Packing your ‘Look’ for a Road Trip
/Now that I have returned from an extended road trip - I have some notes about what worked well for me. It is easy to expand to taking the ‘kitchen sink’ when you have a whole car to hold it. Here are my top 10 notes about how to pack items that sustain your ‘look’ on a road trip:
- Pack in several small suitcases or tote bags rather than having all clothes in one large suitcase.
- Know what you will do with clothes after you have worn them. A laundry bag in the trunk (or multiple laundry bags pushed to the very back) can work quite well.
- Pick your main three colors so mix and match is possible. In my case - I always go with black, red, and turquoise….with black being the color for most of my slacks/pants/jeans.
- Choose layers sufficient for the coldest place you will be. In December, it was not ‘hot’ anywhere I went so the layering in addition to my regular indoor clothing included fleece/sweatshirt and a coat with gloves in the pocket!
- Pack shoes in their own bag (best if the bag is unique and recognizable for each; plastic bags from stores work well). These bags can be tucked into a small space in the trunk or even partially under a seat.
- For items that need to be on a hanger, I prefer to lay them on top of the items in the trunk. Hanging them in the car often reduces visibility…not good while on a road trip.
- For cosmetics, I generally round up on a road trip. This might be a reaction to the rounding down when traveling by plane (and not checking luggage). At least I use multiple ziplocks so it is easy to get out just the items I need. If you are going to be a guest in someone’s home and sharing a bathroom, it is often a good idea to take a tray or bowl to keep you toiletries contained and easily transported back to the guest room rather than packing them back into the suitcase each day.
- A small suitcase for toiletries, underwear, socks and one/two days of clothes worked well for me so I could leave the bulk off my clothes in the trunk while I was actually in transit.
- Plan to do laundry for road trips of more than 10 days.
- Find a small container for jewelry that has a good lid and is just big enough for what you want to take. My favorite is a heart shaped tin that I got as a valentine’s present several years ago. It is just the right size for earrings and rings. Bracelets can often fend for themselves in the suitcase.