enough for me.
I also thought it would be fun to try lotions, shampoos, etc., from other countries. Turns out Cere Ve has the market cornered because every single dingle pharmacy I entered led me to their lotion selection – which was Cere Ve. Sigh.
I would still use this tactic to buy toiletries along the way, but will now have different expectations. I did find that just about any country that is known for olive oil will likely have small hand creams in those olive oil shops.
And a final PSA
If you are a global entry member, do not let your global entry lapse. My husband learned this the hard way. When it lapses, your application is treated as that of a new applicant and the wait time can be up to 15 months!
OK, Let’s get packing.
Are you ready to get packing for your next trip? What packing tips do you want to share?
Please indulge me and enter in the comments below (or send me an email) your choice of:
Yay! I can’t wait to give this a try.
Are you kidding?!? I could never pack so little.
Are you kidding?!? You don’t need that many items.
Happy travels, my friend and until next time ~ enjoy your journey.